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Guanacaste
Coast, Costa Rica
Leatherback
sea turtles are the largest and one of the oldest living reptiles.
For over 20 million years, these huge (up to 1,000 kilogram)
ancients have inhabited waters as far south as New Zealand
and as north as the Arctic Circle. Guided by their instincts
to find just the right time and place to nest, these cousins
to the dinosaurs do not have the guarantee that their ancient
habits will be successful in a world dominated by humans.
In addition to their antiquity, the leatherbacks may also
be connected to the dinosaurs through similar inner processes.
Though they are cold blooded, leatherbacks are able to retain
high body temperatures in cold water that would easily kill
a human. This system of"gigantothermy," in which
fatty skin insulates the heat generated by such an enormous
body, may have also warmed the dinosaurs. Volunteers are needed
to study leatherbacks and will have the opportunity to witness
and assist during the moonlit nesting period.
For
a decade Drs. Frank Paladino (Indiana Purdue University),
James Spotila (Drexel University), and Richard Reina (Drexel
University) have conducted extensive field study on the behavior,
physiology, and migration of leatherback sea turtles nesting
on two of Costa Rica's beaches which has led to the establishment
of "Las Baulas de Guanacaste" National Park (Las
Baulas Leatherback Turtle Conservation Project can be found
at www.coas.drexel.edu/environ/costa-rica/ and the Leatherback
Task Force at www.coas.drexel.edu/environ/leatherback/). The
park's three beaches, Playa Grande, Playa Ventanas and Playa
Langosta provide critical nesting habitat for Pacific leatherbacks.
With help from a sixth season of Earthwatch volunteers, the
Principal Investigators will continue to study and protect
this vital link to the past by studying and protecting nesting
females and by tracking females at sea.
Teams
will count and tag nesting turtles, record measurements, nest
position, number of eggs laid, and nest temperatures, relocate
nests and assist on a number of student projects studying
hatching success, egg fertility and paternity of hatchlings.
Long-distance migration tracking may also be conducted.
In
the 1999 season a beach hatchery will be constructed to try
to improve nest hatching rates. The project seeks to answer
questions such as; How many females are in this population
and what is the overall contribution of this population with
regard to total numbers of this species worldwide? What are
the physiological, behavioral and environmental factors influencing
leatherbacks’ thermo regulation and their ability to
live in cold northern waters? What is the influence of nest
location and sand moisture content on nest temperature and
eventually the sex of the hatchling? Also what effect do lights
and human activity have on nest placement? What are the rates
of egg fertility in natural and hatchery nests? What are the
local interesting movements, as well as the long distance
migration routes and diving behavior (to be studied by satellite
and sonic telemetry)?
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2 0 0 0 . T E A M S
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VII: Jan 5-14 • VIII: Jan 15-24 • IX: Jan 25-Feb
3 • X: Feb 4-13 • Other teams, call for details
•Max team size: 8
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M E M B E R S ' . S H A R E . O F . C O S T S
US $1,795 • £1,115 • Aus $2,760 • Yen
¥210,700
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R E N D E Z V O U S . S I T E
Tamarindo Airport, Costa Rica
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F I E L D . C O N D I T I O N S
Volunteers will fly from San Jose to Tamarindo. Teams stay
in accommodation near the beach and ocean, which is equipped
with modern bathrooms, air conditioning and electricity. Teams
will eat morning and evening meals at local restaurants. Participants
will walk about 6 - 12 kilometers (4 to 8 miles) each night
on soft, sandy beaches. Work ends early in the morning; days
are free to assist on various student projects, sleep, relax
on the beach, horseback ride or explore the nearby mangrove
areas.
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