Arribada and Tourism in Costa Rica

The Arribada came! On July 18th, 2024 the Refugio Nacional De Vida Silvestre Ostional (Ostional Wildlife Refuge) declared the Arribada. An Arribada is what locals call the mass nesting event that happens once a month during the dry season and twice a month during the wet season. Thousands of Olive Ridley turtles come to the beach for several nights to lay their eggs. There are so many, it's hard not to trip. We are currently in between the dry and wet season, and this Arribada ended up being smaller, but amazing nonetheless!

The first night after the Arribada was oficially declared I was lucky to work the 8pm - 11pm shift. We went to the main nesting beach for the first time and there were hundreds of turtles as far as the eye could see in the dark. Having only seen a maximum of 4 turtles a night in the last week and a half, witnessing even a small Arribada is absolutely indescribable. Turtles were all over the beach, coming out from the water, climbing on top of each other, and nesting together. 

We had gotten training for how to work with the turtles during a mass nesting event. The main thing that changes, data-wise, is that every two hours we use previously determined transects to calculate the density of these nests over time. What changes work-wise, is trying to count eggs and measure your turtle without getting trampled in the process by another one trying to choose a nest (sometimes on top of your turtle or on top of you). When a turtle is coming directly at us, I or a teammate had to come up behind this strong, determined turtle, lift her by her shoulders, and direct her toward a spot out of the way. 

During an Arribada, everyone working with the turtles works almost non-stop. We have shifts ranging from 8pm to 6am, as the huge amount of turtles means some nest earlier or later. The work is intense and we have to collect the best data possible amidst these hundreds to thousands of turtles trying to lay eggs. I absolutely loved it. Witnessing and getting to work an arribada is something almost no one gets to do, and a once in a lifetime experience

Seeing these turtles working the later shift the next day, after the sun comes up, is just as incredible. These creatures we have been searching for and working with every night--dark black blobs illuminated by red light--are suddenly fully visible. They range in size and shape. Some have chunks missing, injuries due to human activity (shell cut by a boat propeller, fishing line stuck in fin), or other unique features. And they are seen in the light only during this event. These turtles are so resilient and sensitive. Working with them has been a privilige.

                     

Visiting Guanacaste as a global seminar student has been very different than coming as a typical tourist. Costa Rica's main economy comes from tourism, and many places around the country reflect that. For example, Ostional has students from different countries and programs that pay to stay with host families the entire nesting season and work with the turtles. The beach is closed to the public at all times during a mass nesting event and every night when it's dark except if accompanied by a local tour guide. A portion of the profit from those tours goes directly to the association responsible for harvesting the turtle eggs and protecting the turtles in and the beach.  Of course, not all proceeds from tourism in Costa Rica go directly to the locals providing services, so I am very grateful to be part of a program that helps improve the lives of the people in this town. 

This past week we also got the chance to visit Sámara (about 1.5 hours south of Ostional) and Playa Guiones, Nosara (about a half hour north at the end of the wildlife refuge). These are both places fully designed for tourists. The beaches are almost as gorgeous as the ones where we have been staying and surrounded by little boutiques, restaurants, and foreigners. The local workers speak English and try to sell souveneirs to the many Americans visiting. The change of environment from what I've become accustomed to in Costa Rica - using my broken Spanish, wearing hiking shoes, seeing mostly Ticos - was interesting to say the least. I understand the draw of such places for relaxation and family vacations, but I was more comfortable with the animals in the deep forest following a local guide holding a machete. I am really lucky to be getting a full cultural immersion as a student and a tourist all in one.