Boca Raton conservationist saves turtles in Costa Rica

Dr. Kirt Rusenko is something of a celebrity among marine life lovers, not only in Boca Raton but in South Florida. But now, his popularity, might extend all the way to Costa Rica, especially among sea turtles.

He's the leading marine conservationist and researcher at the Gumbo Limbo Nature Complex in Boca Raton, a marine life research center that also provides a home to many endangered sea turtles.

According to yesterday's Palm Beach Post article, Turtle wizard is guiding light in Costa Rica, Rusenko was recently invited to Playa Grande, Costa Rica, to address the country's sea turtle nesting decline. Playa Grande, a 3.5-mile white sand beach that lies on the country's North Pacific Coast, supports a major nesting colony of leatherback turtles, a species that is endangered worldwide.

Pressure from real/estate developers to build oceanview condominiums may jeopardize the survival of the leatherback turtle in that area. According to the article, as it is, the beach is already seeing fewer turtle nests. There were 13,000 female leatherbacks nesting on Playa Grande in 1989. In 2006, there were only 56., the article states.

Because of this, the Costa Rican government invited Dr. Rusenko to evaluate the present situation and develop ideas for the implementation of more protection laws to preserve this turtle species.

Dr. Rusenko is also working on improvements to the Gumbo Limbo Center to accomodate even more sea turtles. To read more about it, read the article by Palm Beach Post reporter Gretel Sarmiento here.