Guide Spotlight: Vladimir de la Toba & the Sea Turtle Rodeo
Vladimir "Vlady" de la Toba has been a cheerful, enthusiastic member of the Loreto Sea Kayak Adventures team for over 6 years. A 3* British Canoe Union kayaker, Vlady also brings a wealth of local knowledge about the wildlife and wilderness of Baja to all of his tours.
Did you know that Vlady comes from a long line of lighthouse keepers at San Lazaro located at the southern end of Magdalena Bay? Both Vlady and his father, Victor, contribute work towards sea turtle protection with Grupo Tortuguero. Vlady spends his summers educating fisherman about preserving sea turtles and other important species and the dangers of bycatch. Vlady perfected the art of safely catching sea turtles for biologists: he jumps into the water from a boat, swims after the turtle, and grabs the turtle by the shell just behind the head with one hand and just above the tail 
with his other hand. He calls it "sea turtle rodeo." After measurements are taken, the turtle is returned unharmed to the sea. You can read more about the sea turtle preservation efforts in Baja here.
Meet Vlady and our other wonderful Loreto guides on your next trip to Baja to hear more about his work and the beautiful animals about which he has so much passion to protect. If you would like to get involved in sea turtle recovery in a more "hands-on" way, consider joining our Sea Turtle Monitoring and Kayaking Expedition this March!
