Athiefwaits.Helooksalongthebeach.Soon,heseeswhatheislookingfor.Aseaturtleisdigginganest.Shelayshereggsinit.Shedoesn’tseethe thief.
Thethiefstealstheeggs.Hepullsthemoutofthenest,onebyone.Theturtledoesn’tknowit,buthernestisnow empty.
CARIBBEAnSEA
PACIFIC
OCEAN
Honduras
Nicaragua
Costa Rica
Chacocente
La Flor
Beacheswhereseaturtles nest
Seaturtlescometothesebeachestolaytheir eggs.
Struggle
forSurvival
Seaturtleshavelivedinouroceansformillionsofyears.Now,theyareanendangered species.Theyfacemanythreats.Thegreatestoftheseispeople.Peopleinsomecultures eatturtleeggs.Poachers stealeggstosellthem.Littleisknownabouttheroutestheyuse.So,poachersarehardtocatch.Yet,onescientisthadan idea.
![](/nationalgeographic/pioneer_january_february_2020_to_catch_a_thief/struggle_for_survival_and_trip_to_the_sea/977813/boyan_slat.512_0_1.jpg)
Greenseaturtlesareanendangered species.
![](/nationalgeographic/pioneer_january_february_2020_to_catch_a_thief/struggle_for_survival_and_trip_to_the_sea/977825/boyan_slat_copy.512_0_1.jpg)
Somefemaleoliveridleyseaturtlesnestin groups.
![](/nationalgeographic/pioneer_january_february_2020_to_catch_a_thief/struggle_for_survival_and_trip_to_the_sea/977828/thief.512_0_1.png)
![](/nationalgeographic/pioneer_january_february_2020_to_catch_a_thief/struggle_for_survival_and_trip_to_the_sea/977830/turtle_1.480_0_1.jpg)
1
Afemaleseaturtlecomesontoa beach.
2
Shemakesashallow nest.
![](/nationalgeographic/pioneer_january_february_2020_to_catch_a_thief/struggle_for_survival_and_trip_to_the_sea/977831/turtle_2.480_0_1.jpg)
![](/nationalgeographic/pioneer_january_february_2020_to_catch_a_thief/struggle_for_survival_and_trip_to_the_sea/977832/turtle_3.480_0_1.jpg)
3
Themotherturtlelaysmanyeggsinthe nest.
4
Shecoversthenestwithsandandreturnstothe sea.
![](/nationalgeographic/pioneer_january_february_2020_to_catch_a_thief/struggle_for_survival_and_trip_to_the_sea/977833/turtle_4.480_0_1.jpg)
![](/nationalgeographic/pioneer_january_february_2020_to_catch_a_thief/struggle_for_survival_and_trip_to_the_sea/977835/turtle_5.480_0_1.jpg)
5
Soon,thehatchlingsbreakthroughtheirshells.Theydigtheirwayoutofthe nest.
6
Theyoungturtlesmaketheirwaytothe ocean.
![](/nationalgeographic/pioneer_january_february_2020_to_catch_a_thief/struggle_for_survival_and_trip_to_the_sea/977834/turtle_6.480_0_1.jpg)