Conservation Programs
Cahuita Nesting Beach Conservation Project » Top
The nesting beach at Cahuita extends from Puerto Vargas station at Cahuita National Park south to Playa Negra in Puerto Viejo de Limón, for a total of 8.1 km. The area is rich both in biodiversity and cultural diversity. Three species of sea turtle (Leatherback, Hawksbill, Green) nest here, and the forest is home to monkies, sloths, crocodiles, caimans, anteaters, and some 400 species of bird. Both beaches are bordered by lush vegetation and Cahuita is the only place on the Costa Rican Caribbean coast with healthy coral reefs. Human diversity is uniquely high, as well, with one-third of the populations in Cahuita and Puerto Viejo being of Afro-Caribbean descent and the nearby BriBri, Cabecar and Kekoldi reserves populated by indigenous communities. The area is a popular tourist destination for those seeking “the road less traveled” and a gentle, unhurried ambiance.
The Cahuita-Playa Negra sea turtle project started in 2000, after beach surveys indicated that the area received significant numbers of nests from Critically Endangered Leatherback and Hawksbill sea turtles. The project was modelled after our successful long-term sea turtle conservation project at Gandoca. As in Gandoca, sea turtle nesting at Cahuita and Playa Negra remained unknown to the outside world until recently, and the area had a long history of subsistence egg collection. When road improvements led to human population increases in nearby Puerto Viejo and Cahuita, egg collection soared and nesting habitat was reduced due to coastal development, lighting, and pollution, all of which posed a serious threat to sea turtles. Remarkably, by integrating the conservation project into the community and involving national park staff, an estimated egg take exceeding 90% in the early 1980s has now been reduced by more than 70%.
Project staff patrol the nesting beach with the assistance of local and international volunteers who keep poachers away, gather importance biological data, and ensure that hatchlings reach the sea. The sea turtles always come first, which often means long hours of intense work in all kinds of weather. But when you encounter your first Leatherback turtle shyly emerging from the crashing surf or quietly laying her eggs, the philosophy of "Turtles First" becomes clear. You can become one of the 20-30 volunteers per season that we accept into this rewarding project by visiting our Volunteer page.
Annual Nesting Reports from Cahuita » Top
Cahuita In-Water Studies » Top
The Caribbean coast of Costa Rica is home to one of the most important sea turtle nesting beaches in our region (at Cahuita National Park), but adjoining coral reefs shelter poorly studied resident populations. With numbers of turtles decreasing in many parts of the Wider Caribbean region (due to direct take, accidental mortality associated with fisheries, habitat loss, etc.), population recovery has become a top conservation priority for researchers and policy-makers alike. With this in mind, a newly developed project will improve our knowledge of the biology and ecology of Caribbean sea turtles and provide stakeholders with pertinent information and conservation recommendations.
This project will focus on the coral reefs of Cahuita National Park, where the most important hawksbill sea turtle populations in Costa Rica can be found. Hawksbill population dynamics in this area are poorly understood, and while some information on adult females has been gathered from nearby nesting beaches, comparatively little is known about population structure, genetic origin, diet and foraging, patterns of residency, movements and migrations, and in-water habitat use. Sea turtles spend less than 1% of their lives on the nesting beach, yet the majority of data is collected there. At sea, there is still much to learn about population dynamics (including status and trend), sex ratio, and survival threats.
Annual In-Water Reports from Cahuita » Top
