Sea Turtle Conservancy has worked for the conservation of endangered sea turtles in Costa Rica since 1959. Tortuguero hosts the largest green turtle (Chelonia mydas) rookery in the Western Hemisphere and also important nesting populations of leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) turtles. The Costa Rican legislature declared Tortuguero National Park in 1975 to protect the nesting turtles, the beach and the adjacent terrestrial habitats. STC researchers and volunteers, who are based at STC’s John H. Phipps Biological Field Station, continue to monitor nesting trends, growth rates and reproductive success begun by Dr. Archie Carr in the 1950s.

Research Program
STC’s Tortuguero green turtle and leatherback research and conservation program

Seasonal Newsletters (PDF files)
Leatherback 2023, English
Leatherback 2023, Español

Flipper Tag Returns
Maps of flipper tag returns from turtles tagged by STC in Tortuguero

Longterm Success
STC’s Tortuguero Program Recognized as Marine Conservation Success Story.

STC’s Tortuguero Sea Turtle Monitoring RESEARCH Assistantship

STC’s Tortuguero Internship Program

STC’s Tortuguero EDUCATION and OUTREACH Assistantship

Learn about Tortuguero National Park