Costa Rica Area Info: Costa Rica's National Parks

Costa Rica's Nesting Leatherback Turtles Double

Playa Grande is home to the endangered Leatherback turtle. It’s part of Parque Marino Las Baulas National Park on Costa Rica's Pacific coast. The Leatherback returns faithfully from November to April each year to lay its eggs. They lay their eggs in a one meter deep nest, than after covering it over with sand, return to the warm ocean waters. After 60 to 90 days, the hatchlings emerge and immediately make their way to the sea. The area occasionally hosts Pacific Ridley turtles who also arrive to nest as in Santa Ana and Corcovado National Park.

Leatherback Turtles

There are only an estimated 2,500 Leatherback females, compared to 91,000 in 1980. According to researchers from the park, the number of leatherbacks nesting on Playa Grande reached 107 individuals for the season. This is 55 more than the 2004-2005 nesting season. This year in Playa Grande scientists counted 481 nests and another 100 in Playa Langosta, both of which are located in Las Baulas National Marine Park.

Las Baulas National Marine Park Director Rodney Piedra said the arrival of more turtles is “the most positive accomplishment the work of development institutions has had on conservation in the area.”

The Leatherback turtle, which is the largest marine sea turtle in the world, can grow up to 2.5 meters long and weigh up to 900 kilograms. Unlike other turtles, this species has no hard shell, but rather a black, leathery skin with ridges running lengthwise, and loves to feast on poisonous jellyfish. The leatherback's natural habitat is threatened by various factors, including the El Niño weather phenomenon, pollution, urbanization and illumination of beaches.