Costa Rican Sea Turtles

  Costa Rica

• North Western Region: 
Guanacaste

Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Dates: Inquire for specific dates.

Description: Research Mission
Help save leatherback sea turtles from extinction at one of the most important remaining nesting beaches in the world.

Situation Report
Las Baulas National Park, Guanacaste, Costa Rica - In the past 20 years, the world population of leatherback sea turtles has fallen by more than two-thirds and the species could go extinct in our lifetimes. One of the most important remaining nesting areas in the Pacific Ocean is here on the three scalloped beaches of Las Baulas National Park, a park given national protection thanks to the hard work of Drs. Frank Paladino, James Spotila, and Richard Reina, who have worked tirelessly to halt rampant turtle egg-poaching. For the past 15 years, Earthwatch teams have supplied nesting data to conservation officials to guide turtle management, and the local community is now invested in the success of nesting efforts, making it a model for coastal communities around the world.

Meals and Accommodations
Volunteers and staff will share a beachfront duplex with pool at the Goldring Marine Biology Field Station. The field station is down the beach road from the restaurant where you will eat most of your meals. Each cabin is comfortably equipped with air conditioning, full bathrooms, and four sets of bunk beds. You'll come to tolerate, if not appreciate, the morning's free concert given by resident howler monkeys as you try to drop off to sleep after a night on the beach.

Highlights: On the Expedition
Each night on the beaches with team leader and biologist Pilar Santidrian, you'll monitor nesting leatherbacks, measure and tag them, record nest position, and count eggs to determine which factors - from El Niño to coastal development - influence nesting success. Depending on the team, you may relocate threatened nests to the hatchery, protect hatchlings as they scramble seaward, excavate nests to determine hatching success rates, and rescue stragglers. You may also help attach transmitters, or data-loggers, to adults, to monitor their behavior and migrations, or help in the turtle hatchery. After beach patrols, there is always time for a swim and snack at a beachside restaurant. You can spend free time touring the mangrove estuary, taking a sailboat cruise, or just enjoying the beach.

Qualifications: Earthwatch volunteers are enthusiastic to learn about the research topic and are willing to contribute their time and energy to support leading scientists in conducting field research. Volunteers will be trained upon arrival at the research site. Teams have a minimum age of 18, unless accompanied by parent or legal guardian, in which case the minimum age is 16.

Cost in US$: 2,846

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Earthwatch expeditions appeal to a variety of people: educators gain new knowledge and develop exciting lesson plans; students explore career options and build research skills; writers, photographers and artists contribute their skills and share their experiences through a variety of media; businessmen and women, doctors and nurses, engineers, homemakers, retirees . . people from all walks of life choose to volunteer on research expeditions each year. Volunteers are actively engaged on a daily basis with the research project, develop global perspectives and explore new cultures and environments.

Age Range: 16+

This Program is open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Costa Rica Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 6-8

Application Process Involves:

• Other
• Phone Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Written Application

Earthwatch Institute's Mission Statement: Earthwatch Institute engages people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Through a unique method of funding, the volunteers Share of Cost contributes directly to the support of the research projects. Earthwatch enables scientists to pursue research goals and members of the public to gain hands-on experience with science. Each year, over 4,000 people from 46 countries directly contribute to scientific research by working alongside scientists, local community members and other volunteers. Earthwatch volunteers can track sea turtles; join archaeological digs; observe animal behavior; collect rare plants, study dolphin behavior and more. The Earthwatch community also includes 20,000 global members, 4,000 eager volunteers each year, 50 collaborating conservation organizations, and 50 corporate partners, all of whom work together to make a difference. Below you will find out more about our leadership, employment opportunities, and contact information.

Year Founded: 1971