For the past 10 days I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work at a animal refuge in Costa Rica to help conserve numerous species of sea turtles. Along with 17 other high schoolers, I stayed at the Camaronal Wildlife refuge in Costa Rica. Although living on this refuge was a very rustic experience, our commitment to helping the turtles made a lasting impact. On the refuge, there is a beautiful beach that is known for the various species of sea turtles, who come to lay their eggs each night. Costa Rica is a critical nesting ground for several species, including the olive ridley, leatherback and green sea turtles. During my stay on the refuge, there were many key activities that we did as a group to help conserve the turtles. Firstly, we actively engaged in nightly beach patrols, where we monitor the nesting activities of sea turtles. We encountered nesting turtles, and witnessed the egg-laying process, and even had the opportunity to help collect data for the research purpose. On our most successful night we helped collect over 500 eggs from eight different turtles to protect the eggs from poaching and predation. We collected and relocated the sea turtle eggs to a secure hatchery. This process increases the chances of survival of the hatchling by double. Typically only 1 in 1000 sea turtle eggs survive in the wild, but at the hatchery 1 in every 500 egg survive. After the incubation period, we helped release the baby turtles into the ocean. This experience of witnessing the hatchlings make their way to the sea was an awe inspiring and emotionally rewarding moment. At the refuge we also had many educational workshops and informative lectures on sea turtle biology, ecology, and the conservation challenges they face by the leader of the turtle hatchery. These sessions helped us understand the broader context of our conservation efforts. We also got involved in the local community and collaborated with many different groups. We had the chance to work alongside community members, fostering cross cultural understanding and building lasting relationships. Apart from sea turtle conservation, we also experienced many additional environmental projects, such as beach cleanups, reforestation efforts, and campaigns to promote sustainable practices. During some of our night walks to collect the turtle eggs we encountered poachers on the beach who were trying to steal the eggs. Although these encounters were scary, they emphasized the need to help conserve the turtle eggs as hundreds are stolen each night.
Hatchlings we were releasing during the night.
Beach cleanup and restoration during the day! This was a wonderful experience for me.