Drone Footage From Costa Rica Shows The Largest Swarm Of Sea Turtles Ever Filmed

Jan 12, 2020 by apost team

The things we encounter in nature sometimes outdo anything that people can dream up in their imagination. A biologist named Vanessa Bézy filmed the largest swarm of sea turtles that anyone has ever captured on film, and she was able to do so by using a drone. As the drone flew over the coastline of Costa Rica, Vanessa was observing the reproductive habits of the turtles.

The swarm of turtles was captured on film close to the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge. The group of turtles was not only wide, but it was also deep in the water as one could observe more turtles constantly rising from the depths. Vanessa reported to National Geographic that she immediately realized there was something unprecedented occurring at the time. She is still amazed when she recalls the incident, saying, "To this day I'm still blown away by the video. They look like bumper cars out there."

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The wildlife refuge was founded in 1984 to provide protection for turtles. The animals are vulnerable to possible extinction, so it's even more unusual to see such a large swarm of them in the ocean. Roldán Valverde, an expert from the Sea Turtle Conservatory in Florida, told National Geographic that it was very unusual to witness this in a watery environment because large swarms tend to gather on the shore.

Turtles roam throughout many areas of the world, but there are not many safe nesting places for them. This problem raises some concern for the biologist as the numbers of tourists on beaches continue to grow and the turtles need the beaches for their nests.

There are some regulations that are meant to give turtles more nesting opportunities, but they don't seem to be helping. More measures need to be taken by authorities to help prevent the extinction of the animals.

Vanessa has devoted her career to raising awareness about the sea creatures and preventing their extinction. The low survival rate of some of the turtle hatchlings also adds to the problem, Vanessa explained to National Geographic. Without human intervention, the animals might not survive.

Vanessa is still studying the area where the huge turtle swarm gathered to understand how the phenomenon occurred. She speculates that the sea currents and beach location played a role in the formation of the turtle swarm. The Olive Ridley sea turtle and five other species are vulnerable to possible extinction and need help.

Are you amazed by this huge swarm of turtles given that their population is dwindling? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and send links to this story for your friends on social media.