Sea Turtles

PLAYA OSTIONAL, Guanacaste – For tourists, the beaches of Costa Rica are known as a prime location for rest and relaxation, but they’re the exact opposite for Hellen Lobo, a conservation biologist. For Lobo, the volcanic sand beaches of Ostional National Wildlife Reserve are a place where she works long hours researching, recording and writing.

After a large mob of tourists made headlines worldwide for interfering with nesting sea turtles in Costa Rica earlier this month, thousands of olive ridleys have returned to Ostional beach this week. Unlike the last time, when mobs of tourists prevented the turtles from laying their eggs, the beach was mostly clear of visitors.

Last weekend hundreds of tourists crowded the beach at Ostional Wildlife Refuge in Guanacaste, preventing several olive ridley sea turtles from nesting along the coastline, as they do every year. Some tourists touched the turtles, others stood on top of the nests, and parents placed their children on top of the turtles to take photographs.

A turtle researcher recently posted a video on YouTube of her colleague removing a plastic drinking straw from the nostril of an olive ridley sea turtle off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The woman has started a GoFundMe campaign to develop first aid kits for sea turtles in distress.

National Police on patrol with volunteers discovered a green sea turtle tied and on its back on the Caribbean beach of Moín Monday evening. Authorities...

PLAYA OSTIONAL, Guanacaste – Gallo pinto, casados, and corn tamales are some of the most common dishes served in Costa Rica. But there’s another food in which many Ticos also indulge: sea turtle eggs.

The alleged poachers were seen throwing sea turtles overboard as authorities closed in on their two boats south of Tortuguero National Park.

PLAYA OSTIONAL, Guanacaste – Sea foam laps the shore as the sun rises over the ocean. It’s 5 a.m. on a calm, beautiful morning, but the residents of Ostional aren’t out to enjoy a leisurely walk on the beach – they’re hard at work.

The turtles, which weighed between 120 and 150 kilograms, were sent to the Jaguar Rescue Center in Puerto Viejo for care, where two others have since been taken for care. Police have rescued at least seven of the ancient reptiles so far this year from poachers who capture them for their meat as they come ashore to lay their eggs.

A gang of more than 10 poachers carrying sticks, machetes and guns allegedly attacked the international volunteers on Pacuare beach, Sea Shepard Central America spokesman Jorge Serendero told The Tico Times on Friday.