01/01/2023
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Post 6
To start off 2023, we will end the story of our working retreat in Costa Rica. Our last post was about our first day at Punta Mala National Wildlife Refuge where we worked with Refuge staff to release olive ridley sea turtle hatchlings back into the ocean. When we were done releasing them, we talked to the people who manage the Refuge and monitor the nesting sites along the coast. They explained how sea turtle nesting has been affected by rising sea levels. In the last few years the high tide line has been moving further and further inland, this reduces the amount of sand available for turtles to nest.
Next morning when on our way to the beach, we saw the effect of this situation first hand. Right next to the Refuge’s installations (about 100 feet inland, on solid ground), we found an adult sea turtle trying to make her way back to the ocean. A few feet from her, exposed and in a ditch with water running over them, we saw the clutch of eggs she had unsuccessfully tried to bury. During the previous night's high tide she was unable to find sand to dig her nest and was forced to lay her eggs in an exposed ditch. Our emotional reaction to this situation was one of sadness, but we also found resolve and inspiration to keep working for nature conservation in Costa Rica.
Thank you for following this six part piece telling the story of our week long adventure. If you would like to learn more about what we do, follow this link and support our ongoing work through a donation: https://www.thenaturefundforcostarica.org
Photos 1: An exhausted mother who could not find a proper place to lay her eggs.
Photo 2: The sad sight of an exposed and unsuccessful clutch of sea turtle eggs. This time her enormous effort was not fruitful, but at least she provided land animals with a source of rich nutrients.
Photo 3: Helping this tired sea turtle find her way back to the ocean. Hopefully her next nesting event will be a success.