Sea Turtle Conservation & Environmental Education

Hurricane Otto, the first hurricane to make landfall in Costa Rica since records began, has been just one part of our troubles this month at our sea turtle project in Rio Oro.

In this tropical and remote location, our volunteers and coordinators generally enjoy the beauty of the Pacific Ocean, the green of the jungle and the blue of the sky. What we were not prepared for, was an unusually late monsoon season. On November 13^th, a cloak of gray clouds descended upon us and soon, thunderstorms and rain cut off our communication with the outside world.

Our brave volunteers sat in wait for the rain to stop. Here in the Southern Pacific of Costa Rica, locals are always optimistic… “Pura Vida. The rain will stop soon.” Unfortunately for us and the turtles, this was not the case.

Our sea turtle project is located between two large rivers and in these heavy rains they had flooded to such an extent that no cars were able to enter nor leave. We were stranded. Volunteers passed the time playing board games by candlelight as we watched our food supplies dwindle. Thanks to the national emergency service, our community received a delivery by military truck. And many of our volunteers were able to return home. We thought the worst was over.

Then we heard the news. A tropical storm in the Caribbean Sea was headed for Costa Rica and it was rapidly forming into Hurricane Otto. At this point, we had to make a decision. Stay, or go. On the 22^nd of November we decided to make a move.  It was the first time they had faced an evacuation and it was strangely exhilarating when we set off. That feeling was immediately erased when we saw the river Piro. Twenty meters of deep brown rushing water that we would have to cross on foot.

Step by step, we made it across. Our salvation waiting for us on the other side. A taxi! For the rest of the week our coordinators weathered the storm in Puerto Jimenez (the only large town in the Osa Peninsula) and our volunteers made it safely back to their home countries. What an adventure!

Now, as we return to our camp in Rio Oro, we are asking our followers and donors to help us rebuild our project for the coming month. Since the evacuation, only our long-term coordinators remain at the project and we desperately need your help to recommence our conservation work. Roads, rivers and homes remain flooded here and we are desperate to work on helping our community and our beloved sea turtles.

During the last 4 months, 2346 sea turtles have been registered in Rio Oro.  Our presence prevents egg poachers from stealing their eggs.  We have been walking the beach tirelessly 3 times a night during these months on a very limited budget!  Help us complete this effort and make it until the end of the season.  

Please give generously today to our Hurricane Otto appeal for donations. We thank you for your support and for all the messages we have received these past few weeks expressing your concern.

SOS! We need your help now!

Dear friend of the Corcovado Foundation,

I am reaching out to you because you have shown us that you care about our cause.  Either you have donated in the past, have volunteered in our programs or have stayed at the hostel/camp and learned about what we do.   This year has been an exceptionally difficult year for our turtle conservation program. 

This is our second year working at Rio Oro Wildlife Reserve.  We came to this remote spot of the Osa Peninsula because both the ministry of environment and the local communities asked for our support in protecting this incredibly important beach. There are more turtles on this beach than any of the other  beaches in the Costa Rican South Pacific…and poachers know it well. 

Last year we received help from another NGO who had a grant to work there and partnered with us to achieve this huge endeavor.  This NGO didn’t receive funding this year and therefore we are alone working on this precious beach.  

Our only source of funding is the turtle volunteer program and Globalgiving. And our expenses are huge!   We have to pay for the lodging, food, salaries and stipends of the biologists that relentlessly walk the beach every night to protect the turtles.  Because we need help financing the costs of transportation we have asked for the help of government authorities.   We also need their help in stopping the egg poachers who visit to this beach every day.  We haven’t received any support, even though this is a protected area and the responsibility of Costa Rican government.  We are working all alone.

If we don’t get help very soon, we won’t be able to maintain the program past October 15. We need to raise at least $9000 USD in order to stay in Río Oro until the end of the year.  In addition to monetary contributions we could use more volunteers.  We need more boots on the ground to protect this beach, especially in the next 3 months.

Anything can help, $10, $20 anything.   Please help us maintain this huge effort!