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Volvo Ocean Adventure sponsored a cultural and ecological field trip to Tortuguero, Costa Rica for two teachers and ten students from the United States. The teachers and their students participated in CCC's green sea turtle research program, visited the local schools, spent time with local students, went on a boat ride through the canals, learned about the lowland tropical rainforest and took part in the capture and release of Freija, the first satellite tagged green sea turtle of the 2001 project.
Here are some images from that trip:
The teacher & students from Miami on the plane to Costa Rica. |
Some of the students hanging out on Tortuguero beach. From left to right: Priya, Sannna, Shaherose and Greg |
Stacy Gwartney (Jacksonville High School, Jacksonville, TX) and Maribel Toledo (Gulliver Preparatory School, Miami, FL). |
One of the first activites for the student group was to visit the local primary school. |
The students presented the Tortuguero students with a box full of books, games and treats. |
Later in the day, the U.S. students lost 12-3 in a football (soccer) match against the Tortuguero High School students. |
Park Ranger Jorge Cedeño explains about Tortuguero National Park to student group. |
Eddy Rankin leads the student group on a rainforst hike through Tortuguero National Park. |
Eddy Rankin talks with U.S. students about what they might see during the walk through the rainforest. |
The student group stops to watch a troop of howler monkeys. |
After nesting, Freija the green turtle was moved to a specially built box while the transmitter was attached. |
Freija was fit with a satellite transmitter in a specially built box. |
The satellite transmitter was attached to Freija by resin and fiberglass strips. |
The satellite transmitter is smaller and more stream-lined than in previous years. |
Once everything was set, Freija was carried back to the beach to be released. |
David Godfrey (at left), CCC's Executive Director, helps release Freija. |
Freija was escorted back to the ocean while being watched by villagers, students and tourist in Tortuguero. |
Freija returns to the water with a satellite transmitter attached to her carapace. |
After Freija was released, the students went back to the station to have lunch. |
While the students ate lunch, CCC staff members conducted interviews with the Costa Rican press. |
The students gather on the CCC boat to meet the airplane for their return flight to San Jose at the end of their trip. |
For more images and description of events related to the trip, see the related Notes from the Field - Tortuguero Transmitter Event and Other Excitement.
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