The methodology is to walk 3 times per week to find the tents where the bats sleep and hang out. Those tents are found off the tracks of the reserve. Even though is not very easy, these can be recognized because of the holes the bats make by biting and chewing the veins and midribs of leaves.

Once the tents are found, Michelle sets the GPS location; count the number of bats; identify the plant species, the shape of the tent, and also with the help of RPT staff, catch the bats to identify the sex.

She normally finds groups of maximum 10 bats, where there are around 5 babies.

There are 17 tent-making species, and so far Michelle has identified 2 of them.  She still has a few months left so hopefully some more species can be found.

The bats are flying mammals, and play an important role in many environments around the world. Some plants depend partly or wholly on bats to pollinate their flowers or spread their seeds, while other bats also help control pests by eating insects. In this area, they don’t have predators, and mainly they eat fruits and insects.

Photo credits © Michelle Bakker

Tessa will use 6 cameras that are installed around the trails of the reserve, which will be 24 hours on. After checking the footage, she will be able to detect the location, when the ocelots are active and other important information that may be used in the future, among other things, in reforestation plans for the coastal area to establish Biological Corridors.

She’s checking the cameras 2 times per week, 1 at morning and 1 at night. Tessa also will study any footprints of this mammals and set the location with a GPS.

On the past  the cameras from RPT have captured some footage of ocelots — a nocturnal animal that is not usually seen. Ocelots have unfortunately faced many challenges, from fur trade to habitat destruction.

According to Jack Ewig, owner of Hacienda Baru, “the size of an ocelot’s territory is extremely variable”. He quotes the book “Mammals of Costa Rica” of Mark Wainwright, that mention that the range of the territory of an ocelot can vary from 100 hectares to 3,100 hectares. Ewig thinks that the difference has to do with the abundance of prey. Ocelots eat mainly small rodents like spiny rats, although they also eat larger rodents such as tepescuintles and agoutis, as well as iguanas, small alligators, coatis, raccoons, young sainos, foxes and many more. In other words, they will eat everything they can catch and kill. It seems logical that there is a much higher density of ocelots in a tropical forest with a high level of biodiversity and an abundance of prey.

I am an Applied Biology student at the HAS University in the Netherlands. For our internship, we get the opportunity to do this abroad. So I was looking for an internship in Costa Rica, one of the most beautiful countries in the world because of their great biodiversity and untouched nature.

Measuring the snake’s length

Via school I came in contact with Oscar Brenes, biologist and director of Reserva Playa Tortuga. He offered me a research with snakes, investigating the (density and distribution of) snakes in the area around RPT. Besides, I take morphological measurements to see if there are major differences in morphology between species. For this, I have to catch the snakes and bring them back to the station.

The catching of snakes is not really hard, while the finding of snakes is the exact opposite of easy. To do this, I made squares in the area to investigate at daytime. At night, I am going over trails in the forests to look for the snakes. Besides, I place PVC tubes as a trap in already excisting holes where snakes can go in to sleep, whereafter I can take the PVC tube with the snake. After catching, I bring them back to Reserva Playa Tortuga to do all measurements such as length, body girth and mass.
Besides snakes, I am helping with other researches such as a mammal monitoring, sea turtles monitoring and a crocodile and caiman monitoring program. All of this work is done with the best team consisting of staff, volonteers, locals and interns. RPT provides a great work environment with good facilities.

In your free time, there is a lot to do such as visiting National Parks, going to town like Dominical or Uvita, or just go for a cooling swim in the sea or river nearby the station. On fridays and sundays, a volleyball day is organised at the beach, a great place to learn people from all over the area!

I am an Applied Biology student at HAS University in the Netherlands. As part of my education I got the privilege to do an internship abroad. I chose for Costa Rica and RPT because of the biodiversity, beautiful location and good reviews of other students.

During my time at RPT I am working on my own research and helping with other researches. The variety of this work and working in a passionated team is really stimulating and helps to gain knowledge and grow as a person.

Setting up the camera traps.

My own research is about mammals, in special the family Procyonidae. The aim of this study is to find out which type of environment (different areas within the property) each mammal species of Procyonidae prefers the most. This study includes working with camera traps and mammal walks. These mammal walks take place during the day and during the night. On these walks you look for (signs of) mammals. The camera traps are placed in different areas within the property of RPT. These areas are dense forest, open forest, open area, water area, and an old banana plantation.

First crocodile/caiman night.

Some of the other researches I am helping with is a study on snakes, a crocodile monitoring program, turtle program, etc. RPT provides a good work environment, the team consists of experienced staff, interns, and volunteers. Every time you go out for your study at least one person of the staff joins you and some of the volunteers join. When you are doing your own research they really give you the opportunity to lead the research which is a good experience. Of course will they always provide help or feedback regularly.

When you are off there are lots of interesting places to visit, this is no problem with a bus stop almost in front of the station. Sunday is your day off, this day everybody goes to the beach to play some beach volleyball. Great fun and a good way to bond with each other.

First, the backstory:  The beach hatchery and camp have already been built, in anticipation of the arriving sea turtles. Volunteers and staff are scheduled for night patrol shifts. You were on a late afternoon patrol yesterday, so you slept in your comfortable room at the Reserve’s main building…

7am: Your alarm goes off. You hit snooze.

7:09am: The alarm goes off again. Okay, okay, time to get up. You walk down to the bathrooms to take a shower and brush your teeth. After getting dressed, you grab your tablet and head into the main room.

8:30am: You are sitting in the main room, having grabbed a quick breakfast and now sipping on some fantastic Costa Rican coffee. Other volunteers come in and out, saying hello as they grab their breakfast.  You are checking your email on your tablet, and letting your friends and family know what a great time you are having.

9:00am: It’s low tide at the beach so you head off with a RPT staff member and a few other volunteers to take measurements for the erosion study that will ultimately help the

11:00am: You head back to the Reserve and help out in the Butterfly Garden. There will be a group of school children arriving in the afternoon.

12pm: Everyone gathers in the main room for a hearty “tipico” Costa Rican lunch – today it is rice, beans, veggies and fish. As everyone eats, they share stories about themselves.  People also share ideas of what you might do on your free day (waterfalls, diving, hiking, etc)  It’s a fun way to get to know your fellow volunteers.

1pm: You have a little bit of time this afternoon as you are signed up for a night patrol. You decide to take a quick nap and then meet up for the afternoon bird walk.

3:30pm: Adrian takes your group on a beach birding walk. The variety of birds you see in that hour and a half walk is amazing. You never knew birds could be so interesting!

5pm: You are back at the Reserve and grabbing a bite to eat for dinner. Then you head to your room to put on your night clothes and grab your red light headlamp for the night patrol.

6pm – 9pm: You walk the beach with several other volunteers and a RPT staff member, on the lookout for nesting turtles. As you patrol the beach, you hope that maybe tonight will be the night a nesting turtle arrives!

Click to learn more about our Volunteer Program