Semester for which students will register and receive credit:  Spring 2011.  Students will receive an Incomplete until we return from Costa Rica.  Special arrangements will be made for graduating seniors.

 Enrollment Limit:  10 Students

Interested Applicants:  Every applicant is expected to attend one of the two Interest Meetings (see date, time, and place in table above) to learn about the course and ask questions. The regular class meeting time could change depending on the needs of the students.

Click here for an Application

Prerequisites: Biology  112 or permission of the instructor (Bio 105 (Conservation Section only) students may apply).

Course Description
Field Studies: The course will be centered around field work in Topsail Island, North Carolina and in Tortuguero, Costa Rica.  The sea turtle hospital at Topsail Island is on one of only a few facilities in the US dedicated entirely to sea turtles.  The mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and release sick and injured sea turtles.  Students will assist in the care of the turtles and will learn more about the causes of decline in US waters.  Housing for winter trip will be announced later.  We will camp on the May trip.

In Costa Rica, students will participate in the oldest on-going sea turtle research program of its kind. Initiated by Dr. Archie Carr in the late 1950s, the tagging project is now coordinated by the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC). Students will participate in all aspects of data collection on the  green turtles that come to nest on the beach at night. Students will need to be physically fit, as tagging the turtles may require five or more miles of walking each night in a tropical climate.

Housing will be at the STC's Tortuguero Biological Field Station. Tortuguero is a remote roadless area on the Caribbean coast, at the edge of a wet tropical rain forest that is criss-crossed by rivers and streams. Access is by boat or plane. The field station is located adjacent to the small village of Tortuguero and the 20,000-hectare Tortuguero National Park. Students will help measure nesting turtles, count eggs and assist in flipper tagging and recording data. In addition to working with the turtles, students will have the opportunity to meet the people of a Caribbean coastal community. On day trips organized by the field station, students will explore the rain forest of the National Park and other ecosystems of the northern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.

Classroom Studies:  Classroom studies constitute a very important part of the course.  These classes will involve lectures by faculty, students, and guest speakers.  There will be tests and papers.  This time is also used to prepare students for travel and field work. To take a look at the webpage for the last (2009) course, click on 2009 Course Information.

Cost: The price of the 2011 will be AROUND  $1775 plus air fare to San Jose, Costa Rica (~ $700 ??). The rate will include lodging at Topsail Island; overnight accommodations in San Jose for two nights (one upon arrival in San Jose at the beginning of the trip and one after leaving Tortuguero); transfer by bus and boat to Tortuguero and small plane back to San Jose; and three meals a day while at the station for six nights.  A deposit of  $250.00 is required with the application. The deposit is returned if applicant is not accepted.  Deadlines for fees: $250 upon application;  $200 in early spring (likely March 1st); AROUND $1325 due by April 26th.  Airfare (around $770 from Raleigh to San Jose) is separate and will be discussed at the first class meeting in January.

A travel agent will be handling the money for the Costa Rican portion of the course and the deposit and final payment will be due in early spring (date TBA).  Students may get together and travel elsewhere in Costa Rica on their own after the course work. This can be worked out with the travel agent.

Not included in cost: Transportation to Topsail Island and meals while at Topsail Island;  passport, airport exit tax in Costa Rica (about $27.00), tips (about $50.00), insurance, and items of a personal nature. Certain special field trips may be offered at a small additional cost.  You will also need money for meals in San Jose. Costs associated with the optional field trip to the International Sea Turtle Symposium are not included.

Language requirement:  There is no language requirement.

Cancellations and Refunds:  Requests for cancellations must be made in writing.  Full refund, less a $300 administrative fee, will be made if a timely cancellation request is received.   For late cancellations, refunds will be based on money recovered by the tour operator subject to the rules and regulations of the hotel and airlines involved.  Refunds will be made solely on residual values received from purveyors of services.