Nicaragua Sea Turtles & Conservation

Three species of endangered sea turtles nest and forage in the waters of the Estero Padre Ramos Nature Reserve. They dine on the fish, shrimp, anemones, and jellyfish in the salty waters of the Pacific and rely on the sandy beaches to lay their precious eggs between July and November. Eggs hatch and tortugitas scramble for the ocean in November and December. Leatherbacks are the most highly endangered of all the species, with fewer than 2000 nesting females remaining in the entire Pacific Ocean.

Sea turtles are threatened from industrial fishing fleets off the coast of Central America in search of tuna, shark and swordfish. These ships directly catch and kill tens of thousands of individuals every year with their hooks and nets. Sea turtle eggs are also a precious commodity in local coastal communities, where locals harvest the eggs illegally for sale and consumption.

Leatherback Sea Turtle - Common Name

Tortuga Tora - Spanish Name

Hawksbill Sea Turtle - Common Name

Tortuga Carey - Spanish Name

Olive Ridley Sea Turtle - Common Name

Tortuga Paslama - Spanish Name

Most commonly, we see adult and juvenile hawksbill sea turtles swimming in the estuary.

A Life & Kayak in Nicaragua, Central America

My home is the Estero Padre Ramos Nature Reserve, one of the most ecologically important natural areas in Nicaragua and one of the largest mangrove estuaries left in Central America.  There are more than 200 species of birds, 3 species of sea turtles, iguanas, conch, mollusks, crabs, caimans, crocodiles, butterflies, tubeworms, and fish galore. The locals call it “la cuna” or the cradle, because it is home to an abundance of young and small creatures in its shallow, saline waters.


The estuary and nature reserve are mi "casa-sweet-casa" on the Pacific Coast. For the past four California winters, I have lived kayaking in a rural fishing village with little to no electricity, running water, and refrigeration. The land is rich to grow food, and the estuary is abundant for small-scale fishing practices. When I am paddling, I am passing hand-carved dugout canoes and young people swimming along the shore. Or an occasional heron, ibis, or jumping fish. The vista varies from overhanging channels deep in the mangroves to long coastal stretches with only sand and surf. It is dry tropical, welcoming, and my own version of a real paradise.

* The Nature Reserve includes >22,500 acres or 9000 hectares of mangrove forest, mudflat, sandy beach, rocky reef, and estuarine water. It measures between 3 to 5 miles across and is 18 miles long. That’s a lot of kayaking.

* The Estero’s shoreline is home to approximately 150 dispersed families who rely on the local, natural resources for their livelihoods. Fishing, clamming, and harvesting wood is crucial to the survival of the rural community.http://www.ibiskayaking.com/