Dec. 28, 2014 - Costa Rica - Baby Sea Turtles

During the time our photography group was staying at Hacienda Baru in Costa Rica, we took a hike on a path that led us to the ocean. We passed the Biological Research Station, part of the Hacienda Baru National Wildlife Refuge. Our guide, Geoff, said we should walk through the Research Station because they have an interesting program involving sea turtles.
Sea Turtle Sanctuary Hacienda Baru Costa Rica 20141021
This is where the Research Station raises Olive Ridley sea turtles. The Research Station staff monitors the 3-mile long Hacienda Baru Beach, where sea turtles dig their nests in the sand. The female turtles lay their eggs, cover them up, and then just leave. The eggs are very vulnerable to animal and human predators. If unprotected, many of the nests will be raided and the eggs will never have a chance to hatch. When staff members find a turtle nest, they dig up the eggs and re-bury them in this protected area. The entire area is covered with 3 to 4 feet of sand which mimics the original nest site. Each of the blue tarps in this photo covers the eggs from one turtle nest.
Sea Turtle Sanctuary Hacienda Baru Costa Rica 20141021
Our timing was impeccable (and very lucky) because Miguel, one of the employees, was just checking a nest and he found that the baby turtles were hatching. He invited us to stay and watch while he dug them out of the sand.
Sea Turtle Olive Ridley just hatched Hacienda Baru Costa Rica 20141021
In the wild, the baby turtles would have to claw their way up through the sand all by themselves. The Research Station helps them by monitoring the nests, digging the babies out, and making sure they get to the sea without being eaten by predators (such as Coatis, Vultures, Raccoons, and crabs).
Sea Turtle Olive Ridley just hatched Hacienda Baru Costa Rica 20141021
Here’s a video showing the baby turtles being dug out of the sand. Turn the sound up on your computer, and then click on the arrow in the center of the video. When it finishes, click on the word “close” in the upper right hand corner.
Sea Turtles Olive Ridley hatchlings taken from the nest Hac
Miguel thought there might be 50 baby turtles but when he was finished, 98 of them were in this plastic tub ready to be taken to the sea.
Sea Turtle Olive Ridley just hatched Hacienda Baru Costa Rica 20141021
Olive Ridley turtles are the most abundant of the sea turtle species. They can still use the help because they are considered a vulnerable species. At 2 to 2½ feet in length and 75 to 100 pounds, they are the second smallest of the sea turtles. Only the Kemp’s Ridley is smaller.
Sea Turtle Olive Ridley baby Hacienda Baru Costa Rica 20141021
Even a small beach rock can seem like a boulder to a tiny baby turtle
Sea Turtle Olive Ridley baby Hacienda Baru Costa Rica 20141021
Here’s a video of the baby turtles scampering to the water. Watch for the one that flips over when it tries to crawl over another baby.
sea Turtles Olive Ridley hatchlings racing the Hacie
Here’s a bonus video. At Hacienda Baru we went on their zip line course. One of the photographers brought his camera along and took videos of each of us as we went on the zip lines. (Thanks, Franco!) The first part of this video shows me getting hooked up and departing on my first ever zip line ride. The second part was taken by Franco as he went through the forest canopy on one of his zip line rides. The third part shows me arriving from one of my other zip line rides (I think there were eight zip lines in all).
VTS

Dec. 28, 2014 - Costa Rica - Baby Sea Turtles

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