Las Baulas National Marine Park, Marine conservation park in Cantón Santa Cruz, Costa Rica
Las Baulas National Marine Park is a protected coastal area in Guanacaste featuring sandy beaches, mangrove wetlands, and river mouths that feed into the Pacific Ocean. The park combines both marine and land zones, creating diverse habitats for sea creatures and shore vegetation.
The park was established in 1991 as a protected area for endangered sea turtles nesting along the Pacific coast. This decision marked a significant commitment to preserving marine wildlife for future generations.
The name Las Baulas comes from the leatherback turtle, called baula in Spanish. Playa Grande is the main nesting beach, while Playa Ventanas and Playa Langosta are closed to public observation because biologists count eggs and monitor nests there. The park also protects the Tamarindo estuary mangrove, the largest estuarine mangrove in Latin America.
Playa Grande, Ventanas and Langosta are the nesting beaches; Ventanas and Langosta are closed to public observation because biologists monitor nests there. The dry season runs from November to April, while the rainy season brings storms at dusk. The marine sector covers 171.6 km², or 12 nautical miles, of Tamarindo Bay.
Playa Grande is the park's main nesting beach, but Ventanas and Langosta are closed to public viewing because biologists count eggs and monitor nests there. The turtles travel a 7,000 km marine corridor that includes the Galápagos Islands, where they rest but do not nest.
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