Voluntourism with Planeterra


 

Sea Turtle Conservation Project

Location: Playa Matapalo, Costa Rica

This sea turtle project is a science-based conservation program, which was created with the purpose of protecting female sea turtles, nests, and hatchlings laid on the Matapalo beach, against poachers and natural and introduced predators. A turtle hatchery protects the eggs of this endangered species and the program has ensured the survival of the sea turtles with a large increase in the number of hatchlings in the area. Local staff and volunteers also collect information about nesting activities that is shared with the community and local and regional authorities.



Travellers participating on the Project Costa Rica voluntour can help by carrying out beach patrols, monitoring of the baby turtles, general infrastructure maintenance, data collection, beach clean-ups, as well as counting baby turtles and releasing them.

Why is this project needed?
Sea turtles are ancient beings with some scientists estimating that they have been around for 140 million years. Turtles were in existence before dinosaurs, yet today, all species are facing a high risk of global extinction. Scientists also believe that leatherback sea turtles could be facing extinction within the next ten years. Reasons for high risk of extinction of turtles are due to human harvesting of turtles and their eggs, the destruction of nesting habitats, commercial fisheries that use nets, and pollution.

DONATE to support Sea Turtle Conservation
Your donation will help support the work of the Matapalo research station in their plight to protect sea turtles in Costa Rica.
 
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100% of your contribution goes directly toward helping these projects achieve their goals. All individual donations are matched dollar-for-dollar by Gap Adventures.



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