Participation in the sea turtle conservation project has been one of the most rewarding experiences that my internship has offered. As a part of this project, we patrol the nearby beach of Playa Norte, which is located within only 10 km of the beach of Tortuguero – the main sea turtle nesting site in Costa Rica. European settlers had originally been attracted to Tortuguero by the unbelievably large number of turtles that came to nest on the beach. Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries a massive sea turtle hunting industry was established in Tortuguero, exporting turtle meat and shells to numerous places around the world. Partly due to overhunting, the abundance of sea turtles has been decreasing exponentially over the past centuries. Other causes of turtle mortality include ocean pollution and beach-front development.
Hawksbill turtle
Today, four species are known to nest on Playa Norte and include the Leatherback, Hawksbill, Green and Loggerhead sea turtles. Unfortunately, all of these species are currently under high risk of extinction. In an attempt to reduce the occurrence of poaching, we daily patrol a 5 km stretch of Playa Norte. We ensure that each of the turtles that we encounter safely returns to the sea after nesting, even if this means watching a turtle in pouring rain for up to four hours. All the nests found are disguised to reduce the chances of poaching. Even with all our attempts, poachers and dogs are very good at finding nests and even the most hidden ones sometimes get dug up.
Green turtle swimming over reef
I remember the unforgettable night, when I saw my first nesting marine turtle, an almost two meter long Leatherback. Its size and strength were beyond anything I had ever seen and its deep-sounding breath reminded me of the deep oceans, which these turtles inhabit. Also referred to as the “last of the dinosaurs”, Leatherbacks are the most ancient and the largest of all sea turtles and have been around for the past 150 million years. Their smooth leathery shell makes them unique amongst other marine turtles. An equally memorable experience was seeing the first Hawksbill turtle – these are highly hunted for their beautiful shells. Lit by bright moonlight, the turtle was emerging on shore from foaming waves when we first saw her She was only a couple of meters ahead. We froze, knowing that turtles can be easily scared away, in which case they will return to the sea without nesting. As we quietly watched her climb up a hill on the beach on her way towards the vegetation, we all noticed something very unusual. The turtle’s shell, in addition to being covered in big barnacles, was also glowing in the dark! On closer observation we noticed that this was because she was covered in bioluminescent microorganisms – quite a magical sight.
Leatherback turtle swimming with remoras
- Loggerhead turtle emerging from the sea
Leatherback turtle tracks
During night patrol we walk the beach without flashlights, usually in groups of three. Light can scare away the turtles and also reveals our position to poachers. Knowing that the patrol team can show up unexpectedly discourages poaching. We work in all weather conditions, ranging from clear moonlit nights to pouring rain and thunderstorms, when one can barely make out the silhouettes of teammates.
Unfortunately, as the peak of turtle nesting season is approaching, the rate of hunting is increasing. Lifted turtle tracks, identified by lack of tracks returning to the sea, are becoming more common. A few days ago my coworkers found a green turtle flipped on its back by poachers who were planning to come back for it, knowing that this position would leave the turtle helpless and hinder it from returning to the sea. The lucky turtle was flipped back and given the opportunity to return safely to sea. This is one turtle saved, however sadly, many of her relatives will be brutally killed. People have been contacting our station to report the witnessing of turtle killing. Sometimes poachers leave the turtles with flippers cut off, only to come back to pick them up later on. Shell hunters have also been known to rip the shell off and not kill the turtle. With all the organs exposed, the turtle will still stay alive for a long time, dying a slow and painful death.
Recently, two dead Green turtles washed up on the shore of Playa Norte. Turtle carcasses in similar condition hadalso washed up on shores of nearby beaches. As it turned out, this was the work of a poaching ship located in nearby waters. People on such ships are hunting turtles in massive quantities and selling their meat on black markets. The turtles that we saw had their flippers pierced and tied up to keep them from moving around the ship. When poachers encounter a coastguard ship at sea, the turtles are thrown overboard. Being unable to swim, with flippers still tied, and not being able to come to the surface to breathe results in subsequent drowning of these turtles. Organized crime like this is an even greater issue than poaching that happens on the beach. To get more information, please visit the blogs of my coworkers Sarah and Kirstin.
Fortunately, amidst all the sad stories, there is good news as well. A number of my coworkers have had the opportunity to see live hatchlings coming out of nests. Although hatchlings usually emerge at night, when there are less predators around, some also come out of the nest in early mornings and those who are lucky get to see them!
Sarah with leatherback hatchlings
Leatherback hatchlings heading towards the sea on Playa Norte (Photo by Sarah)
Leatherback hatchling on Playa Norte (Photo by Sarah)
Last week we also got the chance to witness the release of a Green Turtle tagged with a satellite tracker in Tortuguero. Many locals and tourists gathered to see the turtle go. Although sea turtles migrate very large distances, very few studies have been able to track their movement. To find out where Shelldon and other tagged turtles are at the present moment, please visit: http://www.conserveturtles.org/satelliteturtles.php
mariapuravida 