Turtles of Tortuguero

Set along Costa Rica's northeastern Caribbean coast, Tortuguero is the most important nesting site for the endangered green sea turtle in the Western Hemisphere. The green sea turtle population dropped very low in the 1960s, when hordes of turtles were killed for their meat and used as food. These days the green turtle is making a slow comeback, thanks in part to the hard work of conservation agencies in Costa Rica and other countries. Giant leatherback, hawksbill, and loggerhead sea turtles also nest at Tortuguero. As a traveler here, you may be able to witness these ancient creatures along the Tortuguero shoreline. Flashlights and photography are not allowed, however, as they interfere with the nesting process. Females nest at night. They crawl out of the ocean and find a dry spot to lay their eggs. They then use their flippers to dig a hole and deposit their eggs into the hole. On average, a female sea turtle will lay 80 to 120 eggs. Most females will nest twice during the nesting season. Once the mother has left her nest, she will never return to it. Once all the eggs are in the chamber, the mother will use her flippers to cover it with sand. Barring predators, the eggs will hatch in about 60 days and the baby turtles will begin their perilous trek towards the ocean. Tortuguero is a special place in Costa Rica. As a traveler here, you have the possibility of witnessing one of nature's most spectacular and ancient rituals—the nesting (and eventual hatching) of sea turtles. To learn more about sea turtles in Costa Rica, please visit the following page: https://www.anywhere.com/costa-rica/t.... For turtle nesting tours in Costa Rica, go here: https://www.anywhere.com/costa-rica/t...