16 Oct Un Día de Tortugas: An Intern Experience
Blog Post by Breanna Hart
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Osa Conservation has allowed me to both live and learn in a beautiful environment that no other place in the world can contest with. The spectacular view of the ocean and rainforest back-to-back lead me to a tropical wilderness and the fascinating creatures within it. One magnificent creature that spends time on the unique beaches is the turtle, and this is my experience with them:
4.30 a.m – Morning Patrol: We get up, rain or shine, and meet at the pavilion with others to head down to the beach. Then, we start searching for turtle tracks to locate nests using the first light of day. Two different turtles come to the coasts of Piro beach at this time of year – Green Turtles and Olive Ridley Turtles. After we find the tracks and locate the nest, we dig a small hole to take the eggs out. When taking the eggs out, we have to be careful not to rotate them because they are still developing. We move the nests that are in danger of possibly drowning from high tide or river flooding.
The tractor-looking marks on either side of the log in the middle of the picture are Olive-Ridley tracks.
For each nest we relocate, we mark the date, the sector of the beach it was found in, the time it was found, count the eggs, and measure the width and depth of the nest to simulate a similar nest in the hatchery.
After collecting the eggs, we go to the hatchery, where we safely relocate the eggs to ensure a better survival rate by recreating a similar nest to the original one. Before we start placing the eggs in the new nest, we record the weight of the first 20 eggs that are put in the nest. Their average weight is an indicator of whether or not a female is laying eggs for the first time this season. For the first few nests a turtle lays, the eggs are stronger, and therefore heavier. Finally, we cover the nest with a mesh net to keep predators out.
After collecting the eggs, we go to the hatchery, where we safely relocate the eggs to ensure a better survival rate by recreating a similar nest to the original one.
3pm – Hatchery check: We check the hatchery for newly born turtles. It is a simple process where we lift open the mesh nets and pat the sand for any indication of baby turtles. It takes about 60 days for the turtles to hatch and make their way out of the sand. Almost every other day, we run across a newly hatched nest. Then we release them!
The line which people stand behind and from where we release the tiny turtles. The line is 6 yards from the water line to ensure that the turtles use their muscles before they make their way through the ocean.
8 p.m. – Night Patrol: We make our way again to the beach to begin our search for nests. If we see a turtle coming up on the beach or already creating a nest, we wait back to avoid disturbing the turtle. When she starts to lay her eggs, she goes into a trance-like state, and we tag both of her front flippers. We also record the length and width of her shell as well as the number of scales on her back and between her eyes. After she finishes laying her eggs (this process can take up to an hour), we turn off the lights and watch her go back into the ocean. If the nest is in a dangerous spot, it will be dug up and moved to the hatchery.
During night patrol, red lights are necessary as not to disturb the turtles.
This schedule reflects what my days have been like during my two weeks in the Osa peninsula. It was a wonderful and amazing experience, from witnessing the mother turtle lay her eggs to watching the little babies make it to the sea. I was fortunate enough to see this little part of the circle of life with my own eyes. I can’t wait to one day come back to this magnificent corner of the world.
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