Girl Scouts from all over the United States have been helping protect endangered sea turtles in Costa Rica!
On December 27, 29 Girl Scouts arrived to the Outward Bound Costa Rica rainforest base ready for their Sea Turtle Retreat. After getting to know each other and preparing their kit for course, the group headed straight to Playa Ostional where they would be assisting with sea turtle projects. The first two days of course are always a challenge getting used to a new country, listening to new accents, and environments, but this group rose to the challenge and dove into their relaxing time at the beach assisting the sea turtle projects, meeting locals, and swimming in the ocean! The Ostional Wildlife Refuge is world famous for being an important nesting site for the Olive Ridley sea turtle population and the projects that run here are crucial to the long-term conservation of this species.
Over the next five days, the group learned about the ecology of the surrounding environment and making sure the beach was clear of debris for the sea turtles coming ashore. At night, the girls patrolled the beach to protect nesting sea turtles and were able to witness the very special moment of a female turtle building a nest and laying her eggs.
In their downtime, the group relaxed on the beach and got to know the people living near the Wildlife Refuge by playing soccer and other games with children from the local community.
The girls then returned to the rainforest base today (January 2, 2020), with a stop along the way to visit a Coffee Plantation and Butterfly Sanctuary. Here, they were able to learn why Costa Rica is so famous for its high quality coffee and how it is produced–from growing and harvesting the beans right through to roasting them before brewing a perfect cup of coffee. At the Butterfly Sanctuary, the group got to get up close to some of the most iconic butterfly species, including the beautiful Blue Morpho (pictured below).
Over the next few days, the girls will be exploring the top sights of the Central Valley, including the spectacular Volcán Irazú and Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles, a zipline through the rainforest canopy, and a chance to go souvenir shopping in San José’s artisan market.
Looking to explore Central America?
Join us on a Girl Scout Destinations trip and or Summer 2020 Course to explore the rainforests, rivers, and reefs of Costa Rica and Panama!