Overview of Tortuguero National Park
"Tortuguero" comes from the Spanish name
for the giant sea turtles (tortugas) that nest on the
beaches of this region every year from early March to
mid-October. The chance to see this nesting attracts
many people to this remote region, but just as many
come to explore the intricate network of jungle canals
that serve as the region's main transportation arteries.
This stretch of coast is connected to Limón,
the Caribbean coast's only port city, by a series of
rivers and canals that parallel the sea, often running
only about 90m (295 ft.) or so from the beach. This
aquatic highway is lined for most of its length with
a dense rain forest that is home to howler and spider
monkeys, three-toed sloths, toucans, and great green
macaws. A trip up the canals is a bit like cruising
the Amazon, but on a much smaller scale.
Very important: Consider the climate in this region.
More than 200 inches of rain fall annually, so you can
expect a downpour at any time of the year. Most of the
lodges in the area will provide you with sturdy rain
gear (including ponchos and rubber boots), but it can't
hurt to carry your own.
Independent travel is difficult in this area. You'll
have to rely on your lodge for boat transportation through
the canals, and unless you stay at one of the accommodations
on the beach side of the canal, you won't even be able
to walk into town. At most of the lodges around Tortuguero,
almost everything (bus rides to and from, boat trips
through the canals, even family-style meals) is done
in groups. Depending on a variety of factors, this group
feeling can be intimate and rewarding, or overwhelming
and impersonal.
Frommers Magazine
Exploring the Park
According to existing records, sea turtles have frequented
Tortuguero National Park since at least 1592, largely
due to its extreme isolation. Over the years, turtles
were captured and their eggs harvested by local settlers;
by the 1950s, this practice became so widespread that
the turtles faced extinction. Regulations controlling
this mini-industry were passed in 1963, and in 1970,
Tortuguero National Park was established.
Today, four different species of sea turtles nest here:
the green turtle, the hawksbill, the loggerhead, and
the giant leatherback. The prime nesting period is from
July to mid-October (with Aug and Sept being the peak
months). The park's beaches are excellent places to
watch sea turtles nest, especially at night. Appealingly
long and deserted, however, the beaches are not appropriate
for swimming. The surf is usually very rough, and the
river mouths have a nasty habit of attracting sharks
that feed on the turtle hatchlings and many fish that
live here.
Green turtles are perhaps the most common turtle found
in Tortuguero, so you're more likely to see one of them
than any other species if you visit during the prime
nesting season. Loggerheads are very rare, so don't
be disappointed if you don't see one. The giant leatherback
is perhaps the most spectacular sea turtle to watch
laying eggs. The largest of all turtle species, the
leatherback can grow to 2m (6 1/2 ft.) long and weigh
well over 1,000 pounds. It nests from early March to
mid-April, predominantly in the southern part of the
park.
You can also explore the park's rain forest, either
by foot or by boat, and look for some of the incredible
varieties of wildlife that live here: jaguars, anteaters,
howler monkeys, collared and white-lipped peccaries,
some 350 species of birds, and countless butterflies,
among others. Boat tours are far and away the most popular
way to visit this park, although there is one frequently
very muddy trail here that starts at the park entrance
and runs for about 2km (over a mile) through the coastal
rain forest and along the beach.
Frommers Magazine
Recycling in Tortuguero
Solid Waste is a bigger problem in Tortuguero than
elsewhere in the country due geographical position and
its canal's system. The Women action league has been
in charge of this recycling plant since November 2000,
due to the necessity to keep clean this community, which
is also a National Park.
This Pant collects 800 Kilos of waste per week, part
of which is burnt on the beach for lack of an incinerator.
Glass, plastic, aluminum and cans are separated for
recycling, and organic waste is treated with Californian
worms to create compost which is in turn used to grow
vegetables and fruit trees. These trees are given to
the community to create more green spaces. This project
needs funding to install an incinerator, to transport
the glass to be recycled in Cartago Costa Rica, and
to set up educational programs on recycling for Tortuguero
population.
Costa Rica Caribbean Way. Numero 2,
Diciembre 2001.
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