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Sea Turtle Nesting Grounds, Costa Rica
Leatherback sea turtles spend nearly their entire lives in the ocean, but when the female turtles are ready to nest, they drag themselves onto beaches at night and dig holes in the sand with their flippers. Then the turtles lay dozens of eggs in the holes, cover the nests with sand and retreat back into the ocean. After a few months, the baby turtles hatch and scramble down the sand into the waves. Spending an evening watching these endangered creatures painstakingly prepare for the arrival of their young is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. There are various nesting sites on beaches in Costa Rica where the turtles can be seen building their nests at night, including Corcovado National Park and Tortuguero National Park. The best time to see the nesting turtles is usually between October and March.