Day 7: Turtle Talk

Today was the last full day living in the wild before we move on to the good life.  We woke up to the sounds of howler monkeys and cicadas in the hot, humid air of the Caribbean coast feeling a little stuffed up.  Since we didn't go to sleep until well after midnight, we woke up at 8 a.m. for a nice, healthy meal of scrambled eggs and bread with jam at 9.  After breakfast, we had about an hour of relaxation.  Some people walked on the beach while others utilized the hammocks that were in the perfect spot for shade and a little breeze.  

By 10, we were sitting in the outdoor classroom learning about turtles with Stamie. Some interesting facts we learned included that turtles have been around for more than 100 million years, we can tell their age through skeletochronology (using the scleral ossicle, an eye bone, we can determine their age by counting the number of rings on the bone), they have brains the size and weight of an American quarter, and there are 5 of the 7 types of sea turtles living around Costa Rica. We were all fascinated by everything we learned about sea turtles in her presentation. In pairs, we walked around the center looking at posters and researching a topic for a micro-teach that we would present later on. We were able to relax again and have a very light lunch of rice, beans, and salad.

For our service project, we helped pull weeds and vines encroaching on the beach from the jungle. This process prevented roots from invading the baby turtle nests. Shortly after we finished, we took a break and tried fresh coconut water, then got ready for a boat ride to see animals in the trees and along the sides of the river. We saw birds (trogon, kingfisher, vultures, egret), a caiman, monkeys (howler monkey and spider monkey), fresh water turtles, a basilisk lizard (also known as the Jesus Christ lizard because it walks on water), an iguana, and a sloth.  We sat watching the spider monkeys jumping from tree to tree for a while. We were all amazed at how far they could jump!

As soon as we returned to the camp, we went to watch hatchlings being released to sea. For about 15 minutes we watched them make little tracks on the way to their new home.  At the turtle presentation, we had learned that only 1 in 1,000 turtles survive to adulthood, and when they are ready to lay their eggs, they always find their way back to the beach where they were born. It was amazing to think, while watching them make their way, that in 20-30 years they will be returning to lay their own eggs, should they survive.

Once all of the babies had been pulled away by the waves, we rested and journaled before dinner. We had chicken, mashed potatoes, salad, and fried plantains. Everyone was happy to see the mashed potatoes because it was something other than beans and rice.

For the turtle patrol, we were again split into 2 groups based on our room numbers. The even numbered rooms went patrolling 8-10 and the odd rooms went 10-12. The first group didn't find any turtles, but the second group was able to witness a leatherback turtle dig her nest and lay her eggs, and take her measurements. When all the eggs were laid and the turtle was burying the nest, the group and our guides moved on to the hatchery to bury the eggs. Two people had the chance to bury eggs. In total there were 89 fertile eggs and 17 infertile eggs. After an exhausting but fulfilling day we went to sleep with the knowledge that the next days would bring just as much or more joy.