Becker Students Whitney Smith, Brooke Cote Danielle Craven

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Brooke Cote, a junior pre-vet major at Becker College, holding hatchling sea turtles during her trip to Oaxaca to support the Mazunte Turtle Project.

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Brooke Cote helps assist in the spaying and neutering of stray dogs in Oaxaca, Mexico

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More than 60 turtle eggs in one laying

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Turtles make their way safely down the beach

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LEICESTER, Mass. — This January, three Becker College animal science students travelled to the beaches of Oaxaca, Mexico — not for a vacation, but to volunteer their time to help protect the endangered sea turtle population with the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association Charities Mazunte Turtle Project.

"It was really rewarding," said Brooke Cote, a junior pre-vet major, recalling her amazement at the end of the trip when she was able to watch the hundreds of baby turtles hatch and make their way down to the ocean.

In addition to being president of the Becker College Student Government Association and an active student leader, Cote created the Becker Mazunte Turtle Project Club, which raised funds on campus to cover much of the trip’s expenses.

Wanting to do something to protect the endangered turtles, Cote took the initiative to get in touch with Dr. Richard Rodger, a veterinarian from North Grafton, who started the project 12 years ago.

For the week-long trip to Oaxaca, Cote was joined by fellow Becker students Danielle Craven, and Whitney Smith, and the girls spent over 100 hours assisting the project.

Together, Cote, Craven, and White participated in the spaying, neutering, and deworming of over-populations of stray dogs.

Cote explained that packs of stray dogs would roam the beaches, digging up turtle eggs and eating them. By reducing the dog packs, the turtles have a greater chance of surviving the trek down to the water.

At the conclusion of the week-long project, more than 1,400 baby sea turtles had been released and more than 280 cats and dogs had been spayed and neutered in 15 towns. 

The effects of the project are far-reaching. Not only do turtles and dogs benefit from the Project, but humans do as well.

The turtles draw tourists to towns along the Oaxacan coast, and the decrease in stray dogs and improved health of treated dogs have resulted in increased safety to promote a more robust tourist economy.

Furthermore, Cote's own experience was fulfilling, giving her a new outlook on widlife.

"It's such an important part of the world," she said, describing the sense of amazement from holding a hatchling that was just the size of her palm, and knowing its potential to grow into a full-size adult sea turtle. 

While the turtles are still currently endangered, through efforts like the Mazunte Turtle Project, Cote hopes to be able to protect them from one day disappearing from the shorelines.


"Thirty to forty years from now, I'd like to be able to take my grandchildren to see a sea turtle," she said.

For now, Cote wants the club to grow, so that more can be done to support the project.

To learn more about the Mazunte Turtle Project, click here to visit their page on Facebook. To help support the club or get more information, contact Cote at bcote.2009@mymail.becker.edu