Community Outreach, Environmental Education, Marine Conservation, Sea Turtles, Volunteers and Visitors / 25.06.2015

When I came to a yoga retreat in the wilds of Costa Rica, I had no idea one of the best memories I’d take home at week's end would center around turtles--tiny baby ones, all girls. But when Manuel Mendoza of Osa Conservation visited Blue Osa Yoga Retreat & Spa to tell us about the work he and his team of volunteers do to protect these magnificent, highly endangered creatures, I couldn’t believe how paramount the need was, and was excited to become involved. I dragged myself out of bed the...

Community Outreach, Marine Conservation, Sea Turtles / 20.10.2014

On a sunny October morning on Carate beach we had the joy of celebrating the 6th Annual Sea Turtle Festival. We had over 100 participants from the Carate community, neighboring communities and from Puerto Jimenez. To the rhythm of music we begun the first friendly competition: Sandy Sea Turtle Sculptures, with the theme being that of “What does a Sea Turtle eat?” We had three winning families, and they each took home t-shirts with the festivals yearly logo on it. We continued the fun and celebration by opening up...

Marine Conservation, Sea Turtles / 17.10.2014

Written by Manuel Sanchez and Wanda Cope. Photo by Manuel Sanchez. Translated by Florencia Franzini   It may be the world’s largest species of marine sea turtle, but it is also the most endangered sea turtle species, too. On October 16, 2014 we are delighted to announce that this critically endangered species still has the beaches of the Osa Peninsula as an safe nesting location. It’s gratifying evidence that all of the effort that have been put fourth to protect this majestic creature, along with the other six remaining species of...

Community Outreach, Environmental Education, Marine Conservation, Sea Turtles / 04.08.2014

Written by: Pilar Bernal Edited & Translated by: Florencia Franzini On the 28th of July we received a visit at Piro Biological Station from 9 educators who are currently working throughout the Osa Peninsula and the Golfito region. [caption id="attachment_6829" align="alignleft" width="300"] A photo of the workshop participants and Osa staff.[/caption] Thanks to the help and directive from SEE Turtles, we managed to organize an successful and informative educational workshop on marine sea turtle conservation. During the day professors learned about sea turtle species biology, while also learning techniques to help motivate their students and...

Science and Research, Sea Turtles, Volunteers and Visitors / 18.02.2014

by: Lauren Lipuma and Lindsay Metz [caption id="attachment_5799" align="aligncenter" width="627"] Volunteer Alisa Wang collects vulnerable turtle eggs from the beach for relocation to our hatchery.[/caption] The 2013 Sea Turtle Season at Osa Conservation has ended, and what a spectacular year it was! From the opening of the new turtle hatchery to the annual festival on Carate beach, it was an exciting and successful year for OC’s sea turtle conservation program. The Osa is home to four species of sea turtles: Leatherback, Hawksbill, Olive Ridley, and Pacific Green. Our beaches mainly support...

Community Outreach, Environmental Education, Sea Turtles, Volunteers and Visitors / 01.11.2013

by Pilar Bernal, Environmental Education & Community Outreach Program Manager Video by Lindsay Metz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNaCw6OrDU4&feature=youtu.be On October 6th, we celebrated our fifth annual Sea Turtle Festival on Carate beach. Over 150 gusts joined us for these festivities highlighting the past year of sea turtle conservation. The sun shone brightly throughout the event while families began pouring in as early as 8 am and stayed throughout the day. We began the festival with the release of infant sea turtles from the Corcovado Turtle Committee (COTORCO) hatchery. Afterwards, we played games and held events encouraging...

Sea Turtles / 06.03.2013

By: Hansel Herrera 2013 turtle season is off to a great start for Osa Conservation! Our staff and volunteers are extremely attentive and excited. On Wednesday, February 13th, while out on their morning patrol, volunteers from our sister organization, Frontier, were pleasantly surprised to find the trail and nest of a leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coreacea) on the Pejeperro beach. Although historically leatherbacks were naturally found across a great many locations, they are currently the most in danger of extinction of all the species of sea turtles (CITES), and the...

Community Outreach, Environmental Education, Land Conservation and Forest Restoration, Miscellaneous, Sea Turtles / 30.11.2012

[caption id="attachment_4712" align="alignleft" width="300"] RFA's and interns pose for a photo at our annual Sea Turtle festival this past September[/caption] November is the peak of the rainy season here in Osa, an ideal time for staying in, curling up with a good book and listening to the sheets of rain pelt the tin roof. Not so for the OC staff and our brave visitors and volunteers who have been working rain and shine to help us with various conservation projects! This month we're finishing up the Sea Turtle season and will be saying our goodbyes to our amazing Research Field Assistants that have made the program possible. Sai, Emily, Bre and Katie, we are incredibly grateful for your dedication and contribution this season. Thank you also to Katharine, Jamie and Alyssa, our field assistants who joined us for the first half of the season and all of our volunteers.
Science and Research, Sea Turtles / 13.11.2012

By Katie Mascovich [caption id="attachment_4646" align="alignleft" width="300"] The green sea turtle's wounds are healing naturally[/caption] No two night patrols on the Osa are the same, but they usually have the same rhythm. Every now and then, however, something unexpected happens that makes the whole night worthwhile. On November 3, I had one of these experiences. But to fully understand it, I have to tell you about the patrol I had on October 21. That night I was patrolling Pejeperro Beach with Emily, another Research Field Assistant. It was one of those long nights where we knew we would not be back to the station and in our beds until dawn.
Community Outreach, Environmental Education, Sea Turtles / 01.10.2012

It was a beautiful sunny day in Carate, where the fourth annual Osa Peninsula Sea Turtle Festival took place last Sunday, September 23. The Sea Turtle Festival aims to raise community awareness about the importance of joint efforts in the conservation of sea turtle species that frequent Osa beaches in the nesting months, and to share the objectives and results of Osa Conservation's Sea Turtle Volunteer program with the community. People from Carate, and other surrounding areas such as Piro, Rio Oro and Puerto Jimenez made their way out to the festival around 10 am, where they found music, food, drinks, face paint, and educational posters about Sea Turtle activity and Osa Conservation's work in Piro, Pejeperro and other beaches on the peninsula.