Experts huddle in Costa Rica to broach protection of Marine Turtles
Dozens of experts are attending the 11th Latin American Meeting on Marine Turtles (RETOMALA is the acronym in Spanish) at the Ostional Wildlife Reserve, some 118 miles northwest of San Jose, the Costa Rican capital.
Preliminary results of a new study presented by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) show that tourist activity triggered by those interested in watching turtles in their habitat generates twice as many revenues as the sale of turtle's meat, skin and eggs.
Participants are zeroing in on the sustainable exploitation of the marine species through several ecological, social and economic rearrangements that could eventually guarantee better use of the animal's eggs, meat and shells.
Four particular cases will be put on the floor: the rational usage of eggs at the Ostional Wildlife Reserve; a conservation project in Cuba; ecotourism in Costa Rica's Tortuguero Zone, and a non-extractable usage plan now underway in Brazil.
Stats provided by MarViva warn there are seven endangered turtle species all around the world.
Ecotourism and Nature 
