Playa Tortuga Conservation Volunteer Project, Costa Rica

About the Playa Tortuga Conservation Project

Conservation volunteers work within a non-profit biological research and education centre, and all food, lodging, training and research will be provided within the reserve. Projects run all year round, except for the sea turtle programme, which runs from July to January only. Conservation volunteers will be able to take part in the projects below:

• Sea Turtle Conservation Programme
• Mammal Inventory Monitoring project
• Crocodilian monitoring – Balso and Tortuga River night kayaking monitoring
• Capuchin and howler monkey research project
• Environmental Education & Butterfly Garden Project
• Tree Boa Research Project
• Coral Reef Restoration Package
• Family Volunteering

Sea Turtle Conservation Volunteer Programme

On the South Pacific beaches of Osa Costa Rica there are 4 potential species of sea turtles which can be seen nesting at different times of the year Lora (Lepidochelys olivacea), Green (Chelonia mydas), Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) and Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata). They are all in danger of extinction. Playa Tortuga beach is an olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) nesting beach although it is possible that other species occasionally arrive.

The nesting period extends from July to December, with the peak of nesting in the months of September and October, during this period it is possible to observe an individual, every other night. Sometimes two or three. In the past two seasons we have successfully protected over 140 nests and released 5,000 plus hatchlings, each nest contains on average 100 eggs. A percentage of nests are moved to the nursery/hatchery where they are observed and protected 24/7. In the hatchery important data about the biology of the turtles nests’ is gathered, such as the incubation period, nest temperature and how this influences the sex of the hatchlings, as well as observing environmental factors such as precipitation and physical environmental factors.

Training

As part of our volunteering with sea turtles programme, you will have the opportunity to learn about the biology of sea turtles, especially the Pacific Olive Ridley or ‘Lora’ (Lepidochelys olivacea) which is the most common on Playa Tortuga. You will see adults, babies and eggs, and learn about its life cycle. By helping this project you will be part of a serious scientific research project, which provides important data for the conservation of sea turtles. Upon arrival, sea turtle volunteers will receive training about the research project in which they are participating, how to use the equipment, and what work they will do as well as proper behaviour in the field. The volunteer groups will always be working with experienced staff, who will be able to show volunteers proper scientific methods for working with sea turtles, hatchery work, handling nesting females, eggs and data collection.

Responsibilities

• Care and protection of Hatchery and Camp
• Cleaning and maintenance of the Beach (Playa Tortuga)
• Assist project biologist with turtle data collection, monitoring (tagging) and management (including hatchling releases)
• Relocation of eggs to hatchery or safe location on the beach. This is done when it is determined that eggs are threatened by beach erosion, tides, excessive driftwood or poachers.
• Night patrols on the Beach- Turtle and Poacher Monitoring.

Last season, volunteers helped to release over 2,000 baby sea turtles back into the wild. Volunteers this year will have the target of helping to release even more safely back into the wild!

Mammal Inventory Monitoring Project

Within the Reserve, there are more than 11 species of mammals – the most common being raccoons, coatis, kinkajous, weasels, River Otters, Tayra and Monkeys. Capuchin Monkeys are easy to find into the Reserve forest, others such as Anteaters, Oposums, and Sloths are also common in the area but hard to observe.  There is also evidence of an Ocelot (detected by trail cameras) in the Balso River.  The trail cameras are an excellent tool to determinate the presence, abundance and the density of mammals in the area.  The mammals are important for the forest dynamic balance, and by getting data on their behaviour (diet) and local movements offers information that can be used in reforestation plans for the coastal area to establish Biological Corridors.

Crocodilian Monitoring Volunteer Programme

The main objective of this study is collect real information about the Crocodilians at the Reserve area: their distribution, relationship with the environment and the human impact on the ecosystem. Do an initial profile of the population, in order to help the conservation and management of this species adding new information about its condition in the South Pacific of Costa Rica.

Methodology: Equipment, Flash lights, Kayaks, Leather gloves, measuring tape, GPS, Camera.

Because it is an initial incursion, the research shall consist, of nocturnal monitoring- two times per week walking or by Kayak (depending of the tide) and detection (with flashlights).  Volunteers will count the number of animals and mark the location with GPS. Small size individuals (less than 1 metre) will be manually captured to determine the species, size, sex and condition.

Capuchin and Howler Monkey Research Project

In 2009, we started recording the presence of one monkey species, the Capuchin monkey (Cebus imitator) in the reserve, and  by 2015 we started to observe Howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) for the very first time in our forest.

For that reason we started to carry out monkeys surveys, twice a week, along the reserve’s forest, looking for the monkey troops.  Once we detect one of the species, we perform observations including number of individuals, males or females, if they are carrying babies or not , their behaviour, if they are resting, eating (type of food eaten), passing by, tree species that they use and so on. We also mark the GPS location of the troop.

The data collected helps us to determine how many monkeys there are, and the size of each troop in the forest, which areas they use and which resources, and over time, we will be able to monitor if we detect any behavioural changes.

Environmental Education Volunteering Project

The necessity for future generations to understand the importance of environmental conservation and natural resources management is essential. It is part of the Reserve’s core mission to educate and actively involve the youth and community at large in these areas, through conducting workshops and activities for children and their families from schools in the region.

All the running projects at the Reserve have been projected into environmental education programmes, through lectures, guided tours, field trips and volunteering with local schools.

The aim is to create environmental awareness and active stewardship among its visitors, and it is considered that the school community of the Grande de Térraba Circuit is of major importance with regard to this goal, as the children of Osa, are the future heirs of the natural resources that we are working to preserve today.

You will have the opportunity to be part of the workshops, prepare materials, make crafts, conduct and work with children of the schools during the workshops, and participate in the maintenance of our Butterfly garden, data collection, care of pupae, feed and release butterflies, as well as the opportunity to help us care for the plants.  If you have at least basic Spanish for this programme, that would be very helpful.

Butterfly Garden Volunteering Project

The objectives of the Butterfly Garden project is the investigation of native species of butterflies (Siproeta stelenes, Caligo memnon, Heraclides thoas, Dryas iulia) in the reserve and all aspects of their reproductive cycle and plant foods. Environmental education workshops will also take place, whereby members of the local community will visit the garden and volunteers will help to conduct education tours and classes. Volunteers can also help to develop work shops for local schools.