Gandoca-Manzanillo Sea Turtle Project

The staff include agronomists, foresters, biologists, economists and educators. With the exception of the three founders, the staff and the Board of Directors are all Costa Ricans.

Before the phrase "sustainable development" came into fashion, ANAI was successfully pioneering strategies to help the people in Talamanca become more economically self-reliant, while preserving the area's extraordinary rain forests and other natural wonders. ANAI and the Talamanca Initiative have been proud recipients of the United Nations Equator Prize which recognizes "extraordinary accomplishments in reducing poverty in the tropics through conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity".

The mission of ANAI is to help the people of Talamanca design and implement a strategy linking socio-economic development, cultural strengthening and biodiversity conservation.

Working with the turtles is a brilliant and unforgettable experience and we really need your help. It is estimated that if the current rate of decline is not stopped the Leatherback Sea Turtle will be extinct within 20 years.

Once a turtle is encountered on a night patrol the volunteers work directly with the turtle, taking carapace and nest dimension measurements, collecting eggs and tagging the rear flipper of the turtle.

The collected eggs are then relocated on the beach or taken to the hatchery, where the volunteers on shift will build a new nest to specification and transplant the eggs. The number of eggs, nest location and turtle identification information (tag number) is then recorded by the hatchery attendant for further data analysis including hatchling survival rate.

Task 2. Other daytime work at the project in Gandoca may involve beach cleanup.

Task 3. Small projects, including initial construction of the hatcheries.

Task 4. Caring of the hatcheries. The approximate incubation time for leatherback Turtle eggs is 60 days, therefore midway through the season, the duties of the hatchery attendants increases as the hatchlings are encountered. These must be counted and released in the evening to an appropriate location along the high tide line and watched until they reach the sea, We should not release the hatchlings directly on the sea.

Gandoca is a piece of heaven where the community decided to work together and protect the sea turtles, promote tourism and maintain the natural beauty of the community as much as possible.

Local community involvement is a priority for this project. There are five fulltime local employees, including the on-site Project Director. Community members help out with patrols when there are not enough volunteers. Volunteers have the opportunity to stay with local families. There is also the option of staying in tents set up at the base camp of the project office.

With the diverse ecosystems concentrated within the area of the Gandoca Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge (beach, mangrove swamp, coral reef and tropical rainforest) along with the close involvement with the somewhat remote village of Gandoca, our Sea Turtle Conservation Project provides a unique opportunity for volunteers to experience a true Costa Rican conservation project.

There are mosquitoes and sand flies in the area, as well as Malaria and Dengue fever. The driest period is February through May.

On days off, volunteers often head to Bocas del Toro, a cluster of islands just across the border in Panama with beautiful beaches and great surfing. Others head to Puerto Viejo or Cahuita, further up the coast, which are known for amazing snorkeling, swimming, and surfing.