Saving Sea Turtles in Costa Rica

Earthwatch Expeditions builds on the legacies of Earthwatch and Natural Habitat Adventures, where travel centers on purpose, contribution and connection. Watch our new video for a preview of the hands-on research, experiences and wildlife encounters that await.

On Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, critically endangered leatherback sea turtles navigate many challenges when they return to protected beaches at night to nest. Marine scientist Chelsea Durr (Clyde-Brockway), Ph.D., executive director of The Leatherback Trust, explains the threats facing these turtles and how research informs conservation efforts. She shares how scientists track turtles from nesting beaches to offshore feeding grounds, and how participants on our Earthwatch Expeditions adventure support long-term research through night patrols, hatchling monitoring, juvenile turtle tagging and data collection.

In 1971, Earthwatch set out to place everyday citizens alongside scientists in the field—a model that inspired Ben Bressler and helped shape Natural Habitat Adventures. Today, that legacy continues with Earthwatch Expeditions by Nat Hab, blending hands-on research with conservation travel. Join Ben Bressler and Earthwatch Expeditions’ Managing Director Renata Haas and Director of Research Stan Rullman to learn how you can work with scientists and contribute to conservation research in places like the Amazon, the Arctic, Africa and beyond.

What does it feel like to step beyond traditional nature travel and become part of a scientific research team? Earthwatch Expeditions by Nat Hab offers a rare opportunity to access remote and secluded study sites, have close encounters with wildlife and work alongside scientists. From monitoring and measuring sea turtles in Costa Rica to restoring elephant habitat in Kenya, these trips only require curiosity and a desire to learn—no prior experience necessary! Learn more in this riveting conversation between Court Whelan, Ph.D., Nat Hab's Chief Sustainability Officer, and Stan Rullman, Ph.D., Director of Research for Earthwatch Expeditions.