Tortuguero is considered to be the most important nesting site in the Western half of the Caribbean for the green turtle. Other species of sea turtles also nest along the park’s long beach every year, such as the leatherback and the hawksbill turtles. The nesting (starting with the copulation) is considered the most critical stage in the turtle’s life cycle, because the female has to come to the beach, in large groups and in regular time periods. This, and the difficulty for the turtles to move on the sand, make them very vulnerable to man and other predators ( whoever knows me already, you might guess that I consider a man as predator #1...).
When the female reaches the beach, she drags herself to the highest point until she finds a convenient place to dig the nest which she does using her flat flippers as a shovel. At this moment, if the animal is disturbed or if she thinks she is in danger, she will return to the sea without spawning the eggs and unfortunately the nest will be lost. The nest is ready when it’s about fifty centimeters deep. The female will start to lay the eggs, -approximately 100. When her task is completed; she covers the hole again using almost her entire body in an attempt to camouflage the nest, throwing sand in all directions and then she begins her weary journey back to the sea. In a period of two months, the eggs are incubated by the sun. The baby turtles break out of their shells, and begin to find an opening for themselves up to the top of the hole. They wait for the air to be cool before they come out. This generally occurs during the night or early in the morning. This is a very dangerous stage; they instinctively head towards the sea, which is the brightest point in the horizon. WE WERE SO BLOODY FORTUNATE TO SEE IT AND HELP SOME OF THEM TO MAKE THEIR WAY TO SHORE THAT I AM STILL CANNOT GET OVER IT !!!