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Posts Tagged ‘sea turtles’

Conservationist Jeff Kutz of PRETOMA reports good news from Costa Rica.

Written on December 23rd, 2009 | Posted by Tim Riester

Corozalito Beach, Costa Rica.

Below is a report I received by email from researchers funded by the RIESTER Foundation to study the nesting habits of sea turtles at Corazalito in Costa Rica. Corazalito is a rare nesting site where thousands of sea turtles lay their eggs. For the past several years, the location was attacked daily by poachers who would steal the eggs and sell them. RIESTER Foundation funding has provided security to protect the beach from poachers, and dedicated researchers from universities around the world to document activity at the site and tag the visiting turtles.

Subject: Good news from Corazalito!

Great news! Last Sunday night (the 20th) we observed and tagged a rare Pacific green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nesting at our project in Corozalito, which has been extended until January 31st. She was the only turtle on the beach this night, and our team followed her meter wide track to discover where she was preparing her egg chamber (over 60cm deep!).

After depositing 87 eggs, researchers applied tag numbers NX786 and NX787 to the fore-flippers of this previously unobserved female for future identification. This specific green sea turtle had a carapace (upper shell) 86.2cm long [2.8ft] and 76.5cm wide [2.5ft], and its relocated nest represents another piece of hope for the future of green turtles in Costa Rica. We hope to see her return again this year!

Saludos,

Jeff Kutz
Co-Director and Technical Coordinator of Nesting Beaches
PRETOMA

Olive ridley turtles in the waters off of Corozalito Beach.

Tags: biodiversity, Chelonia mydas, conservation, Corazalito, Costa Rica, Jeff Kutz, poachers, PRETOMA, RIESTER, RIESTER Foundation, sea turtles, sustainability, Tim Riester
Posted in Environment, RIESTER Foundation, Tim Riester | 1 Comment »

RIESTER CONSERVATION FOUNDATION MARKS EARTH DAY WITH THREE IMPORTANT PROJECTS.

Written on April 24th, 2008 | Posted by RIESTER

The RIESTER Conservation Foundation marks Earth Day with three important projects.

The RIESTER Conservation Foundation funds critical environmental projects on behalf of RIESTER, the national advertising and public relation’s firm that uses Brand ActivismTM to help grow brands that have a purpose beyond commercialism. In addition to funding our own nature preserve near Islita, Costa Rica and a reforestation and economic sustainability effort in Chocola, Guatemala, the Foundation has recently funded three new projects. All of this would not be possible without our many loyal clients. Thank you for helping us preserve these natural treasures.

1. Audubon Society’s Starr Ranch project for habitat restoration and research in Southern California. Funds will be utilized for the restoration of approximately six acres of coastal sage scrub and the research of the nesting habits of the California Gnatcatcher and the Coastal Cactus Wren.

2. An irrigation system and the transplanting of Sacaton plants on the Audubon Research Ranch in Southern Arizona. Six-foot high Sacaton grasslands are a rare and special vegetation community, found only in southwestern North America. With the Foundation’s assistance, Sacaton grasslands will be enhanced and expanded.

3. A pilot study of Playa Corozolito, Costa Rica during peak turtle nesting months (Sept-Nov, 2008) to gather information on how best to protect the sea turtle population nesting at Corozalito. The project will include a three month study, including evaluating the success rate of nests left in-situ (where the turtle laid originally) and those relocated to other parts of the beach.

Recognizing the effects of global warming and the depletion of critical habitat that is essential to sustaining species of all kind, the RIESTER Conservation Foundation functions to protect and preserve our environment, both locally AND globally.

For more information contact Gary Kaasa, President of the RIESTER Conservation Foundation.

Tags: Audubon Research Ranch, Audubon Society, Audubon Society's Starr Ranch, California Gnatcatcher, Chocola, Coastal Cactus Wren, conservation, Costa Rica, Earth Day, environmental protection, global warming, Guatemala, habitat depletion, Islita, Pilot study of Playa Corozolito Costa Rica, RIESTER, RIESTER Conservation Foundation, RIESTER nature preserve, Sacaton grasslands, Sacaton plants, sea turtles
Posted in Environment, RIESTER News | No Comments »