Train poachers to be nature guides in Costa Rica

Playa Matapalo has long been a hidden gem on the central pacific coast. Nestled between popular tourist destinations such as Quepos, Manuel Antonio National Park, Dominical, and Uvita - Playa Matapalo remains un-touched, un-spoilt and un-developed. The beach is approximately 12km long, and due to its relative purity, has over the years proven to be a semi-intensive nesting area for the olive ridley turtle. In the 2014 nesting season, we recorded 330 signs of nesting activity.

For the first time in 9 years, we had the surprise arrival of a critically endangered leatherback turtle - who nested on our beach 3 times with 12 day intervals.

Matapalo needs protectiing - as a public beach there is a huge problem with the illegal extraction of eggs. The coastguards are overwhelmed with patrolling the whole coast line, although when they do patrol Matapalo, the poaching level is zero. But its not enough. The season is short, just 5 months, so we need patrols every night in order to ensure that the largest number of nests can be rescued.

The idea for this Global Giving project is to take unemployed youths, and train them to have pride in this natural event that takes place every year. To give them opportunities to create a better life. Giving them the tools they need to get a tourism license, to be turtle guides and attract nearby tourism to come to beautiful Matapalo.

We aim to work hand in hand with local hotels, to offer packages for turtle tours - but to do this, the guides need to be accredited by the toursim institute. This means english lessons, nature exams and og course biology courses in marine resource management.

we have these skills to offer, and the locals have the enthusiasm to learn

Global giving supporters are making it all possible

we are starting the application process, to carefully select the right people who will fully take advantge of this programme. We will be holding interviews with our project staff, and visiting those who are interested in being part of our team. We can only complete this program with the help of donations, to equip and train the successful applicants to the level needed to get their license.

Please continue to support this initiative!

As the 2014 nesting season draws to a close in Playa Matapalo, we are already planning the next one. its has been a succesful year in many ways. The project has received many entusiastic volunteers and interns, we have an awesome team running the research, and we have had a 95% success rate in the hatchery.

But still, in Matapalo we have to confront the illegal poaching problem on a daily basis. The poaching of turtle eggs is a common practice in coastal areas of Costa Rica, not due to malice or for making money, but out of necessity for an albeit humble income.

The past couple of nesting seasons we have been analyzing the interest of the community in turtle conservation. Although the generation of school children have been exposed to the idea of consevation for many years, through our environmental program, the parents and older generations still have a need to extract turtle eggs, and it is the only source of income in the area.

"The problem is that in order to get a job with a salary, the youth need to move to areas such as Quepos, San Isidro or even San Jose, and leave their families behind. If they choose to stay in the Matapalo area, there are no employment opportunities. This , combined with other social problems such as alcohol, creates a need for an income any way possible" says Mathilde Perez, a hopeful applicant to the program.

"If we can use our knowledge of the area, especially the knowledge of the beach and turtles, in order to make a living, many people in the village would be interested. It is providing us with a future, giving us the tools we need to create our own future, and we need to take advantage of this opportunity"

The word is getting around the village, that we are looking for responsible, motivated people to take part in this program. 

All we ask in return is commitment, and a desire to change circumstances.

Links:

• volunteering with a socal commitment