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| Olive Ridley
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Lepidochelys olivacea
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| Tortuga Lora
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This is one of the smallest turtles, measuring 60 to 75 cm long and weighing
35 to 40 Kg. Their shells are drab olive green and they are known to nest
in solitary fashion on more than forty beaches on the Pacific coast of Costa
Rica between the months of June and December.
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| Nesting & Food
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The Olive Ridley is the only species of turtle that exhibits the synchronized mass nesting
phenomenon known as "Arribadas". These arribadas occur at Nancite in the
rainy season from May to December and in Ostional all year round.
Their main food source is shrimp, crustacea and other invertebrates such as squid.
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Education
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Literature & eBooks
Children's Classic Literature by Twain, Bronte, Fitzgerald, Hawthorne, Thoreau and more.
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Costa Rica's Olive Ridley Turtles
PLAYA OSTIONAL. This beach, made famous by Dr. Douglas Robinson, is located
at the village of Ostional north of Punta Guiones close to Playa Nosara.
Access is via Nicoya to Nosara and from Santa Cruz. The final stretches are
advisably accessible via four-wheel drive vehicles in the rainy season.
This is the most important Arribada beach in the world and is the location
of the only legal turtle egg harvest. Due to the fact that such a large proportion
of the eggs are lost to natural causes, Ostional's local development association
(ADIO) controls the legal harvest and sale of about 1,000,000 eggs a month.
The beach area and marine waters are protected by the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge, and the project is overseen by strict scientific control to assure that no damage
is being done to the turtle population.
It is generally accepted that this is one of the truly sustainable yield
projects in the world, benefiting both man and turtle. §
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| Ostional National Wildlife Refuge
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PLAYA
NANCITE. This 1km long beach is located in Santa Rosa National Park. Olive
Ridley and other turtles that nest here are totally protected. After Ostional
this is the second most important nesting beach in the world.
The occurence of the arribada is directly related to the lunar cycle, normally
starting with the last quarter of the moon but may occur with the first quarter.
It is impossible to predict the exact time or possibility of an arribada
but the best months are between May and December. Access to Nancite is through
the park via Playa Naranjo and is possible only on foot. §
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