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2004 - 2005 BEACH DATA
Total Patrols: 110
Patrols conducted: +/-350
Total sea turtle nests: 65
Total poached nests: 20
Total saved nests: 25
Total crawls w/no nest: 20
Total nests saved: 55%
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Jake, Elliot and Marc 2004-2005
Volunteer beach patrollers.
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2005/2006 - November 11 - March 10th.
We had several new volunteers and with great enthusiasm Elliot Rosano returned for his second year. Joining us was Elliot’s brother Jake and what a team they made. We were much stronger this season and ran many more patrols. We gathered new support from the community of Los Pargos and managed to save the same number of nests as last season even though overall there were very few nesting sea turtles. We only had 4 Leatherback nests compared to the 20 from last season. Playa Grande had only 48 nests - down from 1500 last nesting season.
We saw a decrease in the number of poached nests partially due to the anti-poacher presence we have created on the beach and partially due to the fewer number of nests layed. We managed to accomplish the most important goal: Creating awareness and co-operation within the community. We have started the necessary change in attitude toward the sea turtles and the local people have accepted our effort as a good idea. The value in tourist dollars is important for many Costa Ricans, tourists love sea turtles and so they are much more valuable alive than dead. The Pargos Community has become very pro-sea turtle.
This season we confirmed that there is a very rare nesting population of Black sea turtles nesting on Punta Pargos, which had been mistaken until now as the Green sea turtle. The idea that the two species are separate has only recently becoming accepted by scientists. The Black sea turtle is only known to nest in three places on earth. The Galapagos Islands, a few beaches in Mexico and the N.W. coast of Costa Rica.
Overall the 2004-2005 nesting season was a great success and a big step forward. Having continued our efforts for a second year in a row made many of the locals take a second look at what we are doing and we have gained some much needed support and acceptance.
Thank you to everyone who helped this season!
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