Research and Conservation
Playa Mondonguillo, where Estacion Las Tortugas is located, is an important nesting site for one of the most incredible animals of the world, the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), today classified globally Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and Endangered in the Caribbean side of Costa Rica (according to the most recent assessment in 2019). Despite this concerning trend, the number of nesting turtles observed during the season remains remarkable, offering hope and highlighting the importance of continued protection efforts.
But the leatherback is not the only sea turtles our beach hosts: we also are occasionally visited by green turtles (Chelonia mydas), hawksbills (Eretmochelys imbricata), and occasionally, loggerheads (Caretta caretta).
Our work is grounded in hands-on conservation and data-driven research. From mid-March to mid-July, our team conducts nightly beach patrols to monitor nesting activity, collect biometric data, and safely relocate vulnerable nests to a protected hatchery. Today, we still witness the illegal trade of sea turtles eggs: our job is to protect those eggs from poachers.
Nesting females are fitted with unique ID tags, supporting long-term mark-recapture studies and population monitoring.
As the season progresses, we document hatching success and gather data on hatchling size, contributing valuable information to better understand reproductive success and early life stages.
