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The 2005/2006 season
Total patrols : 210
Patrols conducted : 760
Total nests : 87
Total poached : 15
Total saved : 72
Total nests saved 82% 22 Olive Ridely : Lepidochelys Olivacea
27 Pacific Black : Chelonia Mydas sp.
17 Pacific Green : Chelonia Mydas
3 Leatherback : Dermochelys Coreacea
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Tyler, Nedda, Jero, Marc,
Rachel, Elliot and Joey.
2005-2006 Patroll leaders.
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Well the 2005/06 season has been a great success - Together we have managed to shepherd 72 nests out of harms way, and hatched out over 5500 baby sea turtles.
Together with volunteers from all different walks of life and seven different countries, we managed to take control of the Punta Pargos nesting area, and control the poaching that has plagued the area for generations.We put a serious dent in the poaching and gained valuable data from five species of marine turtle.
We have almost enough raw data to complete our nesting model and have gathered more valuable information regarding the nesting habits of Sea Turtle species on Punta Pargos.
Together - with donations from our supporters and sales of STF merchandise we have created three jobs in Sea Turtle conservation for local Costa Ricans. This showed the community that Sea Turtles are a valuable asset alive and will bring in many more dollars in tourist revenue than as a food supply.
Together we have coordinated with the local faculty of the Punta Pargos area to create a conservation oriented seminar for all the schools in the nesting area. This brings us closer to the local communities and gives everyone a new awareness of the need to protect the endangered Sea Turtles.
Together with help of many local and international volunteers we removed truckloads of plastics debris from the Punta Pargos nesting beaches. This debris floats in every year and is often ingested by our Sea Turtles, which results in death if the plastic gets lodged in the throat or intestines of the Sea Turtle. The Sea Turtle often mistakes plastics for jellyfish its main food source.
Working Together we managed to make the world just a little better place this year. Seeing the determination of our volunteers this season made me realize that Together there is no mountain we can't climb. And no Turtle we can't save!
Elliott Rossano was our lead patroller for 05/06, he may be young (17) but his Sea Turtle experience speaks for itself. Three years of patrolling on almost every night, often alone in the early part of the season and at the end he has saved more Sea Turtles than you can imagine. He will be going to college this coming season so the Lead Patroller position will be passed on to Joey Beshore for the 06/07 efforts.
Joey has been patrolling with us for three years now and was an inspiration during the 05/06 season. He had previously been a part time patroller but he stepped it up for 05/06 and ended up patrolling hundreds of beats on the beach. He also helped with our educational program and was a huge asset to our classroom seminars.
Geronimo as usual was incredible too. Geronimo has been patrolling with us part - time for two seasons but this year he brought it to a new level. Along with Elliott and Joey he filled out " Team Alpha", taking complete control over the nesting area and working everyday to insure we have Sea Turtles Forever.
I would like to give a special Thanx-Mate to Tyler Carpenter and Nedda Byblow of Canada for their incredible determination to protect nests and their endless energy for patrol.They joined us for the 05/06 season and were hard at work day and night for the Sea Turtles. Tyler would always patrol at high tide in the evening and then still manage to do the 2:30 a.m. patrol too. That is a very hard day and you have to appreciate these peoples desire to insure -- Sea Turtles Forever.
Nedda Byblow, one of our other Canadian volunteers was just about as badass as a girl could be. Nedda was as the rest, super determined and willing to do the necessary hard work to get the job done.Even though it is 100 degrees on the beach during the day Nedda still volunteered for the arduous task of plastics recovery, on top of her demanding patrol schedule.
On the CB it would be "High Tide" for Tyler and "Super Model" for Nedda. Awesome work guys!!
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Chelonia Mydas sp. 78 out of 78 -- 100% hatch off this nest.
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