Sea Turtles

Sea Turtles at Ostional National Wildlife Refuge

The Ostional National Wildlife Refuge was created to protect the nesting of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle on Playa Ostional. This beach is 7-8 km long and about 25-30 mts. wide.

The nesting season starts in July and ends in November, August to October being the peak months. The turtles arrive in large groups of hundreds and even thousands, called "mass arrivals" (arribadas in Spanish).

These "arribadas" can last 4-8 days, mainly before a new moon. Turtles dig holes of about 40-60 centimeters deep and lay nearly 100-120 eggs. To complete the process of crawling the beach, digging the hole, laying the eggs and covering the hole, the turtle takes about 1 hour or more.

Tha hatchlings are born 50-55 days after they have been laid. They usually "climb up" from 4 to 7 a.m. and from 4 to 7 p.m. because this is the time when the sand is not so hot. The number of survivors is very small because the "newborns" are attacked by crabs, seagulls, vultures, dogs and other animals surrounding their environment. Some of them also drawn once in the water.

Turtles lay several times. This means that new clutches damage the later layings. The conservation program consists of allowing villagers to harvest the early layings so these do not trap the eggs at the bottom. This conservation plan stopped the local habit of harvesting turtles and eggs in an indiscriminate fashion. Black market profiteers sell the eggs in bars and restaurants.

Touring Costa Rica.com organizes groups to visit Ostional, learn about their conservation program and help the park rangers preserve the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle and its hatchlings.

Departure dates:

• August 16-19, 2008
• September 13-16, 2008
• October 11-14, 2008
• December 13-16, 2008
• January 10-13, 2009

For more information and reservations contact us

Interesting Facts:

• In 1979, at the World Conference of Sea Turtles in Washington, designated Ostional the second most important hatchery of sea turtles in the world
• Turtles can arrive on their own or in smaller groups throughout the year
• The refuge includes the beaches of Playa Nosara, Playa Ostional, the mouth of the Nosara River and the beachside village of Ostional
• Other turtles, like the leatherback and green turtle, nest in Ostional but in smaller groups
• Playa Nancite in Parque Nacional Santa Rosa is also an important nesting site for the Olive Sea Turtle in Costa Rica