Athiefwaitsinthedark.Hiseyesscanthebeach.Soon,hespotswhatheislookingfor:Aseaturtledigginganest.Shebeginstolayhereggsinthenest.Shedoesn’tnoticethe thief.


Thethiefreachesintothenest.Hepullsouttheeggs,onebyone.Theturtleusesherbackflipperstocoverthenest.Shedoesn’tknowthathernestisnow empty.

CARIBBEAN
SEA

PACIFIc
OCEAN

Honduras

Nicaragua

Costa Rica

Chacocente

La Flor

Beaches whereseaturtles nest

Oliveridleyturtlescometothesebeachestolaytheireggsduringarribadas.ThisSpanishwordmeans “arrival.”

Struggle
forSurvival

Seaturtleshavelivedinouroceansformillionsofyears.Now,theyareanendangeredspecies.Asfewasonein10,000babieswillsurvivetoadulthood.Theyfacemanythreats.Aftertheyhatch,theymustcrawltotheocean.Birdsandotheranimalstrytoeatthem.Iftheymakeitintothewater,theyfaceocean predators.


FourspeciesofseaturtlescometoNicaraguatolaytheireggs.Twoare“criticallyendangered.”Thethirdis“endangered.”Thefourthis “vulnerable.”

Scale Zero 200 400 miles

Greenseaturtlesareanendangered species.

Somefemaleoliveridleyseaturtlesnestin groups.

Thegreatestthreatseaturtlesfaceispeople.Peopleinsomecultureseatseaturtleeggs.InCentralAmerica,poachersemptyalmostallofthenestsonunguardedbeaches.Theeggsaresmuggledintocitiestobe eaten.


Itonlytakesonepoachertocausedamage.Astretchofcoastlinemayhaveonlyafewfemaleturtles.Ifonepersonrobbedeverynest,thatpersoncouldthreatenanentire species.


Littleisknownabouttheroutespoachersuse.So,poachersarehardtocatch.Thenonescientisthadan idea.

Trip to the sea

1

Afemaleseaturtlecomesontoa beach.

2

Shedigswithherflippersandmakesashallow nest.

3

Themotherturtlelaysasmanyas120eggsinthe nest.

4

Shecoversthenestwithsandandreturnstothe sea.

5

Afterseveralweeks,thehatchlingsbreakthroughtheir shells.

6

Theyoungturtlesmaketheirwaytothe ocean.