Sea turtles are one of the last surviving animal species from prehistoric times. It's impressive when one species, the Warana sea turtle, comes to the beach in large numbers to lay eggs on some beaches in Guanacaste (Pacific Coast).

Five of the world's seven remaining sea turtle species regularly nest on Costa Rica's beaches.

This page lists the species and the breeding season.

Also included is a chart of nesting times at the bottom of the page.

GREEN SEA TURTLE (GREEN TURTLE)(TORTUGA VERDE) CHELONIA MYDA

Height: 102 to 127 cm

Weight: 150 kilos

Nesting frequency: 5 to 6 times per season every 2 to 3 years

place and period

Ø Caribbean Coast: Tortuguero from June to October

Ø Pacific Coast: None

LOGGER TURTLE (TORTUGA NEGRA) CHELONIA AGASSIZI

LENGTH: 70 TO 95 CM
WEIGHT: 40 to 70 kilos

Breeding frequency: unknown

place and period

Ø Caribbean Coast: No

Ø Pacific Coast: Guanacaste: Playa Cabuyal, Playa Minas

and Playa Nombre de Jesus

CARNET TURTLE (TORTUGA CAREY) ERETMOCHELYS IMBRICATA

Length: 70 to 90 cm

Weight: 70 kilos

Breeding frequency: unknown

place and period

Ø Caribbean Coast: Tortuguero, Cahuita and Playa Negra

from April to October

Ø Pacific Coast: sporadic

WARANA TURTLE (TORTUGA LORA) LEPIDOCHELIS OLIVACCEA

Length: 60 to 75 cm

Weight: 35 to 40 kilos

Nest frequency: unknown

place and period

Ø Caribbean Coast: No

Ø Pacific coast: Playa Nancite from May to December

Playa Ostional all year round

LEATHER TURTLE (TORTUGA BAULA) DERMOCHELIS CORIACEA

Length: 200 to 300 cm

Weight: 400 to 500 kilograms

Nesting frequency: 4 times per season

place and period

Ø Caribbean Coast: Tortuguero, Playa Matina, Cahuita, Playa Negra

from February to July

Ø Pacific Coast: Playa Grande, Playa Langosta, Playa Naranjo,

and sporadically at Playa Matapalo, Playa Esterillos

Playa Camaronal and Playa Islita.

There have also been reports of the presence of the loggerhead turtle

(Tortuga Carpintera) Caretta caretta off the Caribbean coast.

NUMBER OF SEA TURTLES

The first category of sea turtles arrive solitary on the many beaches. This happens all year round. There are 40 known beaches where this happens. However, due to the small amount (1 to 20), it is difficult to observe them.

The second category is the group that can nest with 20 to 100 turtles in one night. These beaches are ideal for observation. In Tortuguero the green sea turtle and the leatherback turtle. At Playa Grande and Playa Naranjo the leatherback turtle.

The third category is the great invasion, which they call "Arribada". During the nesting season, thousands of Warana turtles come to the beach at the same time over a period of 3 to 9 days. The main beaches are Playa Ostinal and Playa Nancite, both in Santa Rosa National Park.

The breeding season depends on the turtle species and the beach

orange: breeding season; red : peak time