Improve conditions for our sea turtle heroes

After the festivities of Christmas and New Year, our attention immediately turns to preparations for the leatherback nesting season in Pacuare.

There is much that needs to be done - recruiting Research Assistants and volunteers, painting and cleaning the living quarters, reinforcing fences and replacing any damaged posts, preparing the hatchery area etc

This year we have a new biologist taking over the scientific aspect, and we have new neighbours that have purchased the property next to the station.

Again, we must purchase new panels for solar power - the only power we have in Pacuare - which has been possible due to a generous corporate donation.

So what will 2023 bring? 

Each year brings new challenges, and is completely unpredictable. We have no idea how the nesting season is affected each year by elements beyond our control. There are so many variables that affect whether we can continue to operate. for 2023 we have decided to only operate until the beginning of September, as the lack of funds and volunteers mean that our overheads are above what our income is..

This is a difficult decision, as the green turtle nesting season will be at its peak, and without protection they will be at risk.

We hope that something incredible happens before then, so we can change our plans and protect all turtles that come to Pacuare beach!

As the 2022 season draws to an end, we have several things to reflect on..

The world has reopened after the COVID pandemic, and people are eager to travel. We are fortunate to have hosted nearly 250 volunteers and Research Assistants this year, which has not onlly enabled us to continue with the protection of sea turtle species, but has also allowed us to provide an income into the community.

However, receiving volunteers again means that we must keep the station habitable and safe. It is no secret thank due to several global factors, costs of fuel, energy, and even basic food items have increased drastically.

As an NGO this is an additional  issue we must face, when calculating fees for basic services at the project, which unfortunately are passed on to our volunteers. Our source of energy at the station relies on solar panels - using natural energy is the perfect solution for us , and really our only option! However due to our location and environment is it not as easy as it seems. Many of the components of our solar panels cannot be found in Costa Rica and are shipped from USA - and unfortunately they are not immune from damage, humidity and overuse.

Thanks to GlobalGiving donations so far this year, we invested in new inverters for the solar panel - then we had the added problem of getting a technician from San Jose to travel to Pacuare for several days to install them and carry out vital maintainance on the batteries and panel. Its surprising how many technicians are not willing to travel to a remote beach for a few days! 

2 days ago, we were informed by station staff that there is now a problem with the batteries - we urgently need the funds to purchase, ship, and install these - even though it is the end of the season, we still have out staff at the station.

Once again, we are appreciative of all who have previously helped, and are able to make a small donation to continue providing power at Pacuare station!

Links:

• LAST - Latin American Sea Turtles

The work at the station does not cease, although the leatherback turtles are already reaching the end of their season, we are starting the green turtle season and the births of the hatchlings that we have in the nursery, with the help of volunteers and the Research Assistants the collection of the following data has been achieved.

We take measurements from the hatchlings that are born during the night. From each nest 20 hatchlings at random are taken and we measure the length and width of the  carapace three times with the aid of special Instruments.  The 20 hatchlings are weighed, and once we have recorded all the information, the total of turtles from the nest are counted and are released. We always need to release harchlings in diffeent parts of the beach, so as not to create a "restaurant" for predators in the ocean. Up until  July 5^th 2022 we have released 1618 hatchlings.

We have also been carrying out exhumations of the nests that already hatched. After the first group of turtles leave, we wait   approximately 3 days, for any other hatchlings to emerge naturally,  and then proceed to open the nest to verify the amount of hatchlings that came out and for the final analysis of the nest (no hatched eggs open and the development stage is determined). 

In one of the exhumed nests, dead twin turtles were found (they did not end their development), pitifully they were not successful but this information is used to understand more about the behavior of the population.

We have filled the hatchery this year, but we still have left 53 nests left to hatch, of which 49 are from the leatherback turtle, 1 of hawksbill turtle and 3 of green turtle. We monitor the nests 24hrs per day with the help of volunteers, so that each one can be released safely into the ocean

thats commitment.....

Since the project started at the end of February until today, we have been working on improvements for the station and improvements that will help us on the beach during night patrols.

Due to the pandemic, few volunteers and other factors, the project had to be closed in 2021 earlier than planned, which led to the facilities being left alone for many months. As a result several of the cabins deteriorated due to humidity of the site, the insects that eat wood such as termites, the rains and the high solar radiation received by the area where the station is located. Although some are natural factors, since the site is uninhabited, they generate a greater negative impact.

With the idea of resuming the project and data collection this year 2022, some parts of the station are being remodeled, such as the kitchen, the office where the equipment is kept, the cabins, are being fixed where the volunteers stay, El rancho where the work team is trained etc.

On the other hand, the first research assistants have already arrived at the station and, together with the biologist in charge, This has included marking the beach by means of "mojones" which allow establishing a relationship between the frequency of nesting of turtles and the beach site they prefer to carry out this process.  The mojones were made with wood found on the beach and we also used some trees that remained on the limit of the measurement, and were placed every 50 meters, painted with a white base, black numbers and a reflective tape that makes it easy to find them at night, the total number of mojones placed was 143, starting in Laguna perla with mojón number 0 and ending at the mouth of the Pacuare River with mojón 143.

In addition, these marks allow the beach to be divided into three sectors with the idea of making several patrol groups that cover one of these sectors during the established time (approximately 4-5 hours), thus contributing to having a greater possibility of observing the turtles that come out in the entire beach and expanding the amount of data that can be taken per night.

Training has been carried out for new team members, night patrols and the construction of the hatchery has already started.

Every sector, industry, business and household has been affected by COVID 19.

Not just the virus itself, but the environmental, social, economic and psycological aftermath of repeated lockdowns, restrictions and new regulations.

Many issues that were previously a priority have been pushed aside, as the world struggles to recover.

Conservation is no exception - and whilst we hear wonder stories of wildlife thriving once again in a habitat with less human interaction, the reality in many places couldnt be more different.

As unemployemnt levels soar, rural communities are left with little option but to return to their hunter / forager status of times past.

We are seeing a dramatic increase of poaching levels on nesting beaches, and also the slaughter of turtles for their meat, as people look for a food source and a potential income.  

We have no manpower to protect the beach, the authorities are busy elsewhere closing down illegal gatherings and parties, and we have no funds to support these communities with salaries.

2020 was difficult, but we pulled through thanks to donations and grants, despite having no volunteers and onsite help.

But 2021 has brought new challenges - donations and funds have dried up,  staff are being laid off and taking cuts in salaries, and we have no money for much needed improvements to the installations - a disappointment to the few volunteers that have made their way to Costa Rica this year.

We managed to stay afloat for the main leatherback nesting period - but took the difficult decision to close in September , for the first time ever since the project has been running. Nesting turtles and their eggs had no protection.

We remain optimistic for the Pacuare project for 2022. 

Hoping that volunteers will start to travel again, hoping that we can secure some funding to purchase new beds and mattresses, fix leaking roofs, and build a new kitchen, so that those volunteers can have a comfortable experience.

We also hope that you can share this news with people that you think could help..

Thank you