ASOCIACION SALVEMOS LAS TORTUGAS DE PARISMINA (ASTOP) - COSTA RICA Every year, Leatherback, Green and Hawksbill turtles come to Barra de Parismina, Costa Rica, to lay their eggs. Poachers come onto the beach at night and take the turtles and their eggs to sell on the black market for profit. This practice is illegal in Costa Rica because it contributes to the depletion of the endangered sea turtle populations. However, it is hard to enforce without the help of the local community’s participation. Prior to the formation of ASTOP, 98% of the Green turtles were killed for their meat and 98% of all three species of turtles’ nests were poached on Parismina’s beach. Since the project started, we have decreased the poaching to 38%. In April of 2001, a handful of local residents, along with the Costa Rican Coast Guard started the turtle project to combat the effects of widespread poaching. During nesting season, we patrolled the beaches at night trying to stop the poachers while gathering eggs from the nests and relocating them to the hatchery. Soon thereafter, the official local turtle association (ASTOP) was organized. Each year the Association has grown, as well as our homestay program. From a handful of members in 2001, we now have over 68 members in 2006. Because ASTOP is a true community-based project, we have been successful at protecting turtles from poachers, but we need the support of volunteers to continue with our work. ASTOP welcomes volunteers from all over the world who want to help us protect sea turtles. As a volunteer, you will work alongside our local turtle guides. On the nightly patrols, you will guard nesting turtles, learn to identify turtle tracks, count the number of eggs, record tag numbers and assist with relocating the eggs to our hatchery. You will also monitor the hatchery, as well as other nests left on the beach, & safeguard the hatchlings on their first journey to the ocean. Interested volunteers may email the turtle association directly at info@parisminaturtles.com. DONATION Volunteers are essential to the success of our project. Also we appreciate any size donation to help us pay our guides and buy necessary equipment. See the different ways you can contribute to this great cause on our donation page. In the past we have received support from Save the Turtles, Inc. for which we are grateful. Their site is full of information. They are exempt from U.S. federal income taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, and contributions to them are accordingly tax deductible in the U.S. Click HERE for more information. CONTACT US Please feel free to contact us for any question about Parismina or our volunteer turtle program. Phone: 506-710-7703 (Costa Rica Country Code: 506) E-mail: info@parisminaturtles.org E S P A Ñ O L    LAYING EGGS IN THE AFTERNOON? Usually, sea turtles come to the beach at night to lay eggs. On June 3rd 2006 one female sea turtle came ashore to our beach to lay eggs in the afternoon. This rare occurrence allowed our guides and volunteers to take some rather interesting photos. This photo on top shows some of our volunteers, our Vice President, Vicki (back), our turtle guide and President, Jesse and a few locals. MAKING TRACKS Around the same time, about 100 baby turtles came out from a few of the nests in the hatchery and began their journey to the ocean. Each time a nest hatches and the tiny turtles are assisted to the sea, it renews our hope for the continuation of the sea turtle populations of Parismina. RAIN FOREST WORLD RAFTING SEE TURTLES PROGRAM (OCEAN CONSERVANCY) GREEN VOLUNTEERS We recently joined Green Volunteers, a volunteer database working with animals, wildlife and nature conservation.