The tiny town of Ostional is relatively quiet besides the few motorists riding by. It is easy to

find the way to the beach, as it runs parallel to the one main road through town, once on the

beach the guards stationed every few hundred meters. are watching for poachers, who often

illegally stalk these beaches

Since 1959, thousands of olive ridley sea turtles have been arriving monthly on the shores

of Playa Ostional for these mass nestings, or arribadas, which usually last about four days.

With each new moon, thousands of turtles emerge from the Pacific Ocean to make their way

up the seven-kilometer strip of beach, laying an estimated 100 eggs per night.

After laying her eggs, the turtle attempts to conceal her nest. Then, once it seems fitting, she

wills her body back to the sea, leaving her eggs to rest on the beach protected by only a layer

of sand. During the days that follow, the thousands more turtles coming to dig their nests

may disturb her eggs. Dogs and vultures will come hunting for her eggs. For three hours after

sunrise, for the first three days after the arribada starts, local residents of Ostional who are

part of the Ostional Integral Development Association project will dig them up for human

consumption.

The harvesting and consumption of turtle eggs is something embedded within Costa Rican

culture. Since 1930, when sea turtles began to arrive in ones and twos upon the shores of

Ostional, people within the community have been eating these eggs. Contrary to common

folklore, the consumption of turtle eggs in not an aphrodisiac, but a rich protein source

consumed by many Ticos of all ages.

Sea turtles have given Ostional, with its humble population of fewer than 700 people, an

international reputation. In addition, Ostional is widely known for its project run by ADIO,

which allows for regulated amounts of these eggs to be legally extracted from their nests on

the beach for human consumption.

Tourism : Costa Rica’s magnificent Pacific coast, at Playa Ostional, Guanacaste. Choose the option that best complete the sentence according to the reading

1. The town of ostional is _______________________town

a) Huge

b) Small

c) Big

d) enourmous

2. The Ostional beach is _________________________ the town

a) Far from

b) A long way from

c) Near

d) At a great distance from

3. The mass nesting usually last _______________________________

a) A full week

b) About three days

c) No more than three days

d) Less than five days

4. Turtles lay around_______________________________ eggs per night

a) A hundred eggs

b) Less than a hundred eggs

c) Less than fifty eggs

d) One thousand eggs

5. The consumption of eggs started during the __________________________

a) Thirties

b) Forties

c) Fifties

d) Sixties

6. The reputation of Ostional is _____________________________internationally

a) Almost unknown

b) widely known

c) barely known

d) unknown

7. Turtle eggs are eaten by ________________________________________________

a) Teenagers

b) Single moms

c) All people

d) Everyone but Children