(1888PressRelease)
June 23, 2009 - All you wildlife enthusiasts with a spirit for adventure and a passion for exploring the road less traveled, have we got a trip for you. SEE Turtles and Ecoteach have combined visits to some of Central America’s most remote and authentic sea turtle and manatee conservation projects with thrill-seeking and culture-engaging exploits in their inspiring new itinerary: Costa Rica Wildlife Adventure.
This one-time-only 9-day exploration of Costa Rica and Panama is scheduled for Sept. 26-Oct. 4, 2009 and will be lead by sea turtle conservationist Brad Nahill.
There are three fascinating aspects to this trip that are sure to make it a memorable experience. First is a visit to one of the country’s most successful community-based conservation projects in Parismina, located south of Tortuguero National Park. For many years, the region was a hot spot for poaching of turtle eggs, meat, and shells as the local residents were dependent on such activities for survival. Save the Turtles of Parismina, a coalition of local villagers and former poachers, has worked to reverse this trend with the construction of a hatchery and the establishment of a turtle conservation program. With more than 20 local residents working as turtle guides, the project has increased the income of the villagers while dramatically reducing poaching.
The community has also benefited from housing volunteers and tour groups, selling handicrafts, guiding tours, and working in locally-owned stores and restaurants visited by travelers. Tour participants will enjoy accompanying turtle researchers as they search for nesting green turtles, measure and tag them, and collect eggs, on the remote and unspoiled Caribbean beaches of Parismina.
Also in Costa Rica, tour guests will work with the hawksbill turtle monitoring program in Cahuita National Park - home to the country’s largest coral reef. The dynamics of the local sea turtle populations are poorly understood, and while some information on females has been gathered from nesting beaches, little is known about population structure, genetic origin, and in-water habitat use. Tour participants will assist local researchers in collecting data on critically endangered hawksbills living in the reef, while snorkeling alongside thousands of fish and other aquatic life.
In Panama, tour participants will enjoy a unique visit to the San San Pond Sack project to view research on endangered manatees. A joint initiative between the National Environmental Authority of Panama (ANAM) and inhabitants of the San San and Pond Sak rivers and coast, the project aims to incorporate the local population in sustainable management of natural resources, conserve the manatee population in the San San River watershed, and safeguard the natural ecosystems of the area.
Other highlights of this extraordinary expedition include exploring the Tortuguero canals by boat, visting an iguana conservation project, and enjoying the wide diversity of fauna and wildlife that live in the wetlands and jungles of Central America. Guests will be treated to a rainforest hike through the breath-taking scenery of the Kekoldi Indigenous Reserve to a viewing platform where bird researchers are monitoring one of the world’s largest migrations of raptors. They will also shed their tourist armor as they immerse in the culture and customs of the locals and stay overnight in authentic communities.
Trip dates: Sept. 26 – Oct 4, 2009. Cost is $1,650 pp (double occupancy) and includes all in-country transportation, hotels, guides, activities, most meals, and a donation to turtle conservation (does not include airfare). A $100 discount is offered to travelers who sign up by August 1st. For more information or to register, visit www.seeturtles.org.
About SEE Turtles
Going beyond the ecotourism mantra of "leave only footprints", SEE Turtles (www.seeturtles.org) suggests that tourists should make a positive impact through conservation tourism. Conservation tourism supports communities protecting sea turtles by increasing the income needed for local conservation efforts, providing economic alternatives to end threats to sea turtles and inspiring travelers to take a more active role in protecting sea turtles. SEE Turtles is an Ocean Foundation conservation tourism project that links people with sea turtle sites in ways that directly support efforts to protect sea turtles, while increasing resources in communities to help residents thrive and value sea turtles in their environment.
About Eco Teach
EcoTeach (www.ecoteach.com) is dedicated to providing travel experiences that combine education with conservation, and recreation with cultural awareness. We also intend to make travel as easy and as safe as possible. Since 1994, more than 5000 students, individuals and families from North America and the U.K. have traveled with EcoTeach to experience the culture and natural wonders of Costa Rica. In 2007, we will expand out offerings with trips to Mexico and Alaska. EcoTeach is not a family business, but it sure feels like one. From the personal care you’ll receive from our staff, to the hospitality you’ll enjoy with our farm families, and to the warm friendships you’ll develop with our guides and bus drivers you’ll sense a special kinship based on a strong commitment to the ideals of cultural exchange and ecological conservation.
###
