The remote, coastal community of Ostional rests on the edge of the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. It is the site of a unique natural phenomenon that has given rise to strong community institutions as well as ongoing international controversy.
Ostional is one of the few places in the world that experiences the incredible natural occurrence known as an Arribada, meaning arrival. During an Arribada, tens of thousands of female Olive Ridley sea turtles come ashore to nest at the same time. Within hours, the four mile, black, volcanic-sand beach becomes covered in more turtles than most people will experience in their lifetimes. The turtles slowly make their way from the pounding waves to the shore, clumsily climbing over washed up branches, stones, and even each other. They stop every few belabored steps to catch their breath and adjust to the shift in gravity that the land environment brings. Once they’ve selected a suitable location for their nest, they begin to dig with their back flippers, effectively evolved for this task. They enter a trance-like state until all 100 or so eggs have been laid, at which point their back flippers gear up again tossing large amounts of sand back into the hole to cover the nest completely. They use their hard shell to rock back and forth over the nest, compacting the sand and camouflaging the site before they begin to make their way back down the gradual slope of the beach towards the water. The leathery, ping-pong ball sized eggs will remain in the nest for about forty days until they hatch. Although the number of nesting turtles varies from season to season, Arribadas occur every month throughout the year, usually just before a new moon, and last for about five days.
Ostional Beach has been designated as a national wildlife refuge to ensure the magnificent Arribadas continue. During the dry season, up to 20,000 Olive Ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) make their way to shore and over 200,000 arrive during the rainy season. Arribadas usually peak during high tide, at night. So many turtles nest on a relatively small beach that they begin digging up previously laid nests in the process of laying their own or on their way back down the beach towards the ocean. Caved in nests and crushed eggs decompose, releasing a strong order that draws more bugs, vultures, dogs, raccoons, and other predators than those already waiting in the shadows for their opportunity to attack. This has yielded a low success rate for nest survival and led some scientists and local community members to conclude that removing a portion of the eggs during an Arribada leads to a higher nest success rate by “uncrowding” the nesting area.
The interest of the community in harvesting sea turtle eggs goes far beyond this, however, and is based on many historic and cultural practices. The eggs are rich in protein and provide sustenance for many people of all ages, along with a means for survival. The cultural connection to consuming turtle eggs poses an enormous problem throughout Costa Rica and Central America, leading to illegal poaching of eggs from several endangered sea turtle species including the Olive Ridley.
Ostional is home to the only sea turtle egg-harvesting project in Costa Rica and one of very few in the world. The Ostional International Development Association (ADIO) permits members who live in the town of Ostional and surrounding rural areas, to remove a specified number of eggs for human consumption and commercial purposes. This was made legal through a 1987 law written specifically for Ostional after several years of conflict and scientific studies. The law allows ADIO to collect as many eggs as they can from a designated one-mile portion of the beach during the first 36 hours of every Arribada. Each association member receives a portion of the harvested eggs.
The community also benefits economically by selling the only “legally harvested” eggs in marketplaces throughout the country. Eggs are collected by association members, rinsed in the ocean, counted, and packed in sealed bags with ADIO’s logo. They are sold to bars and restaurants, that serve them as a delicacy, and to marketplaces where they are available to the public for purchase. The majority of the profits return to Ostional, making this an important source of income for the local community. It has also led to a complex conflict between scientists and local community members about the validity of such a project and local rights to resources. Many scientists argue that it is unethical and contributes to the decline of all sea turtle species by promoting the consumption of their eggs rather than opposing the trend altogether.
This highlights a prevalent disconnect, held by many scientist, between the conservation of natural resources and the local communities in which the resources are located. All too often people are separated and removed from the process of conserving nature, which misses a central piece of the puzzle of successful resource management. Local communities have the potential to be the greatest allies in protecting a resource and have a right to determine how the resources, on which they depend, are managed.
One element that has strengthened ADIO is the partnership structure upon which it is based. Since it began, ADIO has worked with the Ministry of Environment, Energy, and Telecommunications (MINAE), the Institute for Fishing and Agriculture (INCOPESCA), the Costa Rican Coast Guard, and the University of Costa Rica to hold annual meetings, create five-year plans, and adapt to the needs of the community, the turtles, and the ecosystem.
Egg harvesting has developed into a truly communal effort. It begins at sunrise on the first day of the Arribada. ADIO members of all ages gather on the beach to locate nests, excavate them, and transfer the eggs into large sacks. These sacks are filled, tied, and carried back down the beach and across the river to a truck waiting in town. The truck takes the heavy sacks down the road to the ADIO facility, where they are stacked until the 36 hour collection period is over. Members from the surrounding communities are eligible to purchase up to 200 eggs per Arribada, provided that they have a permit. ADIO collects about 4.5 million eggs each year, but this is less than one percent of the eggs laid on Ostional Beach.
Once the collection period is over, association members carry the sacks back down the beach to be cleaned in the ocean, counted, and packed in plastic bags labeled with the ADIO logo, indicating that they are legally harvested eggs ready for sale to Costa Rican businesses and markets. The sacks are fully submerged and washed in the tumultuous water of the waves pounding against the shore. Once the eggs are immersed in saltwater, their growth stops and the mucus surrounding the eggs to protect them from insects is removed. Additionally, any other diseases or bacteria found on the shell, such as salmonella, are rinsed away. The eggs are counted in groups of ten and added to the plastic bags.
Several sacks of eggs are set aside to be donated to local schools and food banks. Once local residents have picked up their share of eggs, the rest are prepared for sale to vendors who have received a special permit to sell the eggs. Each bag has a receipt, indicating that it is officially from ADIO, is legally harvested, and has been washed and prepared for consumption.
Of the 700 residents in Ostional, about 40% are employed by ADIO as either a guard, egg harvester, beach cleaner, egg washer, or guide. Many serve multiple roles. The association not only provides income for the town and serves as a primary source of livelihood for many, but also has built-in incentives for members, including maternity leave, student leave, and a retirement program.
For over 15 years, ADIO has also been implementing an education program at local schools whereby younger generations learn about the turtles and the importance of caring for them and their habitat. In the 30 years ADIO has been around, it has provided the community with $6 million in revenue, of which about 70% returns to association members. The other 30% is spent on administrative costs and community projects, such as a new soccer field or school supplies.
Association members also serve as caretakers for the sea turtles and their habitat. ADIO is responsible for cleaning the nesting areas, patrolling the beach at night for poachers, and protecting turtle hatchlings from predators on their arduous journey from their nest to the ocean. This maintains their membership and monthly allotment of eggs. It also deepens the relationship that the community has with the entire ecosystem and makes members accountable for their own actions. Such institutional arrangements lead to strong connections between the health of the protected resource and the state of the environment. They create mutually beneficial relationships that inform residents and change behavior.
Despite a documented history of success, many conservationists and scientists still view the Ostional project as problematic because it promotes the collection, sale, and consumption of sea turtle eggs. Yet, Ostional remains one of many conservation projects, the world over, to demonstrate that success is increased when those who rely on the protected resource for livelihood are involved in designing and driving the effort. People cannot be removed from the equation when addressing issues of environment and conservation. The most effective way for conservation efforts and vital natural resources to endure is if their care is directly tied to the livelihoods of the people that depend on them. This requires a systems approach and a sound mechanism for sustainable development and resource management. Despite its many challenges and the controversy it has inspired, Ostional has become an example of both.
One by one, the turtles arrive.
Distinctive tracks mark their path, as they make their way up the beach to find a safe place to lay their eggs and when they return to the sea.
As night falls, more turtles arrive, covering the beach until there is nowhere left to stand.
The community association, ADIO, manages the sustainable harvest of sea turtle eggs, helping to regulate nest success and provide livelihood for the local community.
The next morning, ADIO members gather on the beach to collect some of the eggs that were laid the night before.
Nests are identified and dug up.
Eggs are removed and placed in large sacks to be later cleaned and counted.
Members of all ages participate.
It is truly a community effort.
Sacks are combined until they reach capacity and are tied shut.
The full sacks full are carried back across the beach to a truck.
Once the truck bed is packed, it carries the turtle eggs to the ADIO facility.
The sacks are unloaded into the facility where the eggs will stay safe from predators and poachers over night.
Photos taken one early morning in Masai Mara National Park, Kenya. June 2016.
Having awoke to greet the sun, this lioness gently calls to her cubs sleeping in the tall grass.
Hearing her, one slowly rises, taking in the morning breeze.
Another one joins her, as she surveys the situation.
Together they observe a distant herd of wildebeests grazing in the morning light.
The groggy cub stays close by her side.
In the distance, the other cub sits up, still weary of the impending day.
The lioness calls again softly, and her cub responds by navigating the lofty grasses until resting at her side.
Awake and alert, the playful cubs let her know they are ready for breakfast.
Three female adult lions and five cubs comprise this three-generation family.
While one of the lions waits with the cubs, the other two set out for the herd, seeking a family meal.
Blending in impeccably, they stealthily approach the unsuspecting wildebeests.
In a flash, the entire herd disperses, except one. The lioness digs her teeth in deeper and deeper, until the blood has drained and the wildebeest is left lifeless.
She drags her prey to a flat spot, calls to her family, and begins to feed.
Little by little, the rest of the group makes their way over to share in the feast.
We sit there in silence, watching in awe for hours, as this family of hungry lions devours a wildebeest.
Once they've had enough, the cubs get a bath and return to the tall grass for a nap.
The Medina of Fez is home to 350,000 people and 187 separate neighborhoods. Each neighborhood is centered around the same five elements: a mosque, a communal oven for baking, a hammam (public bath house), a neighborhood water fountain, and a Koranic school. The Medina is packed full of talented artisans, keeping old traditions alive and families sustained.
The Medina is kind of a labyrinth, full of narrow, winding, colorful passageways and friendly people. With more than 9,000 streets, it's easy to get lost, but difficult to miss the beautiful craftsmanship and artwork draping every storefront and workshop.
This potter is busy in his workshop creating one of the signature crafts of Fez. The Medina is known for rich, vibrant, bright blue painted ceramics, called Fassi Pottery. It starts with the extraction of clay from the earth around Fez. After the wet clay is prepared and the pieces are hand-shaped on the pottery wheel, they are placed in the sun to dry.
Once dry, artists paint ceramics with traditional glazes and designs in preparation for the kiln. Kilns are usually beehive shaped and fueled by the ground-up olive pits that remain once the oil has been removed by the local olive oil industry. Olive pits can produce a very hot, yet relatively clean burn and are an affordable, ecologically-friendly alternative source for fuel.
These decorative tiles await their turn the kiln.
Finished fassi pottery sits in stacks on sale at the pottery workshop. Cobalt oxide glaze and a mix of floral and geometric shapes create this distinctive Fez style.
Zellige, meaning tile in Arabic, is the art of Moroccan mosaic, a technique that has been around since the 10th century. Seen here, zellige decorates this community water fountain.
Another craftsman at the pottery workshop begins the zellige process by forming tile blanks and laying them in the sun to dry.
The tiles are squared off, glazed, and fired in the kiln.
After the tiles are fired, these artisans chip and chisel them into small pieces that will be used to form intricate mosaic designs. Shapes are traced on the tile blanks around a master pattern to keep project tiles consistent. Tiles are then chipped away using a very sharp, traditional chisel called menqach, which requires a great deal of accuracy.
In order to allow space for the plaster or glue that will hold the mosaic together, the tiles are beveled such that the back side is more narrow than the front side.
Artists assemble the zellige design in panels. Each piece is placed face down, to ensure an even surface, starting in the center and building the pattern out. Once the pattern is complete, the tiles are dusted with cement and lime. To assist with adhesion between the backing and the tile pieces, water is drizzled over the tiles. The pattern is then covered with a plaster or cement mixture. After the zellige has set, the panel is turned over and the frame is carefully removed. Tile faces are cleaned and allowed to continue drying.
When covering a large area, panels are numbered and attached to the prepared surface where they will reside. The entire floor, wall, or other surface is grouted and finalized.
Magnificent zellige covers a variety of surfaces in Fez, from floors and walls, to stairs, pillars and benches, as evident in this mosque.
This skilled artist is one of the last remaining masters of this craft in Fez. Known as Damascene metalwork, this distinctive art form is more commonly found in the nearby city of Meknes, Morocco. It involves meticulously inlaying and carefully hammering thin silver thread into black metal. This art form originated in Damascus, Syria and was refined by the Moors during their rule in Spain. In Fez, damascene can be found on plates, animal figurines, jewelry, and other items.
Damascene metalwork turtles.
In the Weaver's Souk, this man uses a large, wooden loom to weave fine cactus silk into a scarf.
The Souk is home to many weavers who use the fibers derived from Agave cactus and wool to produce scarves, cloth, and carpets. The natural Agave fibers are dyed with saffron (yellow), poppy (red), and indigo (blue) to produce a variety of colors and patterns.
Colorful cactus silk threads and tassels line the shelves of the Souk.
Silk scarves brighten the walls of workshops and stores.
The famous tanneries of Fez sit in the middle of the Medina.
They have been operating for over 900 years, making them the oldest tanneries in the world.
Through a community effort, the leather craftsmen continue to use a centuries-old technique for turning animal skins into soft leather, used to make bags, jackets, shoes, cushions, and many other decorative and useful goods.
The traditional process begins when goat and sheep skins are first scraped and softened in stone vats full of an acidic compound made from lime and pigeon droppings. The compound breaks down the skin and helps it to absorb dye during the next step of the process.
The hides are then moved through an array of stone vats with multicolored dyes, soaked and stirred, until the optimal shade is achieved. Natural plant-derived colors are added to animal urine to mix the dyes. The smell hangs heavy in the air and is hard to escape.
Freshly dyed skins are placed in the sun to dry. Once dry, the skins are hung over a pole while workers use tools to scrape away any excess wool or hair. This is one of the best known artisan trades in Fez.
While many artisans in Fez work in full view, many more work behind the closed doors and stone walls of this lively, vibrant, marvelous old city.
Photos from Masai Mara National Park, Kenya. June 2016.
