Sea Turtle Conservation in Costa Rica

‘If only every student could do this. It changes your life in all the right ways,’ says Chris Heritage, parent of Luke Heritage, one of our teen volunteers who has participated on two GVI programs, one in Costa Rica and another in South Africa.

We are a parent-run organisation that is incredibly serious about health and safety, and increasing the impact, as well as the long-term career benefits of our programs. Our programs help young people develop the skills to select a career path that is personally fulfilling, and live a life aligned to the well-being of our planet and the global community.

GVI is a proud member of the Gap Year Association.

Ken and Linda Jeffrey, whose son Sam volunteered with GVI in Thailand, talk about how the experience affected Sam. He also went on to volunteer with GVI again in South Africa. ‘I know it sounds like a cliche but in a sense, he did go away as a boy and he came back as a young man. Both of us could recommend GVI without any hesitation to any other parent thinking about exploring an opportunity for their children to explore the world and to see different parts of it.’

All of our programs have short-, mid- and long-term objectives that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). This enables us to report on our collaborative impact across the world in a streamlined manner, measuring which UN SDGs we are making a substantial contribution to. Furthermore, this will help our local partners and communities measure and visualise their contribution to the UN SDGs.

Prior to your arrival on base, you will be educated about the UN SDGs. Then once you arrive on base, you’ll learn about the specific goals we have in this particular location, our various objectives, and also clarification of how your personal, shorter-term involvement contributes to these.

Our aim is to educate you on local and global issues, so that you continue to be an active global citizen after your program, helping to fulfil our mission of building a global network of people united by their passion to make a difference.

Kekoldi Indigenous Reserve is a key area for many interlinked conservation efforts as it is home to several species including:

• Jungle cats like pumas and ocelots. 
• Peregrine falcons and plumbeous kites – Kekoldi is the third most concentrated area for migratory raptors in the world.
• Thousands of tropical bird, reptile and amphibian species.
• Species like sloths, tamanduas and kinkajou.

Rainforest biodiversity surveys

We assist the Kekoldi Reserve science team with biological assessment surveys of the three major habitat and forest types in the reserve. We note a wide range of species on our surveys, including the rain frog, red-eyed treefrog, three species of toucan, spider monkey, mantled howler monkey, white-lipped peccary, eyelash palm pit viper and Baird’s tapir (although these are very elusive, so no promises!) Staff and participants walk marked paths in the forest, noting sightings, tracks and vocalisations. Only species identified with 100% certainty can be recorded. The data is shared with KIR, who uses a standardised methodology to monitor the condition of each trail over time. This helps them to understand the health of the local environment and whether their current conservation efforts are working.

Sea Turtle Research

We assist Turtle Rescue Cahuita (TRC) with sea turtle research and protection by patrolling the beach and assisting in hatchery opportunities – using internationally recognised protocols – during turtle nesting and hatching season. The prime time for turtle sightings, including green, hawksbill and leatherbacks, is April/May. For observing adult turtles, March to May is ideal, while May to August offers the best chance to see eggs and hatchlings.

To participate in the turtle project, you’ll need a good pair of rubber boots, thick socks and dark-coloured, long-sleeved, lightweight clothing.

From March to August a team walks the beach each night looking for nesting sea turtles. Depending on the time of year, you might not see a single turtle, or you might see multiple turtles in one night. When a turtle is encountered, different kinds of research activities might be carried out, depending on what stage of the nesting process she is in – emerging from the sea, selecting a nest site, digging a body pit, digging her egg chamber to lay her eggs, covering her egg chamber, disguising her nest, or returning to sea. This might include checking for distinctive markings to see if she’s been to the beach before and making a note for future researchers if she returns, tagging her flippers, measuring her carapace, counting her eggs, marking her nest, or checking for abnormalities in the mother turtle or eggs. You might also determine whether any eggs have hatched, been eroded by the sea, been attacked by predators (like raccoons, white-nosed coatis or ghost crabs), or been poached by humans. This information is used to investigate whether any areas of the beach are more susceptible to nest loss. 

Hatched nests are excavated to determine hatchling success and survival rates, the reason for losses in egg development, and the actual status of the nests, including whether or not they were partially or fully poached.

Wild Cat Population And Predation Research

Kekoldi is home to several endangered or vulnerable wild jungle cat species – including ocelot, margay, puma and jaguarundi.

Our research assists reserve authorities and conservation teams to determine the population sizes of each cat species, map out the territoriality of individual cats within each of those species, and identify the availability of prey species in the area and the subsequent effect on feeding behaviour. Direct observations of these elusive animals can be difficult, but the use of remote observation techniques like camera trapping has proven very successful in surveying and monitoring wild cats across large areas of forest.

Bird Research

Kekoldi boasts the world’s third-largest concentration of migratory raptors, with 4.6 million counted from a single point. Notably, it’s a key migration spot for peregrine falcons and plumbeous kites.

We partner with Kekoldi Hawkwatch, studying raptors and predation in the reserve. Monitoring predator health yields crucial data on ecosystem vitality, environmental shifts and guides conservation efforts. Situated within the Talamanca-Caribbean Biological Corridor, the Hawkwatch site offers panoramic views of the biodiverse surroundings, including 59 mammal species, 43 amphibians and over 400 bird species. They’re the second-largest Hawkwatch in the Americas, dedicated to preserving their 6,000 ha sanctuary and educating visitors on conservation importance.

Our work with Kekoldi Hawkwatch takes place during migration season (approx. mid-Feb to mid-May and early Sep to end-Nov) for conducting migration counts.