\u201cNormally in Costa Rica we are very used to throwing the peels of the vegetables or fruits in the backyard,\u201d Keilor Cordero, lead author of the study and a Ph.D. student at Men\u00e9ndez Pelayo International University in Spain, told Mongabay. \u201cI used to do it,\u00a0I remember possums every night coming to eat the organic trash, and for us\u00a0it was fun and we didn\u2019t think about the impacts.\u201d<\/p>\n
But he found impacts in Las Baulas Marine National Park, which was established in 1991 to protect one of the most important nesting areas for threatened leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) along the Eastern Pacific. Costa Rica invested in infrastructure in and around the park to enable ecotourists to enjoy the beaches and observe nesting sea turtles.<\/p>\n
Ecotourism makes up a big part of Costa Rica\u2019s economy, and all was well In Las Baulas until around 2012, when researchers began seeing a big increase in animals preying on turtle eggs.<\/p>\n
Cordero suspected rapid urbanization had something to do with it. So, he looked at satellite images of urban growth from 1990, just before the park was established, to 2024.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite being a national\u00a0park, the urbanization grew exponentially through the years,\u201d Cordero said.<\/p>\n
He also set up camera traps to document wildlife interactions with trash produced from that urbanization, and found that although many areas had some sort of receptacle for organic waste, most were inadequate.<\/p>\n
Finally, using data from another local research project, he examined what animals were commonly raiding turtle nests. He found that racoons accounted for 84% of trash feeders and 91% of nest predators.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe sell the country as a green country with sustainability.\u00a0It\u2019s like our brand, right? It brings a lot of money that we can use in conservation,\u201d Cordero said. \u201cBut on the other hand, it\u2019s bringing a lot of people\u00a0and infrastructure to host those people.\u00a0So, it\u2019s a paradox\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a paradox not limited to sea turtles at the beach, Cordero said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is happening in Las Baulas is just a reflection of the whole country,\u201d as informal composting is extremely common.<\/p>\n
Marine biologist Christine Figgener, not involved with the research, said the study, \u201creinforces the idea that conservation success depends on how we manage the interface between people and ecosystems.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordero said turtle conservation in Las Baulas can be successful with more formal composting, improved racoon-proof bins, and education. Costa Ricans have a strong ethos of conservation, he said, and when that translates to collective action, the results can be remarkable.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen communities get together in\u00a0Costa Rica, it\u2019s magical.\u201d<\/p>\n
Banner image: Leatherback sea turtle hatchlings head to sea. Image by US Fish and Wildlife Service via Wikimedia Commons\/ Animalia.<\/a> (CC SA 3.0<\/a>)<\/p>\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774574240_962_6ddc11ab3173ab5e21a8b9ce7c4f11c7fc908bb2b47d47eaf0789863708a3588.png\")
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