Perceptions, Participation and Poaching: identifying drivers behind sea turtle use in communities surrounding Cahuita National Park, Costa Rica.

Perceptions, Participation and Poaching: identifying drivers behind sea turtle use in communities surrounding Cahuita National Park, Costa Rica.

The aim of this study was to identify drivers underpinning sea turtle use by residents of communities surrounding
Cahuita national park on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. The implications of these findings are addressed in relation
to the issue of illegal sea turtle egg removal within the national park. Members of 3 communities: Cahuita town, Hone
Creek and Playa Negra, were interviewed, face-to-face using semi-structured questionnaires (n=48) designed to
compare local human perceptions of sea turtles with differences in their use within and between communities. Factors
identified as influencing human poaching behaviour are economic drivers, perceived legitimacy, governance, personal
morals, socio-cultural norms, and awareness. In communities where income levels are variable, such as Hone Creek
and Playa Negra, economic drivers are the major influence of poaching behaviour due to reliance on illegal trade of sea
turtle eggs as a source of income. Conversely, the key behavioural drivers in Cahuita town are economic gain via the
tourism industry and social influence, resulting in compliance with regulations. Awareness of sea turtle conservation is
recognised as a key factor driving behaviour in all communities, influencing personal morals and perceived legitimacy
of regulations. Future management strategies should aim to involve local communities in sea turtle conservation as a
way to increase levels of self-compliance. Raising awareness through educational workshops in all communities
associated with the national park is recommended. These should be interactive, enabling open communication and
transparency of information between all stakeholder groups, to facilitate change and progress towards both ecological
and socio-economic sustainability.