Newsletter October 2013

Transcription

1 Newsletter October Sea Turtle Nesting Season This month was filled with sea turtle everything! From the annual Sea Turtle Festival hosted by Osa Conservation to Leatherback Sea Turtle Conservation Day, which is designated by the state of California. It was also a very busy month for baby turtle releases from the hatchery, including the Hawksbill species that are very rare! FUN-FACT: The Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest living turtle, and is the fourth largest living modern reptile after three crocodilian species. Leatherbacks can grow up to 9 feet (3 meters) in length and weigh up to 2,000 lbs (900 kg).

2 Sea Turtle Fest and Other Fun Events! The month of October was exciting from the very start! Our Hawksbill sea turtle nest hatched and we released the turtles to start their journey into the big blue. For many people that were helping, it was their first time seeing Hawksbill hatchlings ever! This is a great sign of success, because the Hawksbill species hasn t been sighted on these beaches in years, even by our staff that has been patrolling here forever. This year we ve had two Hawksbill sea turtle nests hatch in our hatchery and, as mentioned in the last newsletter, the adult nestings Hawksbill was sighted on Pejeperro beach. On October 6, 2013 Osa Conservation hosted it s 5th annual Sea Turtle Festival. People of Puerto Jiménez and the surrounding Piro towns were invited to Carate Beach to celebrate sea turtle life! The day kicked off with the release of sea turtle hatchlings from the Corcovado Turtle Committee (COTORCO). The volunteers and staff from Osa Conservation planned many fun activities, such as building sand sea turtles, face painting, and a sea turtle question game where the kids could win fun turtle prizes. Informative sea turtle presentations were given to encourage public awareness of sea turtle conservation. A sand volleyball game and soccer match were played all in good fun. Delicious Costa Rican cuisine was cooked up and served by our very own Piro station cook, Emelia. This is a yearly event that occurs often at the beginning of peak turtle hatching season, usually in early October. Keep an eye out for next years Sea Turtle Festival date and come down to join us in Osa!

3 Predators of Piro and Pejeperro The graph (top) shows predation on Piro Beach. The coatis (bottom) are the number one predator here because humans are less common on this beach. Sea turtle predation is something that is just part of the natural cycle of life. Sea turtles are a rare, but very important and very nutritious meal for many animals. The predators, such as coatis and jaguars, do not have to expend much energy to hunt a sea turtle, yet the turtles provide a meal rich in fat and essential vitamins. Recently, the volunteers at Osa have been noticing a lot more turtle nests that have been predated by coatis and vultures. Our best method to deter these predators is just being there every day to scare them away. Turtles have been evolving with these predators for millions of years, however, the pollution in the ocean and human predation is a new threat and is the main cause worldwide for most sea turtle species being classified as endangered. The best thing we can do now is to clean up our beaches, respect our environment, and live everyday while making a conscious effort to not leave behind a carbon footprint. Where does your plastic go? TAKE 3! It s easy, it s smart, and it s helping save the planet! This pledge started in Australia and has recently been introduced to Osa Conservation through one of our dedicated, worldtraveling volunteers, Katharine Clukey. We have signs posted in every cabin to encourage the volunteers to take the pledge. The pledge is simple: NEVER litter and to TAKE 3 pieces of trash back with you when visiting the beach, river, lake, or anywhere! REFUSE disposable plastic products such as plastic bags, plastic bottles, coffee cups, and straws. Use reusable alternatives instead. SHARE this information with at least 3 other people. On our way back from every beach patrol each volunteer picks up at least 3 pieces of trash to take back to the station and dispose of properly. TAKE 3 FOR THE SEA!

4 Meet Our Enthusiastic Participants! With each newsletter we will introduce different people from our station. Lindsay Metz (pictured above) surfing at Matapalo, which is about a 25 minute ride on the Colectivo (bus) from Piro station. My name is Lindsay Metz and I graduated with a bachelors degree in Marine Biology from Hawaii Pacific University. I worked with many marine animals in aquariums for three years, and my favorite being the pufferfish. My true passion is working with the animals in the wild and conservation. I am currently working with Osa Conservation as the assistant volunteer coordinator. It s amazing to see how Osa Conservation draws in people from all over the world that are trying to make a difference for the better in the environment. There s always so much going on here that it s easy to never be bored! I most enjoy night patrols for turtles on Piro beach and surfing days at Matapalo. My favorite Spanish words that I ve learned are arco iris which means rainbow, and cocodrilo, which means crocodile. My name is Katharine Clukey and I earned my bachelors degree in Environmental Science from the Harriet Wilkes Honors College in Jupiter, Florida. Since graduating I have traveled and worked in environmental conservation around the world. My love for nature and wild places has now brought me twice to the Osa. Its incredible beauty and natural mystic has inspired a deeper commitment and connection to the conservation of our natural world. Osa Conservation's mission of a whole system approach to conservation has expanded my awareness to a greater vision of sustainability and for that I am grateful to be a part of Osa Conservation's organic agriculture program. I have learned how easy and effortlessly food can grow when you work in harmony with the natural environment and how sustainable methods in farming can bring communities together. I love the pura vida vibe here in Costa Rica and feel blessed to experience its meaning everyday. My favorite Costa Rican word is siempre, which means always. Katharine Clukey (pictured above) enjoying a beautiful sunset on a beach in Guinea Equatorial, central-west Africa.

5 Thanks For Your Help Special thanks to those who came to visit, patrolled the beaches morning and night, and helped save the beauty of the Osa Peninsula: Melanie Hewitt Lena Hetschel Lucie Ling Erica Monzel Arwen Myers Lauren Swift Andres Vindas Clate Korsant Eve Aniss And Students from University Estatal a Distancia (UNED) Participants Articles: Lindsay Metz, Yvonne Hiltemann, Katharine Clukey Design Layout: Wanda von Bremen Pictures: Alonso Sanchéz, Pilar Bernal, Yvonne Hiltemann, Wanda von Bremen