Leatherback results from 2013-2014 season!

86 volunteers from all around the world joined us in the project during last season 2013-2014. With all their support and with the help of the research assistants (Yohan, Elmer, Jaikel, Esteban, Chris, Florence, Addie, Megan, Melinda and Zac), we have reached amazing results in terms of leatherbacks hatching success.

Since the beginning of the project in 2004 we knew that leatherback natural nests had a 0% hatchling success reason why we have been building a hatchery from 2005 on to relocate the nests during nine seasons. 

This last season we run the project from November 1^st until March 1^st. A total of 31 nesting activities were registered, 7 different females were identified and 20 nests were confirmed. Of these 20 nests, 4 were left natural (on the beach) and 16 were relocated into the hatchery. Over the past seasons we have been improving the construction of the hatchery using new and different technics: different types of shade, using sand from low tide zone and more antiaphid net and egg chamber standardization method. Also we have been improving the way of relocating the nests, always trying to have the best possible results.

And yes we have seen that management strategy works as the results obtained the lasts seasons have been amazing!! Please check in the figure below.

Season	# nests	Hatching success %	Emergence success %
2005-2006	8	17,72	**
2006-2007	19	29,54	**
2007-2008	7	27	**
2008-2009	8	28,4	**
2009-2010	17	16,65	15,2
2010-2011	16	16,7	14,3
2011-2012	15	48,1	46,5
2012-2013	24	52,55	49,02
2013-2014	16	58,5	57,3

 

We will keep doing our best every year trying to release more baby hatchings to increase the population of critically endangered Eastern Pacific leatherbacks and help to restore the population. 

When we first started the project we said we were going to improve our results and dedicate them to Jairo Mora Sandoval, and here it is for you Jairo!! In your name.

Thanks for everyone and see you on next season!!

Soon we will have the results for Pacific green turtles.