Hawksbill Turtles on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica

The hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is endangered throughout its range and the status of this species is of highest concern in the Pacific (NMFS 1998). Confirmed nesting and/or in water observations of hawksbill turtles on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica are extremely rare and in most cases anecdotal, having been reported by local inhabitants. In this note we summarize observations of hawksbill nesting between 1996 and 2005 at beaches monitored by PRETOMA along the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.