Sea Turtle Retreat for Girl Scouts

Spend your winter getting out of your comfort zone on the tropical Pacific coast beaches of Costa Rica. If you want to make a difference in wildlife conservation, come and protect endangered sea turtles at one of the world’s most important nesting sites for Olive Ridley sea turtles. Patrol the beaches at night to ensure the safety of nesting mama turtles, clean debris from the beach to eliminate barriers that prevent sea turtle access to their nesting sites, gather important data that aids research scientists in the conservation efforts, work to maintain local community buildings, and participate in cultural exchanges and games with the local school children.

Spend the second half of your destination experience diving into rainforest adventure activities and exploring city life. Hike the summit of a volcano, visit the historic Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles, and zipline through the canopy forest. This course is perfect for Girl Scouts ages 13-18 with a sincere interest in marine life, marine conservation and experiencing new cultures.

Please note that you will not be able to touch the mama sea turtles at this sea turtle conservation site for the safety and protection of this endangered species, and due to the unpredictable nature of sea turtle hatchings that occur each month, it is possible that you will not see baby sea turtles—however, you will see anywhere from a few to many mama sea turtles coming to lay their eggs ashore. Regardless of the sea turtles you spot, you will play an important role in closely monitoring, recording data, and working to further the environmental species protection of the Olive Ridley sea turtle population.