Arribada roughly translates to “arrival”, but in so many ways, it’s an understatement. Turtle nesting on Ostional Beach occurs year-round, but hits a peak in the rainy season between August and November. Each month on the last quarter of the full moon, olive ridley sea turtles gather off the coast of Ostional and prepare to lay their eggs en masse. The mass nesting of the arribada corresponds with the evening high tide, and for a few nights each month hundreds to thousands of sea turtles emerge from the sea to lay their eggs.
How satellite tracking can help save endangered sea turtles
Where do turtles go when they leave the nest? Upwell aims to find out.
Little is known about a turtle’s life at sea. Conservation efforts and studies of sea turtles have largely focused on nesting beaches. Upwell aims to learn more about how sea turtles travel the oceans. By understanding where they go and how they use different habitats, we can better advance protections for turtles at sea.