A few volunteers and I spent a night working at El Venado beach in Guapinol with the Centro de Investigación y Protección de la Tortuga Golfina. The residents of Guapinol have been working with the sea turtles that lay their eggs on the local beach for over 25 years. They collect and protect the nests from venders looking to sell the eggs at market. Later, when the eggs hatch volunteers release them at night into the gulf. In August the Center built a research station that also accommodates volunteers looking to stay a few nights, learn about the turtles, and help with the releases.
This is the new research station with volunteer housing that was built in August. It’s the headquarters of the Centro de Investigación y Protección de la Tortuga Golfina in Guapinol. It’s got comfy hammocks and a great third floor lookout from which you can see Nicaragua to the left, the gulf straight ahead, Amapala to the right, and the lights of El Salvador in the distance.
Releasing the baby turtles on the beach.
So cute.
Boa Constrictor! Or at least that’s what our jalón driver told us it was. Southern Honduras used to be filled with mangrove forests which have been almost completely destroyed by sugar cane farming, cattle grazing, and human sprawl. Animals like boas, birds, and sea turtles are threatened more and more every year by the changing environment.
Turtles!
ReplyDeleteKarina,
ReplyDeleteAwesome pix! Check your E-mail when you have a chance. :) I must warn you, the first video was all the kiddos doing. You are now officially in my Spanish classes, so feel free to grab and all docs that you'd like!
Sar
Wow Kari! That Looks So Cool! Wish I was there sharing the experience! You will come back a whole new Bacher. Keep Saving the World...One Turtle at a time!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I am with you on the beach in sprit
Turtles
Green, Brown, Black, And Grey
Free at night , Hide in the day
Covered in sand protected from harm
Free at last when released from Kari's Arm
SirMark