Full Circle

By Sophie Reid

“Happiness is only real, when shared” - Chris McCandless

Sophie working with a Saw-whet Owl in Wisconsin

I have always had a sense of passion for nature and wildlife ever since I was young. I can attribute that to my parents because they fostered an environment for me to truly explore those passions in every shape and form. As I grew up in a rural Wisconsin farming community, I had plenty of opportunities to explore the outdoors through Wisconsin 4-H youth programs and the environmental education program at my small K-12 school. Although, some of my fondest memories as a child were not only deer-hunting with my father, but also going to the Henry-Villas Zoo in Madison Wisconsin with my mom. I have always had this juxtaposition appear in my life; a love for all Wisconsin wildlife given to me by my dad and a passion and curiosity for exploration of wildlife outside of Wisconsin by my mom.

When I was seventeen years old, in 2019, my mom could see that I had a growing interest in marine wildlife and especially sea turtles; therefore, like the mother that she is, decided to investigate opportunities for me to get hands on experience with sea turtles in the natural world before I pursued a career in wildlife. So, she went to Google, like anyone else would do, and she found an organization called SEE Turtles, where they offered short-stay international volunteer programs with hands-on sea turtle conservation opportunities. As a parent, my mother's intention was to help me explore my passions in an exciting and safe way before I decided to chase after something I really knew nothing about.

Soon thereafter, my mom, sister, family friends, and I hopped on a plane departing for San Jose, Costa Rica. We were heading for an adventure to a small sea turtle camp located on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, called Estacion Las Tortugas. Here, many leatherback sea turtles nest on this beach and are protected by the station. I remember looking at a photo of a leatherback before we left, and I had no idea they existed before this trip was proposed by my mom. When you normally think of a sea turtle, green turtles, hawksbills, or even loggerheads come to mind, but leatherbacks remain elusive to the public’s eye.

It was quite an adventure to get down to Estacion Las Tortugas; we traversed through mountains, jungles, steep dirt roads, banana plantation towns, and eventually we ended up at a riverside where we unloaded and hopped on speed boats to finally get to this remote sea turtle station. Needless to say, this was not going to be a 5-star vacation in a tropical paradise. We were accommodated with rooms with twin beds and bug nets draped over the top, and a bathroom with a spout for a cold shower. Since we were in Costa Rica, it was very hot, humid, and mosquito ridden. Although the circumstances didn’t seem to be ideal, I was still at the edge of my seat, excited and waiting to see a leatherback sea turtle for the first time.

Over the course of the five days while we stayed there, we were able to participate on nightly sea turtle patrols in the volcanic black sand beach alongside the Caribbean Ocean. We walked with the researchers scanning for large dark blobs in the distance for a sign of a leatherback. The rhythm of the ocean paired with the cicadas of the jungle fueled a sense of peace and harmony under the spectacular display of stars. These walks were filled with chatter and laughter, anxiously waiting for a mother to surface the beach and lay her eggs. We would chant “Tortuga, Tortuga, ooha, ooha” over and over again, hoping to entice a visitor. The first sea turtle we found was a hawksbill laying her nest at the edge of the jungle's vegetation. My sister helped the researcher measure her carapace (shell) and collect her eggs to be relocated in their protected hatchery. I remember being very jealous of her, but I was patient. This was a turtle that had never been seen before, and therefore we were able to put a tag on her and I had the honor of naming her in our records. “Estrella” I said, remembering one of the only words I could recall from my high school Spanish class. This was a very special moment for me.

We had not seen a leatherback by this time, and I was getting wary of the possibility of not being able to see one at all. Although, one night came when we got a call on the radio from the other side of the beach. A leatherback was laying her nest. We quickly walked to join the others, although we were only able to peak over the shoulders of some to get a view of this amazing turtle. While we were disappointed not to be working directly with this leatherback, we soon got a call of another one where we had just come from, but further down. As my heart was jumping out of my chest, we retraced our steps to investigate. At this point, it had just been my mom, sister, and I with two of the field research assistants. A large dark mass came into view as we trudged along the sand. A leatherback sea turtle came into focus.

Leatherback turtle from Las Tortugas

She was as big as my dining room table, dark and beautiful with speckles of white. We remained very quiet, stood behind her, and spoke in a hushed tone. This time, I was able to assist the researchers during the collection of the eggs. I put on gloves and was asked to lay down and hold her back flipper as she laid her eggs in order to see better. She is in a trance at this point, focusing only on birthing her eggs, so we were not bothering her by helping her out. As I lay with my belly in the sand, I held her back left flipper, so large that I had to use both of my hands. As she laid one, two, four, eggs at a time I was able to see and feel her contractions through her flipper. This was the most connected I had ever felt with another being in this natural world.

Sophie with a leatherback hatchling

As she finished, my sister helped one of the assistants transport the eggs into the hatchery. I was told that it can take a leatherback up to two hours to cover her nest before she returns to the ocean. I decided I wanted to stay to watch her go back to the great unknown. I sat with my mom and one of the field assistants in quiet silence, giving her space to finish up her motherly duties and head back to sea. In this moment, I knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

The other parts of our stay at the station were great. We played cards, slept in hammocks, painted murals, and assisted in camp activities such as cleaning up plastic from the beach, and assisting in the hatchery with the leatherback sea turtle hatchlings. I left with a feeling of hope and excitement for what my future might bring for me. Grateful for the experience and my mom for providing it for me.

Since then, I continued to travel and see the world with a passion my mom and dad gave me for wildlife. I majored in Wildlife Ecology and Management at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point and participated in international internships and study abroad experiences. I have learned a lot about the world. The good and the bad. I have seen many of the injustices, cruelty, and destruction this world faces today. Sometimes it is hard to remember how beautiful our home here on earth really is when we are faced with such challenges. Although, there are times in life that remind me of what truly matters; community and connection with others, respect for each other and the natural world, and to remember that no matter where we came from or differences in perspectives we have, we all live on this planet Earth together. I think the right thing to do is to try everything we can with the hope that we have, rather than to do nothing at all.

I am happy to say that I will be returning to Estacion Las Tortugas in May for the first time since that wonderful experience as a field research assistant myself. I hope this inspires at least one of you to chase your wildest dreams or encourages your children to do the same. I cannot truly express how much gratitude I have for my mother, SEE Turtles, and Estacion Las Tortugas for providing me this opportunity.

I am filled with passion, gratitude, and excitement for this next chapter of my life, and I cannot wait for the moment I will see my next leatherback sea turtle at Estacion Las Tortugas.