Conservation groups PRETOMA and Turtle Island Restoration Network and have found evidence that hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) are being exported from Costa Rican ports and flown to plates in Hong Kong by way of stop-overs on U.S. soil.
Whoever said turtles were slow clearly never met Gina the green sea turtle. Between February 1 and February 22, Gina, a juvenile sea turtle originally captured in Cocos Island Marine…
Today is our last day of diving and we got up a little early to be sure to squeeze in three full dives, and have time to take photos and enjoy each others company in this paradise. I had the good fortunate of having a curious Galapagos Shark check me out on the first dive, and on the second the chance to swim amidst a school of large benitos. Mark even tagged a Galapagos! Beautiful everywhere you look.
A new study published this week in Conservation Biology (available here) investigates Costa Rica’s ability to adequately enforce and protect it’s crown jewel of marine protected areas (MPAs) – Cocos Island National Park – from illegal longline fishing.
A green turtle (Chelonia mydas) that was tagged in Cocos Island National Park travelled more than 310 miles in 21 days to seek refuge in the Golfo Dulce of Costa Rica, establishing the first proof of biological connectivity between these two important marine ecosystems.
Everything was moving, the water was a bit colder, there were strong currents, and giant schools of black tuna swimming in slow circles by us. We were surrounded by life.
And that’s when we met an endangered Giant Manta Ray. Giant Manta Rays are the largest of all species of Rays and are instantly recognizable underwater by their size and horn-like features (which is why they are also known raya diablo). The Ray came from the blue and gave us a show – flapping its wings and gliding with such power and grace that we had no
Today the Blue Team caught the first sea turtle of the journey – a Hawksbill named Georgina! They approached the main boat the Argo shouting “sea turtle!” I was about to meet my very first sea turtle!
Follow our Feb. Cocos Island Expedition in this series of blog posts. The expedition set out to track sea turtles and sharks in order to create a protected science-based swimway that will safeguard endangered marine wildlife during their migrations in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.
This is my first night dive ever and I am in awe of the way the ocean comes alive in the dark. Dive Master Giovanni guides us underwater with with the help of Laurent, who uses his bright camera lights to illuminate the ocean floor, while Dive Master Jim slowly follows behind the group.
