Sea Turtle Protection Research Project Location Guide & Assistant (Pacific Side) - Introduction Pack w: www.globalnomadic.com e: info@globalnomadic.com t: +44 (0) 207 193 2652
Sea Turtle Protection Research Assistant (Pacific Side) Welcome! This Introduction Pack aims to provide you with all the necessary information you will need to help you choose if this is the right project for you, and help you embark on your great adventure! Here you will find information on the country and what to expect when you get there, packing lists, a small survival guide, information on visas, how to find Global Nomadic in the social media world, how to share your experience with other travellers and much, much more. If however, there are still some questions left unanswered when you have finished reading this pack, please do not hesitate to get in touch anytime, we want you to have the best possible experience before, during and after your placement. Welcome to the and the Glomadic World! The Global Nomadic Team www.globalnomadic.com Tel: UK +44 (0) 207 193 2652 USA +1 (415) 315 9942 AUS +61 (03) 9014 9482 2
Destination is often described using a long list of adjectives and superlatives, and rightly so. This stunningly beautiful country is as often hailed for its shining example in the environmental conservation sector as for its high rate of literacy and societal stability which puts this small slice of land in stark contrast to many of its more tumultuous neighbours. As the only South American nation to have been a democracy prior to 1950, it famously abolished its army in 1948 and has been enjoying political and relative economical stability in the last half century. Facing both the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans, boasts no less than 12 distinct ecological zones and is estimated to contain 5% of the worlds bio-diversity, despite only taking up 0.003% of the earths surface! More than 25% of the country s area is protected land and in 2007, the n government announced plans to become the world s first carbon neutral country by 2021. is considered one of the best travel destinations for ecotourism - millions of tourists flock here every year to enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings and the warm welcome of the locals, know as ticos. The common greeting phrase pura vida, which means pure life, is a good indication of why has twice been designated the happiest place on the planet. Come experience paradise for yourself! Program Overview As in the rest of the world, s populations of sea turtles are declining at an alarming rate. These majestic creatures have a slow reproduction rate, making it difficult for the species to recover from slaughter by poachers and fishermen and increasing the real possibility of extinction. This is an opportunity to go beyond simply volunteering with turtles, and conduct scientific research, manage teams of volunteers and get involved in serious conservation work. There is also scope to become a Research Coordinator, managing teams of interns in their work. If you are looking for a career in conservation, this is a strong start! You will be assigned to work with another research assistant during your placement. Your responsibilities vary from site to site, but generally you will be coordinating the work of other project members, recording of all technical data, communicating with project staff and ensuring the overall success of the project. All project sites are very remote, thus a high degree of independence, responsibility and commitment is expected. Location and Arrival The main international airport in is the Juan Santamaria International Airport in Alajuela, located about 20 minutes north of the capital San Jose. We can arrange for airport pickup for an additional cost, or full arrival details will be provided once your place is confirmed. Duration The minimum duration for which you can join this project is two and a half months, however you can stay for up to six months. This is a one of our most popular projects and at peak times of the year places book up several months in advance so be sure to book early to avoid disappointment! 3
Accommodation You accommodation will depend upon which project you are placed in (see next), but you will either be staying in the Project HQ building, or in private cabanas on the beach. Our project coordinators will make sure you are comfortable and safe Requirements The minimum age to participate is 18 years. While is a Spanishspeaking country, many people also speak English. You do not need to know Spanish, however trying to speak as much as possible will go a long way with the locals! All participants are required to have full travel & medical insurance and make sure you have any necessary vaccinations. Fees And Where They Go There are two fees associated with this project. The first is the placement fee, which is 295 GBP (this is approximately $450 USD.) This fee is required to secure your place on the program and also covers our cost for promoting the project and providing our support and services throughout your placement. We also offer additional 24/7 emergency support for an extra fee - 195. You will have access to an emergency phone number and priority support throughout your placement. The second fee is the Project Fee, which is either $200 or 400 USD per month depending upon where you choose to be placed (see list of options later in this pack). This is payable directly to the project itself and covers the costs of your food and accommodation, all project activities, transfers to the local town and 24-hour support. This fee is also vital to help keep the project running! Other Costs To Think About Besides the Fees mentioned above, you will also need to budget for your flights, visas (if applicable), vaccinations, insurance and transportation to the project site from the airport. We are happy to help you arrange all of these and make sure you have everything you need! Things To Know Before Travelling to Insurance A full travel and medical insurance is mandatory for the project in. We recommend using World Nomads. They offer comprehensive and affordable insurance policies, you can get a free and instant quote from their website. Visas Visitors from most countries can visit without obtaining a visa, however, entry into may be refused and airlines may not carry you if you hold a passport with less than six months validity or do not have an onward ticket out of. On arrival you will be given a visit permit valid for 90 days, costing $10 USD. If you need to stay longer than 90 days, you can either renew your permit or leave and come back, which will give you another 90 days stay. Vaccinations The vaccinations below are recommended for, however you should check now with your doctor or local travel clinic, as they will have the most up to date information, and be able to organise any necessary injections based on your prior history. * Hepatitis A * Hepatitis B * Tuberculosis * Diphtheria 4
* Yellow Fever (certificate required upon entry if arriving from an infected area, such as Brazil or West Africa) * Typhoid * Malaria (check with your doctor which type is needed. There is little to no risk in many areas of.) Money Matters The currency in is the colon ( ). While ATMs are readily available in most towns, it s a good idea to exchange some cash at the airport when you arrive, especially if you are heading for a remote area. You can also exchange currency at banks in San Jose. The best currency to exchange is the US dollar. Things that might come in useful: Books to read or other forms of entertainment Sleeping bag or silk liner, also known as travel sheet Hat Camera Laptop Sunglasses Join the Glomadic World Online! Climate enjoys a tropical climate year round. Generally speaking, there are two seasons; the dry, which locals call summer, and the dry, which is called winter. The dry season lasts from December until April and the wet season from April until November. Because there are so many different types of geographical areas in, temperatures can vary greatly, from very hot and humid in the coastal lowlands to cold and crisp in the highest mountains. Things you should definitely bring: Head torch/ flashlight with red light for night turtle patrols Spare batteries One or more towels (quick dry towels help) Rain jacket or poncho Warm fleece or jumper for cold bus journeys Insect repellent Sunscreen Sandals Daypack Toiletry items Basic medical kit (plasters / band aids, pain killers, anti itch cream) Mosquito net Social networking sites are great for keeping in touch with friends and family while you are abroad, but they are also great for finding inspiration and creating a sense of feel for where you are going. Check out and like the Global Nomadic Facebook for weekly updates from the Global Nomadic team, shout out to us on Twitter and Instagram using the #Glomadic hash tag. We guarantee that you will want to capture the awesomeness of Ecuador on camera! You can also use these channels, as well as our Pinterest, Flickr and YouTube channels to find and connect with past, present and future Glomadic volunteers to see what they have been up to around the globe. In your own words Once you have confirmed your place, you will invited to become an author on our blog (www.blog.globalnomadic.com), where you can share the experience of your placement with friends, family, future employers and the world in general. If you are an industrious blogger you can even earn some money for your next trip after you have completed your placement in our Ambassador/Graduate programme! Watch with alarm (waterproof) Trekking shoes 5
Fundraising We know that raising the funds for your trip can be tough, so in addition to our Ambassador programme (see below) we have put together a detailed info pack stuffed with links, resources and ideas to help you afford your trip. Drop us an email and we will send it over! Become a Glomadic Ambassador If you would like to earn points to go towards the cost of your project, you can join our Ambassador programme. If you help us to spread the work of our projects to your friends, and contribute to our online and offline activities, then we will help reduce the cost of your placement. Once you have returned from any of our projects, you can join our Graduate programme, and gain points towards your next trip by contributing to our Chronicles (www.resources.globalnomadic.com/chronicles), attending career fairs & talks, putting up posters and more! Contact us now to receive our Information pack. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us, we are here to help! 6
Work Methodology In order to identify the location of the nesting event, sectors are marked along the length of the beach by using tree trunks or posts, each that are each painted with a different number. The width of the beach is also divided into beach zones, zone 1 is the area of the beach closest to the tide line, zone 2 is the intermediate beach area just before the crest of the beach and zone 3 is at the very top of the beach within the vegetation. is encountered eggs are counted and either left in their original nest (in situ) or are relocated to the project hatchery. When a turtle is encountered they are checked for already existing external inconel tags and if found the code is recorded. If no tags are found new tags are applied between the second and third large scale from the inside posterior edge of the fore flipper, always marking the left flipper with the lower tag number. In all cases, turtles are tagged after depositing eggs, while least responsive to external disturbance. Figure 9. Beach nesting zones. Monitoring is carried out each night by walking two or three shifts of threefour hours each, between high and low tide, and a early morning patrol are also carried out to check the status of in situ nests and to check that all nests were documented the night before. When a nesting activity is encountered the date, time, beach sector and zone tidal state and moon phase are documented in the field not book. When this is completed the nesting state is reported, there are 5 different nesting states that can be encountered. A successful nest this is when a turtle is encountered nesting or after probing the nest with a stick a nest is encountered. False crawls: when a turtle has come onto the beach but has made no attempt to dig a nest and returned to the sea. An Aborted nest: when a turtle has attempted to dig a nest but has failed and returned to the sea. A poached nest: when the nest has been taken by egg poachers and a predated nest: when the nest has been dug up and the eggs eaten by animals. When a successful nest All sea turtles encountered are identified by species and tagged, then curved carapace length (CCL) and curved carapace width (CCW) are taken, using a measuring tape. The LCC is measured on the edge of the scale at the neck of the turtle where the skin touches the shell to the point of the shell where there is a small V. Figure11 Measurements of carapace length (a) and carapace width (b). The ACC is measured from the two points of the carapace where the width is the greatest. (a) (b) 7
In wildlife refuge Caletas- Ario, San Miguel and Costa de Oro hatcheries are used to protect nests, as these beaches have high poaching and predation rates and during the last few years have suffered from increasing beach erosion. In Corozalito all nests are protected on the beach either in situ or relocated to areas where protection is greater. A triangulation method is used to mark the nests protected on the beach. To mark a nest 3 points are chosen close to the nest on the vegetation line of the beach. Usually markers used are sector posts or large trees as they are less likely to get washed away by high tides. Each post is marked with a number and orange tape is tied around the point where the measurement is to be taken. From the centre of the nest measurements are taken to the point of each of the tree makers and written in the field note book. Nests protected in the project hatcheries are monitored throughout their incubation period up until their hatch date. Olive ridley nest take between 40-50 days to hatch, when the nest has been incubating for 30 days a basket is placed around the nest for added protection and to contain the hatchlings upon emergence. The time and date of emergence are recorded and the hatchlings are counted before being placed in a bucket ready for release. Hatchlings are taken back to the sector of the beach where they were originally laid and the time of release is recorded. inside the nest and eggs with some stage of development. There are four stages 1A,1B, 2 and 3, one being signs of blood or the first stages of the embryo development. Stage 1B a complete embryo, Stage 2 when the egg contains almost complete development, and stage 3 complete development. Eggs that are pipped are also documented, this is when the turtle has tried to hatch but for some reason has died trying. Predated eggs where animals have got into the hatchery and destroyed eggs and unknown this is when the contents of the egg cannot be identified. This data enables a hatch success rate to be recorded, which is the number of hatchlings which emerged from each nest. However as not all hatchlings make it out of the nest or into the sea alive a release success rate is also taken which is all hatchlings which made it into the sea alive. Hobo Data loggers will be used in the project hatcheries. Loggers will be placed in random nests to record nest temperatures throughout their incubation. Temperatures will be recorded automatically every 6 hours that the logger was inside the nest. A control logger was also placed in the centre of each hatchery to give an average temperature throughout the monitoring period. This data allows important information to be recorded on the sex ratios of each nest placed within our hatcheries, and enables us to make decisions on the level of shading we need to use in order to produce optimum nest temperatures. When dead turtles are found on the beach an external inspection is carried to determine the cause of death, for example cuts or heavy markings, or the presence of fishing hooks or nests on the turtle. The carapace measurements are recorded along with date, time, beach sector and the state of decomposition. Seventy two hours after the nest has hatched it is dug up in order to record the success of the nest. During the excavation the following information is recorded, Number of egg shells, undeveloped eggs, hatchlings alive and dead 8
Project Location A Playa Caletas Introduction Playa Caletas is an isolated beach located on the north-central Pacific coast of on the country s Nicoya Peninsula. Our researchers have monitored sea turtle activity at this site since 2001. Playa Caletas is primarily an olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) sea turtle nesting beach, but also hosts one of the world s most endangered species of sea turtle, the Eastern Pacific Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea). Olive ridley nesting peaks in September and October, while leatherback nesting peaks in December and January. The beach also receives occasional visits from nesting Pacific green (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles. Playa Caletas is a wildlife refuge and the living conditions there are more rustic than at any other nesting beach. You can participate as an assistant or coordinator from July to February, or help take care of the camp during the off season (March-June), however during this time there are no turtles. shrimp trawling and compressor diving are prohibited. Since the project was initiated in 2001, 5,912 nests have been protected and 235,397 hatchlings have been protected and released to the sea. What s Included: Project Fee - $200 per month. Includes all food, accommodation, orientation, 24 hour support and project activities. This is the cheaper project location available. What s not included: Flights, airport pickup, insurance, visas (if applicable) and vaccinations. Full assistance will be provided in getting all these arranged. Site Description Playa Caletas is an uninhabited beach, and project s personnel usually find themselves working alone here. The closest town is San Francisco de Coyote, approximately 9 km to the northeast here you will find small supermarkets, internet and public phones. Playa Caletas is actually made up of both Playa Caletas and Playa Pencal, which together form a five kilometer stretch of dark sand beach that lies between Punta Coyote, a natural outcropping of rocks to Given the importance of Playa Caletas as a sea turtle nesting habitat and the unique mangrove and wetland habitat in the vicinity, we began spearheading efforts in 2003 to provide permanent protection for the region through the creation of a national wildlife refuge. After more than three years of hard work, in August of 2006 the n government officially established the Playa Caletas-Ario National Wildlife Refuge (CANWR). CANWR includes a total of 313.3 terrestrial hectares and a 19,846 hectare Marine Protected Area (MPA) that extends 12 miles off shore, where destructive fisheries such as 9
Project Location A Playa Caletas the north, and the River Bongo to the south. A large mangrove swamp stretches around the mouth of the River Bongo and extensive wetlands during the rainy season dominate the northern sector behind the camp. Portions of the mangrove swamp and wetlands have been illegally drained over the years but continue to host an abundance of wildlife. A 40 minute walk from the camp you will find playa coyote a small touristic beach ideal for swimming. There is also a local restaurant located 100m from the beach. Many species of birds, reptiles, and small mammals inhabit these areas. Coyotes, skunks and raccoons are a few of the animals that have been reported to frequent the beach in search of turtle eggs and other food. Crocodiles inhabit the wetlands and estuary zones and have also been seen feeding in the mouth of the River Bongo and basking on the beach during the dry season. Project activities are run out of a base camp constructed of logs and tarps, and living conditions are extremely rustic. Our NEW CAMP for the 2013 season consists of a large rancho structure with kitchen and living area on sand floors, three communal large wooden bungalows with beds insdide to sleep, as well as a solar panel, outhouse, well, and a large project hatchery. There is no running water at this site portable water is brought into the camp weekly and used for drinking and cooking. The well provides sufficient water for showering washing dishes and clothes. Food is brought into the camp every month and fresh vegetables and fruit every week. 10
Project Locaton B Playa San Miguel Introduction San Miguel is a small beach town located on the southern Pacific side of the Nicoya peninsula in. We have been investigating the nesting activity of Marine turtles on this beach since 1998 after the town s local community asked us for help to monitor and protect the marine turtles which nest on the 2.5km stretch of beach between July and December. We now employ 2 locals who help us to monitor the nesting activity on this beach.the volunteers will primarily be working with the olive ridley turtles, but may have the opportunity to see a nesting pacific green or if really lucky a eastern pacific leatherback, both of these species are classified as being in danger of extinction. To date we have protected 2618 nests and released 129,529 baby turtles. What s Included: Project Fee - $400 per month. Includes all food, accommodation, orientation, 24 hour support and project activities What s not included: Flights, airport pickup, insurance, visas (if applicable) and vaccinations. Full assistance will be provided in getting all these arranged. Site Description The small beach town of San Miguel has a population of about 200 people. There are 3 restaurants, 4 hotels and a general store in the area. The dry tropical forest ecosystem has an abundance of wildlife; volunteers have the chance to see howler monkeys, parrots, iguanas, armadillos, squirrels and of course turtles! There are also a variety of activities to do during the day such as visiting the mangroves and tidepools, swimming in the estuary, surfing in front of the station, or relaxing in a hammock. Local tours are available at nearby attractions. Internet and Phone Services There is no Internet service at the station. However there is wifi available where meals are eaten, so if you bring your own laptops you can use it free of charge. Internet service in the area is unreliable and slow it is good to be prepared to be somewhat disconnected. There is a landline phone at the station. Volunteers can use it to make international calls with a phone card. International calling cards need to be brought from home because they are not available for purchase locally. 11
Project Locaton B Playa San Miguel Accommodation Playa San Miguel s station is located 50 m from the beach. Most volunteers sleep together in the station s two bedrooms. Each room has four beds, a private bathroom, and a fan. Bed sheets are provided. The project coordinator lives in the third bedroom. When all the station beds are full, volunteers also stay at locals cabinas situated about 100 m down the road. There is also the option of paying extra for a private cabina with or without a kitchen. At the station there is an outdoor communal area and small kitchen where volunteers can make coffee and relax. All station facilities are basic. There is no running hot water but tap water is drinkable. There isn t a washing machine so volunteers have the options of either hand washing or paying a local to do their laundry. Volunteers must be prepared for more rugged living than they are accustomed to! Breakfasts are made at the station so that volunteers have the option of sleeping in after late patrols. Group meals are prepared for lunch and dinners, and split between a restaurant and local s house. The food is a mix of n and International cuisine. Snacks and drinks can be purchased at a small grocery close to the station. 12
Project Location C Playa Corozalito Introduction Playa Corozalito is located in the southern region of the Nicoya Peninsula on the Pacific side of. In response to community anecdotal reports of high numbers of nesting sea turtles, our researchers initiated a monitoring study in August, 2008. Since then the organization has recorded a high level of nesting activity for olive ridly (Lepidochelys olivacea), Pacific green (Chelonia mydas), and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) turtles. We have also documented massive nesting events during successive nights and are researching reports from community members that a small arribada or synchronized nesting phenomenon takes place here. You can participate in this project as a volunteer (July 15th December 15th) or as a field coordinator or assistant (July-December). What s Included: Project Fee - $400 per month. Includes all food, accommodation, orientation, 24 hour support and project activities What s not included: Flights, airport pickup, insurance, visas (if applicable) and vaccinations. Full assistance will be provided in getting all these arranged. Site Description Playa Corozalito is an 800 meter long beach protected by several rocky outcroppings that contribute to its relatively mild wave intensity. The beach is primarily sand; however, drift wood and other marine debris may wash ashore on occasion. The beach s southern end has a mangrove estuary which flows into the sea during the rainy season. This particular habitat is visited by migratory birds (such as the critically endangered Jabiru) and small vertebrates typical of the Guanacaste region (coyotes, coatis, raccoons, skunks, ant eaters) are commonly spotted on the beach in search of turtle eggs. The small town of Corozalito is situated 4kms from the beach it has a school, a small supermarket, a church, and a soccer field at the center of town where friendly matches with the community s kids and teenagers take place in the afternoons. Volunteers can enjoy hiking in the dry forest, horseback riding, and during the rainy season there s a stream with small waterfalls where one can take a swim and cool off. The beach is a beautiful place to spend the day as well. It has loads of shade to relax under, waves to surf, tide pools to explore, and the nearby estuary s fresh water is perfect for rinsing off in. 5 km from Corozalito is the town of Islita, famous for its hotel Punta Islita and beautiful beach. The town has free internet, along with restaurants and art shops. 13
Project Location C Playa Corozalito Accommodation We offer two different accommodation options in Corozalito, The project station house and private cabins. The Station house is located in the small town it is a large traditional n house with 2 separate bedrooms with a total of six beds a living and dining room with cable TV, kitchen, one bathroom, an outside wash room, and green area around the house. Volunteers who choose this option will live with the long term project co-ordinator and research assistants. Depending on the numbers of volunteers, there will be a cook who will prepare breakfast, lunch and evening meals, or volunteers in the house will have to take turns to cook. The private cabins are also located in the centre of town opposite the football pitch, 200m from the station house. The private cabins are ideal for families, couples and groups of friends who want a little more privacy. All are equipped with air conditioning, private bathrooms with hot water, cable TV and refrigerator. The owner of the cabins prepares all meals for volunteers. Volunteers who choose to work at this project site will use bicycles to carry out the nightly beach patrols. There are buses from Corozalito To Nandayure on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Also, from Pilas (5km form Corozalito) there are daily buses to San Jose. 14
Project Location D Costa de Oro Introduction Costa de Oro beach is located on the southern Nicoya peninsula situated adjacent to San Miguel nesting beach, separated by the Jabilla estuary. Costa de Oro has a small local community of approximately 200 inhabitants; it also has a large ex pat community that is growing yearly. There is electricity in the area but no mains water supply inhabitants use wells for water use. There are no supermarkets or restaurants within the community. Many of the houses located along the beachfront are vacation homes and are uninhabited for the majority of the year. The beach is 4.5km long with the Javilla estuary bordering the north and the Coyote estuary bordering the south. On the southern side of the Coyote estuary there is another small beach, Playa Coyote, that has three local restaurants/ bars as well as a small fishing port and a surf break. The nearest town is 4km away and has 2 grocery stores, a few restaurants, a hardwood store, school and the police station. It is about a 45 minute bike ride or a quick bus ride away. What s Included: Project Fee - $400 per month. Includes all food, accommodation, orientation, 24 hour support and project activities What s not included: Flights, airport pickup, insurance, visas (if applicable) and vaccinations. Full assistance will be provided in getting all these arranged. Accommodation The station house is located 50 meters from the beach with a large yard full of coconut trees. The house has 3 bedrooms, with a total of 9 beds, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, small soccer field, outdoor barbeque area and a beautiful view of the ocean. Food is brought into the project by our staff and meals are prepared by project coordinators, research assistants and volunteers. Meals typically will include a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. During 2011 Pretoma collected nesting data during the months of September and October, this data proved that the beach was visited by high numbers of nesting female Olive ridley turtles and has prompted us to open up a 3 month pilot project. The project will run from the 1st August until 1st November. 15
Project Location D Costa de Oro Site Description During 2011 we collected nesting data for the months of September and October. This data proved that the beach was visited by high numbers of nesting Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) turtles as well as rare eastern pacific leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) and Pacific green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas agassizi) nesting events and has prompted us to open an official project which began August 2012. Since then there have been well over 100 nesting events and many nights there are 5-6 turtles on the beach. Because the project is so new, there are always fun projects to be done, including painting signs, updating the hatchery and working with the community to promote the project. Most days the local children come by for English homework help or just for a quick soccer game in the yard. The community is excited to have the new project and is always willing to help when needed. 16