I also witnessed a dog capture and critically injure a leatherback hatchling in Las Baulas National Park last nesting season. The owner had been walking 100 meters behind the unleashed dog and did not even notice it had snatched up a hatchling from this critically endangered population of sea turtles until it was too late. It is a common sight to see dogs at Playa Grande and Playa Ventanas, digging holes in the vegetation line, a prime location for sea turtle nests. 

As a conservationist, I know that only 1 in 1,000 leatherback hatchlings will reach maturity. But that statistic does not account for increased threats presented by increasing human settlement around Las Baulas National Park, including the rising number of dogs on the beach. 

To protect the critically endangered East Pacific leatherback population from extinction, including their nests and hatchlings, we need everyone’s help to reduce the presence of dogs in Las Baulas National Park. First, we must distinguish the two types of dogs on Playa Grande: domestic and feral. ‘Domestic’ dogs are those with owners while ‘feral’ dogs may be fed by community members (or scavenge from their refuse bins) but do not have owners. Although feral dogs may have more freedom to wander beaches, domesticated dogs actually pose more of a threat to sea turtle nests. According to a study done at the Colola Sanctuary in Mexico, a feral dog will predate a nest to feed on eggs or hatchlings because it is famished, but once the dog is sated it will not search for more. Domestic dogs, however, will predate nests out of curiosity rather than hunger, and they will dig up nest after nest until they lose interest. Domestic dogs digging up nests out of curiosity may not even eat the eggs, but once a nest is uncovered it becomes vulnerable not only to the elements but also to attack by other predators (e.g., caracaras, vultures, raccoons, coatis). 

Many dog owners I’ve met on the beach have told me that they were unaware of Las Baulas National Park’s boundaries or restrictions on dogs within the Park. The Leatherback Trust worked together with MINAE to create and post 17 new signs at all major entrances to Las Baulas National Park. We hope that these signs will improve adherence to Park rules by reminding visitors and residents that walking dogs on the beach or letting dogs run freely within the Park boundaries endangers turtle nests and hatchlings.

Beachgoers can also help turtles by removing trash and food scraps from the beach, since the scent of food can attract predators, including feral or unleashed domestic dogs. Local community members can also help reduce feral dog populations by spaying or neutering existing feral dogs and keeping any pets that have not been spayed or neutered indoors or under supervision to prevent unwanted litters.

As a dog owner myself, I understand it can be disheartening to leave our furry friends at home when heading out for a walk on the beach. But the beaches in Las Baulas National Park are unique. They are not just another place to live or walk our pets. They are the last mass nesting beaches for a critically endangered species on the brink of extinction. For the well-being of the wildlife and sea turtle populations that depend on the Las Baulas National Park, let’s all do our part to keep the beaches safe for hatchlings by being responsible dog owners. Numerous causes have contributed to the decline of the East Pacific leatherback, but dogs are one more threat that this critically endangered population cannot abide.

This article originally appeared on National Geographic’s Ocean Views blog