26/06/2024
🐢🌊 Turtle Nesting Season is Approaching in Tortuguero Costa Rica! 🌊🐢
🌟 We are excited to share that the magical turtle nesting season is just around the corner in Costa Rica! 🐢✨
Sea turtles are creatures that appeared more than 230 million years ago, just like their relatives, the crocodiles. They are pelagic species that spend their entire lives in the sea, inhabiting tropical and subtropical waters. Only the females come ashore to lay eggs during nesting seasons.
They migrate long distances to lay eggs, and the beaches they frequent are the same nesting beaches where they were born. During migration, males and females travel together, guided by ocean currents. There are seven species of sea turtles, five of which lay their eggs on different volcanic sand beaches.
When:
Turtle nesting season typically occurs from July to October, with the peak season is the month of August and ends in October.
Where:
This incredible natural event can be witnessed on both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of Costa Rica. Key locations include:
Tortuguero National Park (Caribbean coast)
Ostional Wildlife Refuge (Pacific coast)
Playa Grande in Las Baulas National Marine Park (Pacific coast)
Playa Hermosa (Pacific coast)
Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge (Caribbean coast)
How:
During this time, thousands of female sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. They usually do this at night, under the cover of darkness, to avoid predators. The mother turtles dig a hole in the sand with their flippers, lay their eggs, and then cover them up before returning to the sea.
Why:
Turtles return to the beaches where they were born to lay their eggs. This ancient ritual ensures the continuation of their species. The warmth of the sand incubates the eggs until they hatch, which usually takes about 45-70 days. Once hatched, the baby turtles make their perilous journey to the ocean.
Specific Turtles:
Costa Rica is home to five out of the seven existen species of sea turtles, including:
Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas): Primarily nest on the Caribbean coast in Tortuguero.
Olive Ridley Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea): Known for their "arribadas," where thousands of turtles come ashore simultaneously to lay eggs, particularly in Ostional.
Leatherback Turtles (Dermochelys coriacea): The largest of all sea turtles, they nest on both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts.
Hawksbill Turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata): Nest in various locations, including Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge. And Cahuita National Park
In Tortuguero, some green turtles have already started nesting early. The official nesting season in Tortuguero opens on July 15, and these tours are supervised by Tortuguero National Park. To participate in a nesting tour, you must hire certified and trained guides from Tortuguero National Park.
Our tour lasts two hours which means you have a two-hour window to participate and witness the nesting process. Groups are limited to a maximum of 10 people and participants must wear dark clothing to blend in well with the nervous turtles that come ashore at night to nest.
There are only two time slots for participating in the nesting tours: from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm and from 10:00 pm to midnight. The nesting season occurs during the rainy season, offering a unique and wonderful natural experience. Participants should be aware that this is not a zoo or a show. Patience is required, as sometimes it involves significant waiting and walking along the beach. However, the experience is very rewarding!
Witnessing turtle nesting is an unforgettable experience and a testament to the wonders of nature. If you’re planning to visit Costa Rica during this time, make sure to add this incredible event to your itinerary!
🌍🌴🦋 Let's celebrate and protect these magnificent creatures and their nesting grounds. Reach out if you need more details on how to experience this amazing spectacle!
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