Turtle Season in Costa Rica Olive Ridley Turtle, known in Costa Rica as "Tortuga Marina Lora"

The Pacific Olive Ridley, is one of only seven sea turtle species in the world and was named after The English botanist and geologist Henry Nicholas Ridley, They typically measure around two feet long and weigh between 70 and 100 pounds.  A small head, large and heart-shaped shells characterize this species, which also have clawed flippers.  True to their name, adult Olive Ridleys are dark gray-green in color, though juveniles are mostly charcoal gray.  Olive Ridleys are omnivores, feeding on crustaceans, fish, mollusks, and the occasional jellyfish.  When food is scarce, they also eat algae.  Their life span is estimated between 50-60 years in the wild.  While both sexes appear similar, males can be distinguished from female Olive Ridleys by their long tails, which stick out beyond their shells.

These turtles normally appear on the beach when the night is pitching black, they have the wisdom of the edges imprinted in their DNA, and they always know when the beach is the right beach to deposit their eggs.

Once they know they are in the right place, the female turtle start to dig with her rear flippers in a paddle-like motion; she digs as deep as she can and then after she positions her back side over the hole, she begins to expel the flexible, white, leathery spheres of the size and shape of a golf ball.

Once she has deposited all the eggs in the whole, she starts scooping the sand back into the whole covering her precious eggs; she knows that by doing that she will assure the future of her species.

Her ritual is not over yet, and it is fascinating; after she covers the eggs with sand, she places her hard bony under plate over the mound of sand, and using her flippers, rises her heavy body into the air and quickly let it fall with a reassuring thud, she repeats this exercise several times until the nest is firmly packed. 

Of course the whole process is exhausting; but, her ritual is not complete yet, so she starts her labored journey back to the water’s edge, she stops frequently to rest, and then continues until she finally reaches the waves that will carry her into the ocean.  

Marino Ballena National Park www.parquenacionalmarinoballena.co.cr located between Ojochal and Uvita; is very committed to preserve these wonderful creatures.  During the months of August, September and October, the park rangers perform a night patrol in all the beaches from Playa Tortuga near Ojochal to Playa Hermosa near Dominicalito.

The objective is to stay one-step ahead the poachers; they are one of the reasons why the specie is diminishing in numbers.  The park rangers on night patrol wait until the Olive Ridley Turtles to lay their eggs.  Then, carefully withdraw them from the sand and take them to the Park Facilities where they have created some sort of Turtle Farm where they deposit the eggs in a whole covering them with well-packed sand just as the female Turtle would do it.  This is a controlled environment for the soon to be baby Turtles.  Their temporary home is covered with screen, preventing them from becoming a casualty trying to run to the water once they hatch.  When the eggs have hatched, the park rangers take them to the beach and release them.  This activity has to be done at night to minimize the casualties given the fact that they have too many natural predators.

Olive Ridley turtles can be seen laying their eggs on night visit to the beach between August and October.  The largest numbers arrive on the waning moon usually in September.  

If you go to the park to see fabulous creatures and their ritual, please respect them. 

You will be encouraged to not use unshielded flashlights, camera flashes, make loud noises, or approach too closely.  The turtles have worked very hard to get to the beach, and do not scare them away.

Marino Ballena closely monitors the visitors; however, make sure you do not get distracted or you may find yourself alone on the beach.  Enjoy this amazing gift from Mother Nature next time you come to Costa Rica.

“Whale’s Tail” Master Piece of Mother Nature in Uvita, Costa Rica

The “Whale’s Tail” is a spectacular natural formation  that interestingly enough attracts the famous Humpback Whales to Uvita Costa Rica this time of the year.  If you want to read more about this wonderful visitors,  check on my archive the Jun 21 post Costa Rica one of the Top favorite spots for Humpback Whales

One of the spots they seem to enjoy is Punta Uvita, an amazing geological formation that continuously draws the attention of researchers and visitors.  The Isthmus of Punta Uvita is a naturally formed sandbar created by the accumulation of rock and sediments.  Nobody can tell with accuracy when the “Whale’s Tail” started the process of formation, what the Costa Rican Scientists know is that it was the result of rocks emerging after repeated and intense movements of the tectonic plates.  The first part of this formation that showed up many, many years ago was the end of the tail or flukes ; it was a pile of rocks forming a small island and it was not clearly connected with the mainland.  Over the years and due to the action of the southeast current and the northeast current converging in the same spot, sand , sediments and a variety of material brought by both currents started to accumulate in layers, giving form to the  sand bar that connects the isle with shore  and gives the shape of a “Whale’s Tail”.

This sandbar reveals itself twice a day during the low tide, allowing people to walk over it.  This trail has a length of approximately one kilometer, and it is as wide as 100 mts.  This rocky formation is not strong enough to support the weight of a car; however, it is a stable trail for walkers.

This type of formation is ephemeral, it does not mean that it will disappear any time soon, but it could, it would depend of the climate change, changes of the currents and levels of the ocean waters.

Personally, I do not worry too much about it, it is here for me to enjoy it and I would like you to experience the magic of walking in it, you can also dive or snorkel around its reef; there is a very interesting coral reef formation around the flukes and that is what makes the “Whale Tale” a desirable spot for divers and snorkelers.

The mangrove located on the main land body of the “Whale’s Tail” is rich in flora, fauna, and home of a variety of marine bird including the Blue Egret, White Ibis, Osprey. 

The Whale’s Tail is really a Master Piece of Mother Nature, a piece of art that has to be seen.  When you come to Costa Rica, make sure you include in your itinerary a visit to the “Whale’s Tail”, it will be an experience you will always cherish.   

Whales and Dolphins can be seen of shore by taking a Combo tour with Bahia Aventuras http://www.bahiaaventuras.com/national-parks/marino-ballena/

Indigenous Ancestors of the Costa Rican people

When my Husband and I moved to Costa Rica, I thought that we would be encountering a rich and interesting indigenous culture, to my surprise I found out that Costa Rica never had a thriving indigenous culture such as the empires of the Mayan, Aztec or Inca people.  Mesoamerican tribes from Central America and cultures from northern South America, today Colombia, culturally influenced the native people.   

Most indigenous groups had a simple economy; a chief called “cacique” ruled them.  When the Spaniards arrived, many tribes moved back into the mountains in order to avoid slavery and taxation by the Spaniards.

Costa Rican indigenous culture did not leave many artifacts behind, most of them are simple products like pottery and ornaments.  Most prominent are the Stone Spheres that were found in the southern area of the Terraba River, around Palmar Sur/Palmar Norte.  Some of those spheres weigh up to 15 tons and it is unclear who made them, who transported them, and what was the purpose of its creation.

The extinction of the indigenous of Costa Rica was due mostly to diseases, rather than targeted genocide as what we believe happened in other Latin American countries, like Guatemala and El Salvador.  Today, there are only about 64'000 indigenous people living in Costa Rica (around 1.7% of the population), mostly living in remote mountain zones.

Nevertheless, Costa Rica has several Indigenous groups that are very much a part of the traditional makeup of the country. 

• Gutatusos/Malekus
• Chorotegas
• Huetares
• Cabecares
• Bribri
• Terrabas (Teribes)
• Borucas (Bruncas)
• Guaymies                       
   
  Malekus
  
  The Malekus are one of the smallest indigenous groups in Costa Rica.  The Maleku Tribe is the one with the least land property, 40% of the families do not own their land.
  Location: Northern plains of Costa Rica, Alajuela province, Canton de San Rafael de Guatuso.
  Cultural Identity: Maleku jaica is their native dialect and is still spoken next to Spanish.  In order to conserve the use of traditional language, school education is provided in both languages.
  Activities:  agriculture (cacao, pejibaye, palm oil), freshwater fishing.
  Crafts: manufacture of figurines, ceramics, medicinal plants, bows, and wooden arrows. 
  
  
  Chorotegas
  
  Cultural Identity: This is small ethnic group established around the year 595 in Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.  There are only around 790 members left.  Even though their native language is extinct, one Chorotega tradition lives on and that is the creation of beautiful pieces of pottery.  In the tiny village of Guaitil in Nicoya, that tradition remains alive and well as Costa Rican families earn their livelihoods creating and selling these exquisite pottery pieces, and figurines.
  Location: Guanacaste Province, Guaitil, and Santa Barbara.
  Activities: agriculture (crops, vegetable gardening, beekeeping)
  
  
  Huetares
  Cultural Identity: In the middle of the XVI century, the Huetar tribe established their home in Costa Rica.  From the central valley to the central pacific coast, they had a powerful and progressive kingdom; however, after the Hispanic conquest, the kingdom was dismantled and forced to leave their original way of life; over time even their language disappeared, as well as their culture.  Today, only a small community of native Huetares is still around.
  
  Despite the fact that their cultural identity has been lost, they have managed to preserve few traditions, such as the “Fiesta del Maíz”, and the use of medicinal plants.  Today Huetares speak Spanish.
  Location: Province of San José, Canton de Puriscal, and Quepos.
  Activities: the natives land is relatively unfertile and a varied agriculture did not develop; corn is one of the only products grown by Huetares.
  Crafts: products based on palm leaf and vegetable fibers.  The Huetares are specialists in natural colors for dyeing clothes.  Ceramic artifacts are sold at roadsides and at "ferias" (markets). 
  
  
  Cabecares
  

  Cultural Identity: This is probably the indigenous group with the most distinct traditions.  There are around 10'000 Cabecares, who still preserve their language, natural medicine, and patrimonial culture (caciques are allowed to marry several women).  They have rich a rich compilation of stories and legends, some of which are written in both Spanish and the Cabecar language.
  Location: Southern Atlantic Coast, Limón province, Chirripó (Pacuare valley), valley of the Rio Estrella and the Talamanca reserve.  Ujarrás de Buenos Aires and China Kichá.
  Activities: agriculture (coffee, cocoa, and bananas), bird hunting, and fishing.
  It is possible to visit areas where Cabecar Indians still live in their traditional way.
  
  
  
  
  Bribri
  Location: Southern Pacific: Puntarenas province, indigenous reservations of Salitre and Cabagra in the Canton of Buenos Aires.
  
  Southern Atlantic: Limón province, indigenous reservation of Talamanca.  
  Cultural Identity: The Bribri still speak their native language, but use the Latin alphabet and a number of additional characters for phonetic transcription in writing.
  Activities: Agriculture (cocoa, bananas, corn, beans), pig breeding, bird hunting.
  Crafts: jewelry made with natural seed, wood and coconut shell, basket weaving and manufacture of musical instruments with natural materials, fabrics, fibers, and natural pigments. To cross the river Sixaola on the border of Panama, they use boats and rafts. 
  
  
   
  Terrabas (or Teribes)
  

  Today there are hardly only few Térrabas in Costa Rica.
  Location: Canton of Buenos Aires in the Reserve of Boruca-Térraba.
  Cultural Identity: although this ethnic group has preserved its cultural identity, the original language Terraba is no longer spoken today.
  Activities: Agriculture (corn, beans, rice, bananas, citrus fruit).  Today many non-indigenous peasants populate their territory.
  
  
  
  
  Borucas (or Bruncas)
  
  Cultural Identity: The indigenous Borucas of Costa Rica are still in close touch with their ancestral traditions, and they express it in their legends, dance, and crafts.  They are particularly known for the “Fiesta de los Diablitos”, a 3-day festival that starts on December 30 and ends on January 1.
  During the festivity, fights between the native Boruca Indians (the devils) and the Spanish Conquistadores (the bull) are staged.  The Borucas use wooden masks and drink lots of homemade chicha (chicha is a fermented alcoholic beverage, made with corn).
  
  Location: Canton of Buenos Aires; their indigenous reservation includes several communities (El Centro de Boruca, Rey Curré, Changuena, Maíz and Bijagua)
  The Borucas are widely known for their beautiful and elaborate crafts.
  Activities: Agriculture (crops, livestock).
  Crafts: cotton-based fabrics, preparation of natural pigments, carving of wooden masks primarily used in "Fiesta de los Diablitos".
  
  
  
  
  Guaymie
  Guaymies are the largest surviving native people in Costa Rica.  In the 1960s, this tribe, also called Ngöbegue, emigrated from Panama to Costa Rica.
  
  Location: Southern Pacific, Province of Puntarenas; Communities of Abrojos in the Canton of Corredores, Conteburica in the Golfito Canton and Coto Brus.
  Cultural Identity: The colorful and handcrafted traditional garments are part of their everyday life.  Their language is Guaymí, but some of the chiefs and officers also speak Spanish. A literacy program has been established for the Indian reservation.
  Activities: Agriculture (cocoa, rice, beans, corn, palm oil, and bananas).  Hunting, fishing, pig breeding.
  Crafts: garment manufacturing from natural fibers, colored with natural pigments, mats, and hats made from tree bark.