The canton of Garabito in Puntarenas is home to some of the most eco-friendly police officers in Costa Rica. Two years ago, members of Fuerza Pública (Costa Rica’s national police force) who patrol the Jaco Beach and Playa Hermosa communities decided to open their own nesting sanctuary for olive ridley sea turtles. This initiative was prompted by the need to protect sea turtle eggs the officers routinely seize from poachers along the Pacific coast. According to a recent press release from Fuerza Pública, the officers assigned to Garabito can confiscate hundreds of sea turtle eggs each night during… Continue reading →
The canton of Garabito in Puntarenas is home to some of the most eco-friendly police officers in Costa Rica. Two years ago, members of Fuerza Pública (Costa Rica’s national police force) who patrol the Jaco Beach and Playa Hermosa communities decided to open their own nesting sanctuary for olive ridley sea turtles. This initiative was prompted by the need to protect sea turtle eggs the officers routinely seize from poachers along the Pacific coast.
According to a recent press release from Fuerza Pública, the officers assigned to Garabito can confiscate hundreds of sea turtle eggs each night during nesting season. Some nesting spots along the beach are so commonly assailed by nefarious poachers that the officers resort to proactive policing and transport the eggs to their sanctuary, where they are guarded for about 50 days. The officers have their hands full at this moment since the olive ridleys have been massively arriving since June.
This season alone, 408 baby sea turtles have hatched at this sanctuary, which is fenced and constantly guarded by officers who may be either on watch or off-duty.
Poachers, Tourists and Dogs Endanger Sea Turtles
The proactive relocation of sea turtle nests in Costa Rica is not prompted by poaching activity alone. Both Jaco Beach and Playa Hermosa are busy tourist spots. Officers know about the spots where tourists pitch tents, cache their surfboards, set up their barbecue grills, etc. Sometimes they bring their dogs to the beach, and this is a problem for the nests.
Climate change has been a problem as well. As previously reported by The Costa Rica Star, rising sea levels and beach erosion are decimating beaches in the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. High tide is now reaching the nesting spots; when this happens, Fuerza Pública moves in before poachers or predators do.
Oswaldo Rodriguez has been a Fuerza Pública officer for 19 years. When he was transferred to Garabito a few years ago, he did not know much about sea turtles. After bioliteracy sessions and hands-on training, Officer Rodriguez is now an expert on nesting sea turtle matters. He supervises the sanctuary and the hatching process, and is known as the father of the sea turles in Garabito.
We are many fathers, I just supervise the project. It is part of the nature conservation commitment we have with the community. We know this species are endangered, so that gives us enthusiasm to protect them.
Fuerza Pública knows that this sanctuary promotes awareness and attracts tourists, who are always welcome in Garabito. Neighbors often bring their children when the time comes to transport the baby sea turtles to the beach so that they can come in contact with the ocean for the first time. Watching them swim away is always an uplifting experience.