The Land of The Turtles
Community, Conservation, and Care: A Journey Through Community-Led Conservation, Sea Turtle Resilience, and Ecotourism’s Role in Reviving Endangered Species
By Nina Scott
Biogeography of Costa Rica and Tortuguero
Costa Rica’s hotspot of biodiversity is no accident. The country sits on a narrow land bridge known as the Isthmus of Panama, a vital connection between two continents.¹ About 150 million years ago, species that had evolved separately were suddenly meeting for the first time.¹ Throw in rich volcanic soil and a diverse range of ecosystems, and it’s no wonder this small country supports such an incredible variety of life.¹
Photo Credit: Nina Scott
But nestled in an even smaller corner of this biodiversity-rich region is Tortuguero National Park. Located on Costa Rica’s northeastern Caribbean coast, Tortuguero is accessible primarily by boat, winding through its maze of rivers and canals.10 The village of Tortuguero, home to about 1,500 people, sits on a swampy peninsula flanked by the Caribbean Sea on one side and the Tortuguero River on the other. 10
The Ecology and Importance of Sea Turtles
Tortuguero—meaning “land of the turtles”—lives up to its name.7 Sea turtles primarily reside in the ocean migrating to various coastal waters in search of food, mates, and ideal nesting sites.11 This national park is home to the largest nesting ground of green sea turtles in the Western Hemisphere which makes it an important place to protect.10 Thousands of turtles including green sea turtles, leatherback turtles, and hawksbill sea turtles, pass through these volcanic black sand beaches to lay their eggs between July and October.10 It’s truly a sight to behold: at its peak under the moon’s light, the beaches are filled with female turtles, some of which weigh up to 800 pounds!10
Although sea turtles have nested since the Jurassic period, the process is still quite delicate. Both mothers and their young face serious threats of predation at every stage of nesting and returning to the ocean.2 To begin, the female turtles must travel ashore, often navigating long distances, to find a suitable nesting spot.11 Once they reach the shore, they enter what is commonly referred to as a trance-like state.10 This is crucial because nesting requires a great deal of energy, and the turtle is at its most vulnerable on land to large predators. During this hypnotic-like state, her heart rate will slow down allowing her to conserve energy while digging out a nest. She’ll also block out disturbances and threats, such as noises or movements nearby. After digging the nest, she lays her eggs, disguises the site, then begins digging a false nest to evade predators like iguanas that prey on the eggs, and then returns to the sea. After about 8 weeks, the baby turtles would have hatched from their shells and begun their journey back to the sea.10 At that point, the beach becomes a hunting ground for baby turtles and only about 50% percent make it to the ocean and less than 1% make it to adulthood.10
Despite these harsh odds, sea turtles have evolved to lay an abundance of eggs to offset the high mortality rate and produce successful populations.10 And the world is all the better for it. Sea turtles are keystone species responsible for regulating many coastal ecosystems and fisheries that we all depend on.7 Each species supports the ecosystems in its own way. Green sea turtles are herbivores and support fish, crustaceans, and shellfish by grazing and maintaining their seagrass beds.11 The hawksbill helps keep sponge overgrowth at bay which would otherwise outcompete coral for space and resources on the reef which is commonly referred to as the rainforest of the sea. 11 Finally, the large and majestic leatherback turtles which primarily feed on jellyfish, stop jellyfish blooms (a rapid spike in a jellyfish population within a short period) which would otherwise disrupt the aquatic food web. By playing these essential roles in various ecosystems, sea turtles help maintain the structure and function of marine habitats as well as coastal communities for both humans and animals that depend on them.11
I was fortunate enough to be able to witness a 200-pound green sea turtle nesting so close to me that I could have touched her. But I wouldn’t dare. The experience was carefully regulated by park rangers patrolling the shores, volunteers collecting data, and guides teaching tourists.6 They restricted the use of flashlights and phones which somehow made the experience feel more special. Instead, my guide held a red light and I remained squatting down in plain view of circular bouncy eggs falling into their nest. Our compliance with the regulations helps to ensure a positive nesting experience for the mother. A disturbed female turtle may abandon her nest and if startled enough she and her young may avoid nesting in the area in the future altogether.11 I also learned that Tortuguero Beach is significant due to the iron in the black sand resulting in a warmer nest. This is crucial because a hatchling’s sex is determined by sand temperature and warmer temperature results in more females. Since females tend to return to nest on beaches near their birthplace Tortuguero receives many returns.3
Combatting Exploitation
But, what could be more dangerous to turtles than dinosaurs, jaguars, and birds of prey combined? Well, that’s where we come in. While Tortuguero feels untouched at one point it was extremely exploited. The surrounding jungle should be a late-stage forest (a matured forest that encompasses old large trees suitable for a complex food web) however, it is now a regenerating forest.7 In a conversation with my guide, I learned that before it became a national park about 70% of the forest was logged for cedar and mahogany. Similarly, turtles were over-harvested for food, shells, and oil to support the local economy.6 While indigenous communities in the region sustainably harvested sea turtles, using their traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), taking only what they needed seasonally, this changed at the arrival of European settlers.9 At that point, large-scale harvesting and international trade of turtles began, killing more turtles than could naturally be replaced.9 A practice that was once used to exclusively supply this small village became a part of the turtle supply to fulfill the demands of Costa Rica and the global market.12 As a result, the global population dropped dramatically driving them near the brink of extinction.3
Ecotourism as an Economic Reframe
In 1959, Dr. Archie Carr founded The Sea Turtle Conservancy to raise global awareness about the dark state of sea turtles through his research.10 By 1963, this attention led to a ban on sea turtle hunting in Tortuguero, and just over a decade later, in 1975, Tortuguero National Park was established, marking Costa Rica’s early steps towards becoming a leader in conservation.12 However, imposing conservation policies without considering local communities (a practice known as top-down conservation) usually disrupts traditional practices. It can even stigmatize local people, inadvertently driving poaching or other unsustainable practices.7 In contrast, Tortuguero’s success lies in the community-centered management strategy. Instead of harvesting sea turtles for income, the village shifted its economic focus to eco-tourism, providing a sustainable income source. Today, locals work as tour guides, park rangers, and business owners catering to the many tourists who come to witness sea turtle nesting.6 This strategy not only employs locals but also ushers them back to stewardship while motivating others to take part.
Ecotourism is meant to benefit all parties—travelers, local communities, and the environment. It’s a form of responsible tourism that involves exploring natural areas to fund conservation efforts and support the livelihoods of people in high-impact regions.6 If you’re interested in participating in ecotourism in Tortuguero there are many fulfilling ways to do so such as viewing sea turtles nesting at night, volunteering in research, kayaking through lush canals, or taking a night hike through the lively jungle. I highly recommend Sambola Tours for an authentic experience. To fully embrace this adventure, I recommend staying in Tortuguero for 3-4 nights, rather than a day trip. This gives you time to engage with locals and immerse yourself in the village’s way of life. Watching life unfold here: children playing, dogs roaming around, and the locals going about their day, I realized that there was a beautiful balance and ease in this village that many places seem to have lost.
Tortuguero rebounded due to diligent management and today stands as a shining example for the world of what we can achieve. For me, Tortuguero was a place of reconnection—with nature, with myself, and with a deeper sense of what it means to be alive. If you ever find yourself voyaging down the rivers of Tortuguero, take a moment to find solace in hope, as Jane Goodall (esteemed primatologist and conservationist) said: “Hope is what enables us to keep going in the face of adversity. It is what we desire to happen, but we must be prepared to work hard to make it so.”5 You’re headed to a village that embodies this spirit of hope, let’s help them make it so.