It's hatching season for sea turtle in Costa Rica. You can find tiny 4 inch long babies making their way to the ocean as they begin their journey and grow up to be one of the largest reptiles in the world.
One of the largest reptiles in the
world start as one of the smallest babies, only four inches long. These sea
turtle babies will cover the coast, only about the size of golfballs, as they
make their way into the ocean. During January, leatherback sea turtles cover
the Costa Rica beaches as they begin nesting while other tiny hatchings begin
their journey to the shore. The hatchlings disappear into the ocean, only to
return if they are females for more generations of sea turtles.
When turtle hatching season begins, thousands of baby turtles cover the
shoreline, making their way into the sea. The hatching process is long and
grueling, with many things that could danger the small, vulnerable turtles.
People are allowed to assist the small turtles if they are trapped in the sand
or the nest, but only with the assistance of a professional such as a
biologist. It really helps the baby turtles if the sand is loosened. Just as
the tiny leatherback sea turtles make their way into the ocean, green sea
turtles come onto the beach to lay their eggs.
Poachers are a major threat to the endangered sea turtle population. There are
efforts throughout the Costa Rica community to protect and help the endangered
sea turtlese. On the beaches, people monitor nesting leatherbacks while
measuring, tagging them, counting eggs, and recording nest locations. The tags,
transmitters, and data-loggers can be helpful later, as it will provide a way
for the migration and behavior of the turtles be tracked. They are able to help
the sea turtles by relocating threatened nests to the hatchery, rescue
struggling turtles, and protect the turtle hatchlings as they crawl to the sea.
The Pacuare Nature Reserve is one of
the locations in Costa Rica that helps protect the sea turtles during the
hatching season, specifically leatherback sea turtles and green sea turtles.
Guests of the Pacuare Reserve are allowed to assist biologists. They watch the
turtles lay eggs, measure and tag the turtles, return the turtles to the sea,
then are able to rebury the eggs in a different location until it is turtle
hatching season.
A lot of energy and effort goes towards keeping the sea turtles safe during the
sea turtle hatching season in Costa Rica. With the help of several people, the
eggs and sea turtles are able to remain safe through each year, season after
season.
