Wildlife Conservation Costa Rica Project #42828

Improve conditions for our sea turtle heroes

by Asociacion Latin American Sea Turtles - LAST

Improve conditions for our sea turtle heroes

Project Report | Sep 4, 2026
Protecting Nests in a Changing Environment

By Jonathan Contreras | Field Biologist

Damage to the hatchery

The sea turtle nesting season at Pacuare Beach is approaching its end. We are still making our best effort to protect as many nests as possible before the season comes to a close, but this year has been particularly challenging for our team.

To date, we have rescued 69 leatherback turtle nests, representing 71% of the nests recorded for this species. We have also protected 96 green turtle nests (64%) and three hawksbill turtle nests (75%). These nests were protected through our nightly patrols and by relocating them to the hatchery or to safer areas of the beach when necessary.

Throughout this season, heavy rainfall and adverse weather conditions in the Caribbean have affected our work in several ways. Some of the equipment we use during patrols and hatchery monitoring was damaged. The radios, which are essential for maintaining communication between patrol teams, stopped working completely. As a result, it has become much more difficult each night to share information about turtle activity along the beach, and it also represents an additional safety risk for our teams in case of an emergency. At the hatchery, the digital scale used to weigh hatchlings was also damaged, as well as the equipment used to measure temperature and humidity.

The heavy rains have also affected our facilities. Some of the cabins developed leaks, so we had to purchase zinc sheets to repair the roofs. We also had to replace our old power generator, which frequently experienced problems, and carry out repairs on the engine of the boat we use to transport people and supplies to the station. In Pacuare, keeping this equipment in good condition is especially important because of the remote location of the station and our dependence on it to keep the project operating throughout the season.

In addition, in August we faced another major challenge when strong waves caused erosion inside the hatchery. The waves damaged the barrier of bags we had installed to protect it on several occasions and began eroding the front section where the leatherback nests were located. Because of the risk of losing these nests completely, we made the decision to relocate them to the back section of the hatchery.

Relocating nests that are already in an advanced stage of incubation is a difficult decision and should only be carried out as a last resort, since the sudden change in temperature and other environmental conditions can affect embryo development. However, if the nests had remained in their original location, they would have been completely lost to erosion. Fortunately, the relocated nests have continued to produce hatchlings, indicating that the impact of the relocation was minimal.

Despite all these difficulties, the results from the hatchery continue to be encouraging. To date, we have released 2,789 leatherback hatchlings, 192 green turtle hatchlings, and 143 hawksbill hatchlings. In total, 3,124 hatchlings have already reached the ocean during this season. For us, these numbers represent much more than statistics. Behind every hatchling released there is a nest that had to be found and protected, hours of work during nightly patrols, and many days of monitoring in the hatchery. They also represent the work of our volunteers and the support of the people who make it possible for us to continue protecting these endangered species.

As we approach the end of the 2026 season, we are already beginning to think about the work that will be needed before the next season begins. Replacing damaged equipment, maintaining the cabins, and ensuring that our transportation and power systems remain operational will be some of our main priorities. With the support of our donors, we will be able to address these needs and continue protecting nests, releasing hatchlings, and giving sea turtles a better chance of returning to Pacuare in the future.

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May 11, 2026
Building Hope for Sea Turtles in Pacuare

By Jonathan Contreras | Field Biologist

The sea turtle season in Pacuare has officially begun! Since late February, when the first research assistants arrived, our team has been working intensively to ensure a successful start to the nesting season.

During March, we combined nightly beach patrols with one of the most demanding and important tasks of the year: the construction of our hatchery, which will house the sea turtle nests we are able to rescue throughout the season. This process required an enormous physical effort and many hours of work, as it involves completely removing the sand from the hatchery area, sifting and disinfecting it, and then carefully placing it back.

Despite the complexity of this task, the commitment of our staff and volunteers was extraordinary, and we managed to finish the hatchery during the first days of April, just in time to receive the first nests of the season. Thanks to this effort, we have already managed to protect more than 30 leatherback turtle nests inside the hatchery, in addition to 11 other nests that were relocated directly on the beach before the hatchery construction was completed.

None of this would have been possible without the support and dedication of our volunteers, who bravely chose to leave their countries and travel thousands of kilometers to join sea turtle conservation efforts in Costa Rica. Thanks to their hard work and commitment, hundreds of potential hatchlings from the nests they helped us rescue will now have a better chance of reaching the ocean.

This year, we also made an important decision to improve working conditions at the station by installing Starlink satellite internet. With this tool, we aim to improve communication and coordination in a remote area like Pacuare. However, this also represents a new challenge, as the station depends entirely on solar panels and batteries for electricity. The system’s high energy consumption requires us to carefully manage the available power in order to ensure the operation of all our essential equipment during daily conservation work.

Another major challenge we have faced has been nest poaching. As happens every year, we continue encountering illegal poachers on the beach who reach the turtles before we do and steal their eggs. This season, there was even an isolated incident in which a poacher intercepted one of our patrols and took the bag of eggs while they were heading to the hatchery to relocate the nest. Fortunately, the situation did not escalate further, but this incident clearly reflects the serious problem faced at Pacuare Beach, where sea turtle eggs continue to be illegally taken to be sold or exchanged for drugs, without any regard for the enormous damage this causes to the conservation of these threatened species.

Despite these challenges, our team continues working every night to locate and protect as many nests as possible from threats such as poaching and erosion. During the past few weeks, the season has shown consistent leatherback turtle activity on the beach, keeping our patrols active night after night.

The support we receive from people like you makes it possible to keep these efforts going. Your donation helps us purchase hatchery materials and patrol equipment, maintain our solar panel system, provide food for our staff, and increase the number of nests we are able to save on this beach. Thank you for being part of this effort and helping thousands of small turtles have a better chance of reaching the ocean.

Links:

LAST website

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Jan 16, 2026
Preparing the ground for another season

By Sasha Lees | Field Biologist

January marks a quieter time in Pacuare. The intense months of night patrols, nest relocations, and hatchling releases are behind us, but conservation work does not stop when the beach is calm. In many ways, this period is what determines how strong the next nesting season will be.

During these months, our team focuses on maintaining the foundation that allows us to operate year after year. Equipment is repaired or replaced, data from the previous season is reviewed and organized, and plans are put in place to improve nest protection for the coming months. Patrol schedules are evaluated, hatchery protocols are adjusted based on lessons learned, and new training materials are prepared for incoming volunteers.

Infrastructure remains one of our most pressing challenges. The tropical conditions of Pacuare continue to take a toll on our station, particularly on volunteer accommodations. High humidity and salt air accelerate deterioration, making constant maintenance unavoidable. Safe and functional dorms are not a luxury. They are essential for keeping volunteers healthy, rested, and able to perform demanding night patrols and daily conservation tasks.

Each volunteer who arrives at Pacuare represents additional eyes on the beach, faster nest detection, and better protection against threats like poaching and erosion. Providing them with reliable shelter directly translates into stronger conservation outcomes. This is why improving and reinforcing our facilities remains a priority as we prepare for the next season.

The off-season is also a time of reflection. In 2025, we were reminded how vulnerable sea turtle populations remain and how quickly setbacks can occur without sustained effort. Being present on the beach year-round helps ensure that when turtles return, we are ready to protect them from the very first nest.

Your support during this quieter time is especially important. Donations made now help us repair infrastructure, prepare equipment, and ensure that Pacuare remains an active conservation site when the nesting season begins again. Every contribution strengthens our ability to protect endangered sea turtles and to continue releasing thousands of hatchlings into the ocean each year.

Thank you for standing with us, not only during the most visible moments of conservation, but also during the months when preparation makes all the difference.

Links:

LAST website

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