Marine Turtle Conservation Project, El Rey Beach and Sevegre Beach, Central Pacific Coast, Costa Rica

Project Summary for the 2009-2010 Season

Volunteer Opportunity: Click here for more info
Eco Preservation Society is looking for Volunteers for our 2009 Turtle Conservation Project.

Introduction

Worldwide there exist seven species and one sub-species of marine turtle, of which six are found in Costa Rican waters. Each year in the Central Pacific the Olive Ridley: Lepidochelys olivacea, Green or black: Chelonia mydas agassizii, and to a lesser degree the Hawksbill: Eretmochelys imbricata, the Leatherback: Dermochelys coriácea and the Loggerhead: Careta careta visit our beaches. All of these species are endangered species and two of them, the Leatherback and the Carey, are in risk of extinction according to the IUCN and the CITES convention. The nesting seasons of these species are all similar, with a difference of one to two months, depending on the area or beach and the species. This season extends from June to January, with nesting most common at night.

At one point in time along the Costa Rican Central Pacific coast all beaches were important nesting sites for marine turtles. Currently due to contamination, coastal development, inadequate fishing practices and egg poaching few beaches maintain populations sufficiently large for conservation purposes. A few of these remaining important beaches are Barú, Matapalo, Palma, Esterillos, Savegre and El Rey. It is precisely at these last two beaches that this project proposes to carry out concrete conservation and research actions, facilitating the restoration and continued survival of these populations.

 Playa el Rey

Costa Rica Sea Turtle Conservation Playa El Rey, along Costa Rica's Central Pacific Coast, was annexed to the Manuel Antonio National Park in 2003, with the specific intention of protecting it's important marine resources. In addition to being an important stretch of undeveloped coastline along one of Costa Rica's most developed coasts, it is also home to a population of Olive Ridley turtles (species name). In spite of being granted National Park status, these turtles are not safe from predators, both animal and human. Egg poachers are still a serious problem at this beach, due mostly to it's isolation and the Costa Rican Environment Ministry's lack of resources and personnel. As well, both wild and domestic animals prey on nests and hatchlings. It is thought, as is found to be true in marine turtle populations the world over, that the number of nesting turtles arriving each year is diminishing.

Our conservation and research project plans to accomplish two important goals. Conservation efforts will focus on protecting nests from human egg poachers and animal predators. Maintaining a constant human presence on the beach will on its own significantly reduce human poachers, and specific techniques such as the construction of a protected egg hatchery will reduce animal depredation. Natural phenomena such as river flooding can also be a serious threat to nests, so the hatchery will also be used to relocate nests facing this danger. In addition to conservation efforts a long term research project is planned to characterize the nesting population and the effects of conservation efforts. These results, taken over the course of each season will allow future conservation efforts to be better directed, hopefully reversing population declines. Positive results may take many years to be seen, but evidence of success has been reported at beaches such as those found in Tortugero National Park, on Costa Rica's Caribbean Coast.

A third important component to our project is local community involvement and environmental education for several important populations. We will developing educational programs for local communities, tourists and you, our volunteers. Volunteers are critical to the success of marine turtle conservation projects, because they provide an important source of manpower, to carry out vigilance against poachers and to help carry out the important task of data collection for research purposes.

Volunteer Opportunity: Click here for more info
Eco Preservation Society is looking for Volunteers for our 2009 Turtle Conservation Project.

Justification

Throughout the country the perception that turtle eggs help sexual performance still exists. Added to this no real control exists on the part of the relevant authorities concerning the commercialization of turtle eggs harvested at Ostional Beach. For this reason during the nesting seasons (June to December) beaches along the Central Pacific, as well as the rest of the country, receive nightly visitors in search of these eggs, with poachers even sometimes killing animals for their meat. This situation is especially problematic at those beaches without any level of protection or the presence of any conservation projects, as is the case at the El Rey and Savegre beaches. Even though these beaches are categorized as protected areas under national law, as places of importance due to marine turtle nesting, until now there has never existed the necessary conditions to offer protection during the nesting season.

Objectives

General Objectives

• Restore and conserve the populations of marine turtles at the El Rey and Savegre beaches, involving the local communities, national and international volunteers, as well as relevant authorities. Carry out research, education and protection activities.

Specific Objectives

• Develop a strategic plan of support for the implementation of conservation, research and education activities, including active community support; as well as assure the logistics of each of these activities.

• Train and educate local actors in conservation and management of marine turtles

• Establish complementary actions that collaborate to diminish the depredation of eggs by wild and domestic animals as well as humans.

• Generate scientific information that supports conservation actions.

Methodology

The methodology proposed includes 4 phases during which the participation of ACOPAC, SNG and local communities is essential.

1.    First phase: Strategic planning and diagnostics

2.    Second phase: Preparation and logistics

3.    Third phase: Monitoring

4.    Fourth phase: Results and evaluation* Activities necessary for a proper management of nesting beaches

** Activities necessary to assure a proper execution and management of a marine turtle conservation project

Volunteer Opportunity: Click here for more info
Eco Preservation Society is looking for Volunteers for our 2009 Turtle Conservation Project.