COSTA RICAN SEA TURTLES

Nature has showered many bounties on the green planet earth. These are living as well as non living. Costa Rica is a place with nature as its pivot. Not just the scenery is beautiful but a beautiful creature has also chosen this geographical expanse of land as its habitat. And this is the reason why this place invented ecotourism.
The Costa Rican sea turtles are famous all over the world. They have chosen Costa Rica for its beaches that serve the purpose of their breeding grounds. The four turtle species that are leatherback, green, hawksbill and olive ridley make their nests here. This has boosted the eco-tourism and turtle viewing attracts many nature and wildlife enthusiasts here. This way there is tourism along with conservation of these giant reptile species. See turtles help save these turtles. And you can also be part of this unforgettable adventure through various tours and vacations during the best times of the year. The leatherbacks nest from March to July, the greens from June to October, olive ridleys from July to November and hawksbill in September and October.
Turtles of Costa Rica are an important part of our food pyramid. Not because they are served as delicacies on our platter but because of the biological balance. But poachers have threatened the existence of these Costa Rican beauties although poaching is illegal and s is the trade of turtle shell, skin, flesh or eggs. While they are mostly responsible for causing the turtles harm, some also get caught up in fishing nets along with the fish and are drowned. Humans have also hindered the multiplication of these species. The young ones when hatch from the eggs head towards the brightest rays of light by which they used to enter the sea water. But development has caused them to move towards the land which man has lightened up using artificial light. Then when the sun comes up, its heat kills the new born turtle babies while crawling on land instead of water. Human intervention in their nesting places scares off the females and destroys their habitat. Many other ways of human living are destroying the life cycle of these lovely creatures. It is high time that we extend a helping hand to the drowning turtle population.
Many wildlife conservation organizations like IUCN (international union for conservation of nature) work for their protection. But an organizational level work is not enough. It requires work at the grassroots level. It has been made a prohibition to kill sea turtles and certain rules have been laid down by various governments to ensure their safety. But citizens need to participate by ensuring that they do not buy any product derived from a turtle, do not try to touch a turtle while visiting the nesting beaches and never use lights, loud sounds or cameras.
Turtles usually have a life span which ranges from 150 to 200 years. But our ruthless interference with their living space on land as well sea has made them lose the battle of life too early in life. So take a pledge to protect Costa Rica and its turtles today and save these giants from vanishing forever.