A program to support local environmental projects is a big step forward with the decision to Matapalo Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Project of funds has made the work of the Association of Volunteers for service in the protected areas to help Costa Rica.
The ASVO is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that promotes environmental protection and education through the participation of volunteers and has been recognized by the government of Costa Rica for his work with young peopleCosta Rica and the visit of foreign students through "hands-on" education, saving on ecologically sensitive areas of work.
For over 16 years working in Costa Rica ASVO and volunteers have an active role in working in almost 25% of the land that was reserved for the conservation of nature played together. ASVO finding volunteers donate their time in many national parks of Costa Rica and nature reserves, a number of other projects, every yearThere are about 1,500 volunteers who work to make a difference here.
The Sea Turtle Conservation Project in Matapalo began in 1990 when a group of students from the School of Professional Technical Matapalo along with other community members to develop an initiative to protect sea turtle nests from poachers and some natural enemies.
In 2005 the local organization has begun in coordination with the ASVO, and the developers of Hacienda Matapalo, who were able to provideVolunteers in the form of two university students from Costa Rica and abroad. Most of the students worked on the project for 15 days under the supervision of biologists, support for the creation of areas of fencing nests and collect eggs from nests, isolated, then transfer to protected areas (eggs, which could otherwise be deprived of "hueveros" that would sell turtle eggs practice is prohibited by law).
On nights where sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs, the volunteerswait patiently, like turtles dig their nests, while the eggs are laid, the turtle will be measured and numbered with ID bracelets, so they can be prosecuted for traveling purposes. If the eggs are transferred to the new nest protected, can be identified by species, the number of eggs, and the date of spawning. Since then, new nests guarded day and night. The work of monitoring of nests Matapalo beach falls under the jurisdiction of the National System of the areaConservation, which is part of the Ministry of Environment and Energy.
Turtles laying their eggs on the beach Matapalo
The Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricatta) and the black turtle (Chelonia mydas agassizii) Pacific Playa Matapalo every visit, and all are endangered.
The Olive Ridley turtle smallest of sea turtles. The adults measure 55-70 inches in length kg in their shells, with a total weight of 35-45They reach sexual maturity between 10 and 15 years and probably live about 50 or 60 years, yet they are sexually active is only slightly more than 21 years. The spawning season, especially for dark brown turtle began June 1 and extends until November 30 of each year.
Keep an average of 110 eggs from the nest and the incubation period is 46-65 days, depending on the temperature. Olive Ridley are known for their famous massSubstandard coming literally dozens and dozens of women on the ground to move. The females return every 1-2 years. A turtle eggs of up to two times per season to put in an interval of 17-28 days.
The hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate) are more common in the bottom and reef habitats are difficult to find with a sponge .. They are also in the shallows, lagoons of oceanic islands and continental shelf. In general, they are found in waters deeper than sixty feet (18.3 m). WhenHawksbill turtles are young, are not to jump into deep water and are therefore forced to masses of floating aquatic plants, such as Sargassum live. The coupling is ripe for hawksbill about every two years and the women always occurs on the beach, originally born out.
The Black Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas agassizii) is closely related to the common green sea turtle in the context, but is slightly smaller weighing from 150 to 280 pounds. Their range is the tropicalEastern Pacific Ocean and spawning grounds along the coast of Central America are, and are the only species of nesting turtles in the Galapagos Islands.
Sea turtles return to lay their eggs on the same beach where they were born, once they reach sexual maturity. Like the turtle, which is the right beach is probably a combination of smell and a sort of internal monitoring (and we are not asked to speak). Once the eggs hatch the baby turtles dig their way outsurface nests and head into the sea.
Hacienda Matapalo data collected after the 2005-2008 Matapalo beach 900 turtles were recorded, for a total of 42 743 eggs were protected and were released 35 794 hatchlings (Tortuguitas). Despite the monitoring takes place, it is assumed that about 20% of the eggs on the beaches of Costa Rica are extracted from egg poachers. Natural enemies are wild pigs, anteaters and birds.
Threats to humans
Populations ofThe turtles can survive natural threats, but human intervention has led to a strong acceleration of the loss of population. The main threats to humans are changing the habitat of turtles: the extraction of eggs for consumption or trade, pollution, urban development in coastal areas, an increase of artificial light in the nesting areas, as well bycatch in commercial fishing and destruction at the end of the egg and wild dogs as petsCats.
Through the sponsorship of Hacienda Matapalo, the sea turtle project has been provided with all the materials and equipment for building safe nesting sites. In addition to the cost of maintaining the workforce for the construction was covered as well. The land has an area of 200 square meters (over 2,100 square meters), which is about 200 nests of this home season.
In addition, Hacienda Matapalo funds for the purchase of equipment and software donated to theRecording of data for soil and water temperatures and relative humidity of the nest in order to determine how these factors influence the sex of unborn turtle. These tools will allow us to monitor, from about 30 nests for a period of about two months, covering the time line of the deposition of eggs for hatching. Be monitored throughout the season of about 60 nests.
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