Every year, participants on our Sea Turtle Retreat and Scuba & Sea Turtle Adventure Girl Scout Destinations join Outward Bound Costa Rica in aiding with sea turtle conservation efforts.
Girl Scouts on these programs venture to Playa Ostional in the Ostional Wildlife Reserve of Costa Rica and San San Pond Sak Wetlands in Bocas del Toro, Panama respectively to help local communities with their conservation projects.
Costa Rica is home to two types of sea turtles species, the Olive Ridley and the Leatherback. Although sea turtles spend most of their lives in water, they come ashore between the months of August and December to dig nests and lay their eggs in mass nestings known as “arribadas.” During an arribada, sea turtles come to shore in groups of hundreds or thousands, taking over the beach to lay their eggs in the soft sand.
The Girl Scouts aid in a wealth of conservation projects including building habitats, performing night patrols, collecting data, and helping baby sea turtles reach the ocean once they’ve been hatched. Along with these turtle-focused efforts, the Girl Scouts also partake in additional community service projects in the town such as painting or cleaning a local school.
Sea Turtle conservation projects are important because both the Olive Ridley and Leatherback sea turtles are threatened. The Leatherback turtle population alone has declined more than 90 percent since 1980.
There are many reasons sea turtles around the world are endangered. Sea turtle eggs, meat, skin and shells are sought after by poachers, despite laws in most countries forbidding the sale of sea turtle parts.
Coastal development has also played a role in the decline of sea turtle populations. The more human developments along the beach, the less room there is for sea turtles to properly hatch their eggs. This causes sea turtles to lay their eggs closer to the water, in turn increasing the chance that their nest will be destroyed by the waves.
Once a Girl Scout herself, Outward Bound Costa Rica instructor Bailey Palmer shared with us her experience with sea turtles, both as a student and an instructor.
“It has completely changed my view on the world,” Bailey said. “I noticed the girls gained a better understanding of the environment and developed a greater appreciation for their lives back home.”
Watch our video below to learn more about how participants on our Girl Scout Destination programs aid in sea turtle conservation efforts!
Costa Rica is home to two types of sea turtles species, the Olive Ridley and the Leatherback. Although sea turtles spend most of their lives in water, they come ashore between the months of August and December to dig nests and lay their eggs in mass nestings known as “arribadas.” During an arribada, sea turtles come to shore in groups of hundreds or thousands, taking over the beach to lay their eggs in the soft sand.
The Girl Scouts aid in a wealth of conservation projects including building habitats, performing night patrols, collecting data, and helping baby sea turtles reach the ocean once they’ve been hatched. Along with these turtle-focused efforts, the Girl Scouts also partake in additional community service projects in the town such as painting or cleaning a local school.
Sea Turtle conservation projects are important because both the Olive Ridley and Leatherback sea turtles are threatened. The Leatherback turtle population alone has declined more than 90 percent since 1980.
There are many reasons sea turtles around the world are endangered. Sea turtle eggs, meat, skin and shells are sought after by poachers, despite laws in most countries forbidding the sale of sea turtle parts.
Coastal development has also played a role in the decline of sea turtle populations. The more human developments along the beach, the less room there is for sea turtles to properly hatch their eggs. This causes sea turtles to lay their eggs closer to the water, in turn increasing the chance that their nest will be destroyed by the waves.
Once a Girl Scout herself, Outward Bound Costa Rica instructor Bailey Palmer shared with us her experience with sea turtles, both as a student and an instructor.
“It has completely changed my view on the world,” Bailey said. “I noticed the girls gained a better understanding of the environment and developed a greater appreciation for their lives back home.”
Watch our video below to learn more about how participants on our Girl Scout Destination programs aid in sea turtle conservation efforts!