I have just completed an incredible 10-day sea turtle and shark tagging expedition to Cocos Island National Park, Costa Rica. Located 550 km off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, Cocos Island was declared a Costa Rican National Park in 1978 and was designated a United Nations World Heritage Site in 1997 and is best known for the large number of sharks and other pelagic species found there.
Working with our sister organization PRETOMA in Costa Rica, we succeeded in outfitting two endangered green sea turtles with satellite transmitters and attaching four acoustical tags on hammerhead sharks. This research will increase our knowledge base so that we can best design recovery and management plans for this amazing endangered species.
In a few days, we will have a map up on our web site so all of our members can track the movements of the turtles. Stay tuned. We may be planning another expedition for this fall. If you are an experienced scuba diver and would like to participate as a volunteer research assistant, email me (tsteiner@tirn.net) and let me know! (The approximate cost is ~$5,000).
