There is a place very close to Quepos, specifically on the Isla Damas, where every night between the months of June and December something exciting happens! 7 years ago Millo and his partner observed a constant problem on the beaches of the island. An abundance of Kemp’s Ridley turtles, and some green turtles, came to lay their eggs and very few people protected their financing the project with their own resources, they built a nursery with a capacity for more than 200 nests.
What began as a hobby has become a passion, and they have not ruled out the idea of expanding the nursery in the future. In fact, by his own initiative, Millo has built some beautiful cabins with a kitchen to accommodate both national and international volunteers or even private individuals who want to come and support his project. In addition to being educational, this experience is a great support for the conservation and protection of turtles.
In a natural state, out of 1,000 turtles, 2 or 3 survive. In a state of conservation, the probabilities are greatly increased. Every year, around 10,000 turtles are released in this hatchery and over the past years, thanks to the Isla Damas Hatchery, more turtles will arrive to nest in this region. It is very likely that these turtles were born in the first years of the Nursery since for the turtles to nest they have to spend approximately 8 to 12 years at sea before they are able to lay eggs. Ridley turtles nest up to twice a year and in each nest, they lay an estimated 110 eggs. The eggs take about 50 days to hatch.
“Millo does not hesitate to share the knowledge he has acquired over the years and also what is happening currently at the Isla Damas Nursery.”
The nursery is a seemingly simple structure, however, it requires a lot of dedication. When the turtle hatching season ends around the months of December to March, Millo must empty the entire hatchery and clean the sand. The nursery has a minimum depth of one meter… can you imagine the work for one or two people? Certainly, an example that individual actions have a great impact!
You can find the project here!
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