A. Species
Scientific name: Lepidochelys olivacea
Common name(s): Olive ridley
Global IUCN Red List Threat Status: Vulnerable
B. Location of use
Geographic location(s):
- Costa Rica (mainland)
Country/Region: Costa Rica
C. Scale of assessment
Scale of assessment: Individual Site
Name/Details of location: Ostional Wildlife Refuge
D. Timescale of use
Start Year: 1998
End Year: 2016
E. Information about the use
How is the wild species sourced?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat
Type of use: Extractive
Practice of use: Collecting or harvesting parts or products from wild animals (e.g., eggs, wild honey, vicuna fibre)
Lethal or non-lethal: Non-Lethal
Does this use involve take/extraction of: Only parts or products of the organism
Purpose(s) of end use: Food and feed, Medicine and hygiene and Ceremony and ritual expression
Motivation of use: Basic subsistence, Income generation from trade (individual/household/community), Largescale commercial exploitation for trade and Traditional/Cultural/Spiritual
Is this use legal or illegal?: Legal under national law
F. Information about the Users
Which stakeholder(s) does the record primarily focus on?: Local people, National / local government, National / local private sector and National external
G. Information about the sustainability of use
Is there evidence that the use is having an impact on the target species?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an ecological perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered sustainable
Details of assessment carried out: Author opinion
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Authors state: "Extraction of eggs is justified by the observation that nests laid at the beginning of an arribada are often destroyed by the females arriving to nest later"
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an economic perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered sustainable
Details of assessment carried out: this study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Authors state: "Respondents in this study considered sea turtles and the arribada phenomenon a unique aspect of their community identity and heritage. Their unwillingness to accept a fortress conservation scenario resonates with global evidence on the merits of inclusive conservation. As economic and dietary dependence on the egg harvesting project dwindles, this intrinsic value of the turtles for the community will be key for perpetuating this community-based conservation project, either through consumption or other activities."
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a social perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered sustainable
Details of assessment carried out: this study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Authors state: "Respondents in this study considered sea turtles and the arribada phenomenon a unique aspect of their community identity and heritage. Their unwillingness to accept a fortress conservation scenario resonates with global evidence on the merits of inclusive conservation. As economic and dietary dependence on the egg harvesting project dwindles, this intrinsic value of the turtles for the community will be key for perpetuating this community-based conservation project, either through consumption or other activities."
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a human health perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered sustainable
Details of assessment carried out: this study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: use considered safe
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an animal health/welfare perspective been recorded?: No, sustainability not determined
Details of assessment carried out: this study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Authors state: "Extraction of eggs is justified by the observation that nests laid at the beginning of an arribada are often destroyed by the females arriving to nest later"
Recommendations provided in the record to maintain or enhance the sustainability of the use of the target species
Further capacity building for research and tourism could contribute towards sustaining the turtle population, local livelihoods, and the community-based conservation institution.
Record source
Information about the record source: scientific_pub
Date of publication/issue/production: 2019-01-01T00:00:00+0000
Source Reference(s):
Date of record entry: 2022-11-28