The community is invited to learn about the significance of Ostional as a nesting site for sea turtles during a fundraising event 6 p.m. Thursday, May 15, at SALA. Courtesy photo
The community is invited to learn about the significance of Ostional as a nesting site for sea turtles during a fundraising event 6 p.m. Thursday, May 15, at SALA. Courtesy photo
Conservation News:
Los Alamos business owners Carolyn Cowan of L.A. Bootery and Mesa Top Games & Toys and Allan Saenz of LA Net and SALA Event Center are hosting a fundraising event to support sea turtle conservation efforts in Ostional, Costa Rica.
The event, titled The Ostional Project, is 6 p.m. Thursday, May 15, at SALA Los Alamos Event Center. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the significance of Ostional as a nesting site for sea turtles, particularly the olive ridley species, and the ongoing conservation initiatives in the region.
Ostional National Wildlife Refuge on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, is renowned for its mass nesting events known as “arribadas”, where thousands of olive ridley turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. This phenomenon occurs year-round, with peak activity between June and December. The refuge also provides critical habitat for other endangered sea turtle species, including leatherbacks and Pacific greens.
Cowan, the primary organizer of the event, has a long-standing passion for environmental conservation. At 19, she volunteered for three months at an environmental program on the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, where she also worked with giant tortoises. This experience ignited her desire to engage in similar conservation efforts. In January 2025, Cowan visited Ostional as a volunteer but was inspired to do more. She said she hopes after the fundraiser to help establish a university or research partnership with the program.
“It’s fun to think that living in the high desert so far away from the ocean, there’s still something we can do to help,” Cowan said.
Saenz, who hails from Costa Rica, expressed his gratitude for the event, stating, “I’m grateful to host these efforts to create awareness of sea turtle conservation in Costa Rica where I’m from, here at SALA.”
The fundraiser aims to procure essential materials and update data collection techniques for the program, support the volunteer program, as well as raise awareness and support for the ongoing conservation efforts in Ostional, ensuring the protection of sea turtles and their habitats for future generations.
For more information or to donate, click here.
The community is invited to learn about the significance of Ostional as a nesting site for sea turtles during a fundraising event 6 p.m. Thursday, May 15, at SALA. Courtesy photo