Protecting Sea Turtles on Isla Damas

Each year, endangered green sea turtles and olive ridley sea turtles return to the beaches of Isla Damas, near Quepos, Costa Rica, to lay their eggs. These nests face many dangers, including poaching, predators, flooding, and accidental damage from people walking or driving on the beach. Without protection, many of these eggs would never hatch.

For more than ten years, local conservationist Francisco “Milo” Durán Parra has worked tirelessly to protect these turtles. He carefully relocates vulnerable eggs to a small nursery where they can incubate safely before the hatchlings are released into the ocean. Through his dedication, more than 120,000 eggs have already been saved.

This campaign will help strengthen and expand that work.

Through this project, we are building a safer and more secure turtle nursery, installing educational signs to help visitors understand the importance of protecting nesting areas, and developing simple digital tools to track nests and hatchlings. These improvements will help protect more eggs and give more baby turtles the chance to safely reach the ocean.

We are also working toward a longer-term goal of helping the nesting beach receive official conservation designation under Costa Rican law. This would provide lasting protection for the turtles and ensure that conservation efforts on Isla Damas can continue for generations.

This effort is being led as part of a youth conservation project by Scout Taro Strathmann in partnership with Asociación Pro Tortugas Isla Damas. The goal is not only to protect sea turtles, but also to bring together the local community, volunteers, and supporters from around the world who believe in protecting wildlife and preserving fragile ecosystems.

Every contribution makes a difference. Your support helps provide the materials, tools, and resources needed to protect turtle nests and support conservation on Isla Damas.

Together, we can give more sea turtles the chance to survive and return to this beach for generations to come.

Damas Island Sea Turtle Conservation