The village of Tortuguero (land of turtles) in the north Caribbean is the Mecca for seeing green turtles nest. During the months of July to mid-October the endangered species arrive on Tortuguero beach in their hundreds to lay their eggs.
With Costa Rica being leaders in sustainable tourism a lot of rules and regulations are put in place to protect the sea creatures but still allow the best viewing experience for tourists. All tours are escorted by local guides who will explain the rules prior to starting the excursion. However, here are some points to keep in mind and share with your clients so they are aware of the rules before booking the excursion.
- Never disturb a turtle crawling to or from the ocean or laying eggs. If nesting is disrupted, the turtle may not lay her eggs at all.
- Stay at least 30 feet away from any turtle you see. If you find yourself closer, don’t touch! Sea turtles can bite, and they have extremely powerful jaws.
- Don’t shine lights on the beach at night or take flash photography. This can frighten away nesting females and make it harder to find the sea.
- Don’t walk or cycle in places marked as nesting areas.
- Do not disturb any nests you might find with markers or protective screening.
- Stay away from the beach dunes.
- Keep the beach clean. To a sea turtle, balloons and plastic bags look like jellyfish — their favorite food — but eating them could be deadly
