According to The Yucatan Times, authorities in Mexico will deploy drones on southwestern beaches in Oaxaca to protect against a reported surge in poaching of the eggs of the threatened Olive Ridley turtles.

The turtles return to the country’s coast each year to lay their eggs in the sand. The sale of turtle meat and eggs has been banned in Mexico for more than two decades, but the threat of jail has not deterred poachers.

As published on The Yucatan Times, the Sea Turtle’s initial predator is man. Their eggs are easy prey and as little as 20 nests’ worth will fill a sack of 2,000 eggs, which will fetch between $600 and $1,000 pesos on the black market, according to Profepa. So far this year, Profepa has registered 33,884 nests dug by this year’s turtles; most are under protection and the remaining 2,000 are being monitored by the drones.

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