Tortuguero National Park

The sanctuary of the green turtle

A resplendent dawn breaks over Tortuguero. In the backgrounds lies the Caribbean sea. On land, a Thick mist covers Costa Rica's vast coastal plain. At the end of this white curtain is Cerro Tortuguero, an imposing peak rising up like a beacon, guiding thousands of marine turtles that swim ashore each year to nest and their eggs in this National Park.

Only a short 25-minutes flight from the capital San José, takes the visitors to the middle of one of the most exuberant rainforest in the country. You will fly over the thick jungle which, like a green blanket, covers the steps mountains of the Braulio Carrillo National Park . Beyond lies the Bajo de la Honduras, a huge lowland plain with extensive banana plantations which cover much of Costa Rica's Caribbean coast.

During your journey you will see the place where the colored waters which flow down from the Turrialba volcano mingle with those of the Rio Sucio. A good breakfast at a typical cattle ranching town, with tiny criollo (native) bananas.

Sailing along the inland waterways of Tortuguero it is still possible to observe large number of white faced and howler monkeys in their natural habitat .

They will graceful pass for your photos and perform acrobatics. Less sociable are the herons the freshwater turtles, and the crocodiles which hide as soon as they sense an approaching vessel.

Tortuguero's 35 km long beach is home to the largest population of green turtles in the western hemisphere.

The shell of the green turtle can measure up to 1.20 m longhand its color varies from reddish brown to light brown with dark markings it weighs 110 and 204 kg and can be easily identify by the  large pre-frontal scales between its eyes.

The green turtles lays its eggs in intervals of two to four years and, depending on the size

Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero National Park covers an extensive area of more than 19,000 hectares, and has very hot, humid climate and annual average rainfall of 5,000 millimeters. This type of environment gives rise to a great diversity of ecosystems, such a coastal, very humid tropical highland forest or premontane forest and swamp forest, among others.

To date, a total of 400 different tree species and 2000 plant species have been identified in this area, of which have adapted to specific environments.

The fauna in this park is also very varied. A total of 57 species of amphibians, 111 species of reptiles, 60 mammal species and 330 species have been identified to date.

Tortuguero National Park has a hot humid climate with a great diversity of ecosystems. 330 bird species, many reptiles and mammals are waiting to be seen.

Recommendations

Don't walk on the beach with a flashing and do nor shine any light on the turtle's head. The light may prompt the turtle to stop laying eggs and it may head back to the sea.

For you safety, keep away from the turtle's head. Sea have strong fangs and can harm you if you provoke them.

Do not touch the eggs or place any objects in the nest.

Do not climb on the turtle's back. Aside from being illegal, you can injure the turtle or make her return to the sea before she has finished laying her eggs.

Do not disturb the tracks left by the turtles when they return to the sea. Researchers use these tracks to identify the type of turtle that has nested and  mark the nesting site.