Mexico City, Jul 23 (IANS/EFE): More than 97,000 Kemp's ridley sea turtles were born in recent days at the Playa Rancho Nuevo wildlife sanctuary in Mexico's Tamaulipas state, the National Protected Natural Areas Commission (Conanp) said.

The hatchlings emerged from more than 2,000 nests in the wildlife reserve under monitoring by Conanp specialists assisted by students and residents from nearby communities.

The final count of hatchlings born this season will probably be higher once all the nests in the Del Tordo river area, as well as on Tesoro and Miramar beaches, are inspected, the agency said.

Monitoring of incubation pens and nests continues, with more hatchlings expected to emerge in the first half of August.

The Profepa federal environmental protection agency and the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Commission continue working to educate fishermen about nest protection and prevent the poaching of turtle eggs.

Kemp's ridley sea turtles nest on Gulf of Mexico beaches from Louisiana to Campeche state, but they seem to prefer the beaches in Tamaulipas.