Pacuare Reserve, led by Ecology Project International (EPI), hosts the fourth most important nesting beach for the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) on earth. Tireless contributions from volunteers and researchers, public education, and local collaborations have made it possible to reduce the nest loss rate from 98% to fewer than 2% in the last 20 years. Threats from illegal harvesting and beach erosion, however, still exist.
LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLE
Every season, the marine currents bring many as 800 nesting female leatherbacks to the Reserve - reaching the Caribbean Sea from the deep Atlantic Ocean
The creation of a massive commercial port in Limón, a city located about 40 km south of the Reserve, however, has had a profound impact on the number of females who reach the beach in recent seasons.
Changes in marine currents and global warming have accelerated the erosion of the nesting beaches, also resulting in a drastic effect on the species.
Fortunately, every year, field assistants from all over the world join Ecology Project International to protect the species. These volunteers and staff members conduct long census patrols along the 6 km stretch of beach - monitoring the nesting females and safeguarding the nests. This monitoring serves to not only dissuade poachers, but also provides a valuable record of the species population through time.
Thanks to the hard work of all Reserve members, volunteers, and other people involved, more than 80% of nests survive each year, providing a glimmer of hope for the survival of the species.
For these small dinosaurs, however, this is just the beginning of their adventure. Once in the ocean, hundreds of kilometers of danger wait for them, from both natural and man-made origins.
The Reserve is not only a sanctuary for leatherback sea turtles, it also hosts one of the few accessible breeding colonies of the mysterious and beautiful agami heron (Agamia agami). Pacuare serves as an island of biodiversity in Costa Rica – home to hundreds of species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.
Pacuare Reserve and EPI are leading one of the most important projects for the conservation of the leatherback species. But their race for survival has only begun. If you’d like to know how to collaborate and contribute to this project, click the following image and join the fight.
THE FUTURE IS IN YOUR HANDS!
