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Baby Turtles
When the turtles hatch they make their way through the sand to the surface. Here is one of the guards holding babies before release. Our day started before midnight today when I got up at 11:30pm on Tues. We had gone to bed at around 7 pm because we were taking the 12 am - 4 am walking shift to watch for turtles. I had heard from an old man in the street that that shift was the popular time to lay eggs according to the turtles. We walked over to the "Leatherback Shack" which is the Turtle Patrol Office. We were paired up with a guide and after walking only 20 minutes or so south on the beach we came across a turtle digging a hole for her eggs. We put gloves on to handle the eggs and after she had made a big enough hole I caught the eggs as she dropped them into the nest, 2 or 3 at a time. She layed 84 eggs, some were "circular" and others were "vano" or infertile (and much smaller). I think I know the meaning of those words in Spanish but I am not exactly sure yet. We measured the turtle's carapace from behind her head to before her tail and across her body widthwise. She was about 1 1/2 meters long and 1.15
Baby on the Beach
Here is the turtle after we put him on the sand. meters wide. This is quite something to come across one of these when walking on the beach and was really exciting for us.
There is a hatchery to bring the eggs back but it is full of nests so we found a hiding place to place all the eggs. The guides worked hard to disguise it to keep poachers from absconding the eggs. Of course Mrs. Leatherback threw sand all over to cover the eggs and the hiding spot was not too far away. Later in the day Tim and I went back and had a good idea where we left the eggs.
We spend the rest of the night divided up and Tim found another turtle and was delayed until almost 5 am collecting, measuring and hiding eggs. His second turtle had even more eggs and was a similar size. There had been at least 4 turtles laying eggs on the beach this night and it was really exciting for all us volunteers.
Tim had done a walk the night before but did not get to see andy turtles. He complained that the 8 pm - 12 am shift was so hot and that he needed
Turtles Tracks
The turtles make cute little tracks on the beach. Mother turtles make tracts like 4 wheelers! to drink so much and that helped me to decide to take the middle of the night shift. I liked it and would like to continue it. I didn't like getting up at first and felt weird but after my shift I went to bed around 5 am and slept well until 8 am. It is so nice to work or sleep in the coolest part of the day. Tim doesn't really like that shift and may opt to do the 8 pm - 12 am shift. Our host mother doesn't have a problem with us having these odd hours. She tends to go to bed at 8 and get up around 4-5 am to see her husband off to work.
Melvin is a fishing guide and works for the Rio Parismina Lodge which takes fishermen out mainly for tarpon and snook. We have eaten fish every day since we have been here. We liked the fish we had in other places but this is even better because Teresa (our host Mom) is a tremendous cook. They have 3 children who are grown or away at school. The youngest is only 15 and he attends a bilingual school in
Adios Amigos
I am sure that this little turtle waved good-bye. If is it a she and she survives, she might be laying eggs on this beach in 15-20 years. Guapiles which is not far from Siquirres. Both Melvin and Teresa are so nice and are taking good care of us.
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