IUCN=The World Conservation Union, EN=Endangered, CR= Critically endangered. CITES according to IUCN 2003.
OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLE(Lepidochelys olivacea)
Size: his is the smallest species, adults only 70cm long.
Weight: 40-50 Kg.
Average eggs per nest: 110
General Characteristics:
almost round carapace with 5 to 9 lateral scutes, dark green color, with two pairs of prefrontal scales and two claws in each forelimb. In Costa Rica, it nests along the pacific Coast, mainly from July to February. At Ostional and Nancite beaches massive nesting (arribadas) of this species occurs, where even more than 100,000 females can nest in one single night; for about 2 to 5 nights each month.
LOGGERHEAD TURTLE (Caretta caretta)
Size: Adults 120 cm long.
Weight: 180 kg.
Average eggs per nest: 112
General Characteristics:
proportional to the rest of the body, the head looks big, giving itthe common name of bigheaded turtle in Costa Rica. Reddish-brown carapace with 5 lateral scutes, plastron is creme colored. A few nests have been documented in the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica between the months of May and August.
HAWKSBILL TURTLE (Eretmochelys imbricata)
SIZE: Adults 80 cm long.
Average eggs per nest: 155
General Characteristics:
The common name comes from the mouth which looks like a hawk’s bill. The end of the carapace is serrated and the plates of the carapace are imbricated. It has 2 pairs of prefrontal scales. This is one of the most exploitated species by humans. They are captured for their meat, eggs, skin, but mainly for their shell, which is used to produce jewelry and other products like combs and frames for glasses. In Costa Rica it nests mainly in the Caribbean (although also in the Pacific) coast between the months of May and November.
GREEN TURTLE(Chelonia mydas)
Size: Adults 100 – 140 cm long.
Average eggs per nest: 110
General Characteristics:
Oval carapace with variable color and four lateral scutes. One pair of prefrontal scales. In Costa Rica it nests mainly from June to October, constituting the largest nesting colony of the Atlantic coast.
Black or green turtle of the pacific(Chelonia mydas agassizi)
Size: Adults 100 cm,
Weight: 100 Kg.
Average eggs per nest: 70
General Characteristics:
Considered a subspecies of the green turtle, but with a darker coloring than that of the Caribbean and with a tear-shaped carapace. It doesn’t nest frequently in Costa Rica.
leatherback turtle(Dermochelys coriacea)
Size: It can get to be 2m long
Weight: Up to 600 kg .
Average eggs per nest: 110
General Characteristics:
Carapace without scutes, with 7 distinctive ridges. Dark blue color with white spots. Hind limbs very elongated.
In Costa Rica this species nests on both coasts; on the Caribbean side they nest between March and July along most of the coast. On the Pacific side they nest between September and March, mainly in Playa Grande.
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