Last Thursday something rare and quietly remarkable happened at Playa Potrero. A small group of hatchlings was making its way toward the ocean after what seemed to have been a nest hatching. Based on their appearance in the photos, they looked like olive ridley sea turtles, called Tortugas Lora in spanish or Lepidochelys olivacea, by its scientific name, a species that usually nests in very different places.
In Costa Rica, olive ridleys are known for nesting mainly at Ostional and Nancite, two beaches that also host the famous arribadas. These mass arrivals draw thousands of turtles at once and are among the most iconic wildlife events in the country. Still, isolated nestings do occur along the Pacific coast, even in places where they are not commonly seen.
A few neighbors from Potrero and visitors were lucky to witness the moment. Some tiny turtles marched slowly towards the water, beginning the early years of their lives in the open ocean. Others, however, were still gathered inside the nest, already out of their shells but huddled together in a small group. This is a normal part of the process. After breaking their eggs, hatchlings often remain in the nest for hours or even days as they synchronize with the rest of the group. They stay close together while they finish absorbing the last of their yolk, conserve energy and wait for safer conditions. Once the sand cools and most of the group is ready, they begin to move upward and emerge together, increasing their chances as they make their way to the sea.
It was a simple scene, but a beautiful reminder of how nature occasionally surprises us in quiet ways, even in places where we least expect it.
