Date: 16 August 2023
Authors: César Arroyo y Adriana Lechuga 
Postulación realizada por: GroBios A.C. (Socio-ecological Projects for the Conservation and Protection of Biodiversity in Michoacán-Guerrero, México).

Juan Barrientos Serafin, from Estero Colorado de Guerrero en México, has worked with the Center for Technological Studies of the Sea, Number 27 “Leona Vicario” , (CETMAR 27) in Port Vicente Guerrero de August 16th, 2008. 

He began as a social service provider and later as a volunteer, all the while contributing his efforts to the protection and monitoring of marine turtles, especially leatherbacks. 

Juan Barrientos lives in Playa Estero Colorado within the Piedra Tlacoyunque Sea Turtle Sanctuary, performing nightly patrols collecting, relocating, reburying, and protecting sea turtle eggs. Everyday, Juan walks from his house to work, where he keeps an eye on the CETMAR 27 hatchery and protects nests along the 2.5 km of coastline. 

Juan has been an unwavering volunteer hero for many years!! He is fortunate to live next to the ocean, and whenever he can, he patrols the beach within the tiene la fortuna de vivir frente al mar y cada que puede, recorre la playa Piedra Tlacoyunque Sea Turtle Sanctuary. Juan Barrientos has released thousands of leatherback hatchlings, which are his priority. He does this work without expectation of getting something in return, and throughout the season on his morning walk to work, he stops at the CETMAR 27 hatchery to check on the nests he has relocated, hoping to increase the number of turtles that will eventually reach the ocean.