One of the main attractions of Tortuguero National Park is to watch female turtles nesting. Mostly green, but also some leatherback and hawksbill sea turtles nest on the beaches here. Dr. Archie Carr of the University of Florida formed the Caribbean Conservation Corporation in 1959 to study and protect sea turtles, and the turtle-tagging program he began at Tortuguero in 1955 continues today. Although it’s possible to see stragglers laying eggs during the day, virtually all nesting occurs at night usually under a waning moon. You will need a guide to visit the beaches at night to watch the females nesting.