Protect endangered sea turtles in Costa Rica

The hatchery is one of the conservation strategies that gives the project useful information about the incubation methods of sea turtle eggs. It also gives the sea turtles a chance to increase the number of neonates released into the ocean. During the 2018 season the hatchery had an area of 180 m² with space for 300 total nests. For the 2019 season we are trying to build a bigger hatchery to have enough space for all Leatherback, Green and Hawksbill nests of the season because we are expecting a high number of nests. We will also need more equipment to finish in time for the season.  

The watch station of the hatchery has always been made with the same fence that surrounds and protects the hatchery from predators. For the next year we are hoping to buy a shed to use as a watch station to make the volunteers feel more comfortable and keep them safe from robbery and the weather.

One of the goals of the organization is to increase the information about sea turtle populations in order to develop more and better conservation strategies. To achieve this the tag equipment needs to be fixed and more needs to be bought. During the season we would like to get at least 4 scanners to read and apply the PIT tags on Leatherback turtles, and each patrol needs an applicator and metallic tags to use on the nesting females. With that we would have enough equipment and information for all of the turtles present at Pacuare beach.

During Green turtle season the project is constantly facing the illegal hunting of the nesting females. One of the strategies against this problem is to work with authorities, such as the Coastguards and the Police. We are trying to use a thermal camera that works by attaching it to a cellphone in order to see the tracks made when poachers are hiding a turtle in the vegetation. This  would allow us to rescue and avoid the illegal hunting of Green and Hawksbill turtles.

The station will be fixed and modified for the 2019 season. We bought 102 slabs of plastic roofing, 72 planks of wood, and 4 kilograms of nails to fix the roofs of the Rancho, kitchen, bathrooms and some cabins because the extreme weather, humidity and insects are constantly damaging them. The kitchen will get metallic mesh all around to avoid any robbery.

We would like to get new batteries for the solar panel so that it will have enough electricity for us to use electronic devices such as scanners, cellphones, rechargeable batteries, and a thermal camera for the turtle work. This would also help with lights, a fridge, and radios for the station.

The boats will be painted and the motors will be checked by a mechanic to receive maintenance.

LAST Association will try to employ more local research assistants to increase the economy of the local community. The staff will prepare different activities throughout the season to involve the community in activities with the volunteers, and more locals will be invited to join to the local market held at the station every Sunday.

Have you ever wondered where your valuable donations go?

In this report, we aim to give you an idea of the things that we purchase thanks to our generous donors.

In 2018 season at Pacuare Research station 3 gallons of paint and 12 brushes were used to paint the wooden markers at the beach. the markers are painted with a special flourescent paint - the same used in road markings - so that we can get our bearings at night to collect and relocate the nests. 100 biodegradable plastic bags were bought, each one of those bags were used for a maximum of 3 times and then were destined for exhumations because bacteria and fungus can grow in the bag and contaminate the new clutches of turtle eggs!

6 Pit tags and 44 pairs of metallic tags were applied thoughtout the season, 42 pairs on leatherback females and two pairs on hawksbills females, to sterilize the tags and the applicators, a gallon of alcohol, a bag of cotton balls and a gallon of vanodine is used every month.  

For the beach patrols, 15 waterproof backpacks were bought to carry the equipment (plastic bags, applicators, tags, measuring tapes and data sheets). 100 waterproof data sheets were obtained because of the pouring rain during the season.

Every time that a turtle was found or hatchlings were measured and released, volunteers and staff members had to wear latex gloves. 15 boxes of latex gloves were destined for the work.

For the hatchery, four shovels, a caliper and four wheels for the wheelbarrows were bought.

At the beginning of the year the station got a new water pump, a fridge and 15 mattresses and three locks were replaced. In May, six plastic tables and 12 chairs were bought for the cabins, the tables and benches of the Rancho were fixed, 3 of those tables got some plastic to protect the surface, 2 cabins and the kitchen were painted to protect the wood from the humidity

5 motion-sensor lights were put in strategic parts of the station to avoid any chance of getting robbed and 13 lights were replaced in the station to save energy from the solar panel.

Bins, brooms and mops were placed in the cabins, the office, the Rancho and the kitchen.

So you see, even a small amount goes a long way in providing research materials to the project, and keeping the station in good condition for our visiting volunteers!

Links:

• LAST website