{"id":239128,"date":"2024-04-13T23:50:13","date_gmt":"2024-04-13T21:50:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tropica-verde.de\/projekte\/sea-turtles-in-gandoca\/"},"modified":"2026-07-21T15:37:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T13:37:24","slug":"sea-turtles-in-gandoca","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/tropica-verde.de\/en\/projekte\/sea-turtles-in-gandoca\/","title":{"rendered":"Sea turtles in Gandoca"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

GANDOCA-MANZANILLO<\/h1>Sea turtle conservation on the Caribbean coast<\/span>
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Sea turtles in Costa Rica<\/h2>\n

Costa Rica is a mecca for sea turtles. Five out of seven sea turtle species worldwide come to lay their eggs on the beaches of the Pacific and Caribbean coasts in Costa Rica. In addition, various life stages use the food-rich coastal waters as feeding grounds. Our partner and marine biologist Dr. Christine Figgener is working with the COASTS organization to ensure that sea turtles will continue to come to the beaches of Costa Rica in large numbers to lay their eggs, where the hatchlings will then embark on their first long journey to the Caribbean Sea or the Pacific Ocean after just a few weeks.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Protection and research of
sea turtles<\/h2>\n

Dr. Christine Figgener and <\/span>the organization COASTS (Costa Rican Alliance for Sea Turtle Conservation & Science<\/a> ) <\/span> protect nesting<\/span> females<\/span> and their eggs <\/span>from poachers<\/span>erosion of beaches and thus nesting sites, as well as natural enemies.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Between March and July, the endangered leatherback turtle<\/em><\/strong> (<200 nests per year), between May and October the endangered the critically endangered hawksbill turtle<\/em><\/strong> (<200 nests per year) and the green turtle<\/em><\/strong> (<30 nests per year) come to Gandoca to lay their eggs.<\/p>\n

W<\/span>uring the nesting season (March to October on the Caribbean coast) <\/span>Christine and her team carry out <\/span>night patrols and morning reconnaissance tours<\/span>. You <\/span>stay with the nesting females until they have returned to the water and <\/span>secure the laid eggs by moving them to a safer place and burying them there again. <\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"Stefan,<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\"Leatherback<\/span><\/div><\/div>

All-round program for the turtles<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>

The sea turtles that come to Gandoca are marked, registered and measured. In addition to researching the nesting females, the life of the sea turtles in the water is also studied. Some animals are fitted with a satellite transmitter. The resulting data will be used, among other things, to show the Costa Rican government ways to make the protection of sea turtles more effective and sustainable.<\/p>\n

Habitat conservation is another important area of work for the animal rights activists, as sea turtle populations cannot thrive in the future without a healthy ecosystem.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Habitat protection in action<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>

COASTS regularly undertakes campaigns and initiatives to restore the local habitats. On the one hand, regular clean-ups of the relatively steep beach are carried out to remove driftwood, plastic and garbage. On the other hand, trees are grown for the reforestation of the mangroves in the lagoon. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"Leatherback<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\"Environmental<\/span><\/div><\/div>

A benefit for the local population<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>
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The project is also intended to create jobs for the local population and thus serve as a financial incentive. To this end, between five and ten scientific assistants from the village are employed in Gandoca each season, some of whom used to poach themselves and thus have an alternative and legal income. Student interns also live with families in the village, which provides them with an income. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\ue04e<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>

Environmental education on the Caribbean coast<\/a><\/h2>

Interview with Ariana Oporta MacCarthy – Marine Biologist, Vice President of COASTS and responsible for environmental education at COASTS and Tropica Verde in this region<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Environmental education as an important building block<\/h2>\n
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In order to make the conservation measures sustainable, a major focus is on environmental education in the surrounding schools, which are visited regularly to educate the children about the endangered status of sea turtles, but also to make them aware of the importance of protecting their own livelihoods. With the advent of the Internet in Gandoca, virtual visits are also possible for schools in other parts of Costa Rica, as well as internationally.<\/p>\n

In order to get Costa Rican and other Latin American students interested in nature conservation, the project also offers three scholarships per year for qualified young people to work for three months each.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div>\"It<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>\"Leatherback<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>\"Hawksbill<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>\"Hawksbill<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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WHAT DOES TROPICA VERDE DO?<\/h2>\n