The Project
The History of Leatherback Sea Turtles at Las
Baulas
Leatherback turtles have undoubtedly been nesting
on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica for thousands or millions of
years. During the 1980s it was realised that the beaches of Playa
Grande, Playa Ventanas and Playa Langosta collectively hosted
the largest remaining Pacific leatherback populations in Costa
Rica. Biologists from Drexel University and Indiana Purdue University
began to study the population and quickly discovered that it was
declining rapidly. The graph below shows the number of female
turtles which have come ashore to nest since records have been
collected.
The number of individual turtles nesting has fallen drastically.
The information which had been collected was presented to the
Costa Rican government and collaborative work began to form the
National Park. In 1994 Parque Nacional Las Baulas was declared
with a permanent on-site director and team of park guards. As
development of the region increased, the management of tourism
in and around the park became an important responsibility for
the director and staff. Currently the number of people who enter
the beach at night to see the turtles is regulated and the park
receives revenue from entry fees.
