Hi! My name is Bárbara, a marine biologist passionate about ocean conservation. Last season, I collaborated with Kuemar and DELT NGOs, and together we conducted a successful preliminary study using drones and artificial intelligence to monitor sea turtles and other marine wildlife in remote coastal areas of Costa Rica.

And we are at a critical juncture in our research. Funding has been cut significantly, and we are seeing an increase in human activity that is endangering the sea turtles.

After five years working to protect sea turtles in Costa Rica, we are preparing for a second, full-scale drone expedition, and we need your help. Meeting our goal of 10,000 EUR will fund my position, continue this innovative project, and help safeguard some of the ocean’s most vulnerable species.

How this project started:

Thousands of sea turtles face hidden dangers beneath the surface every year, from illegal fishing and plastic pollution to the loss of critical habitats. While we understand their behavior on nesting beaches, we know very little about their ocean life, where they spend over 90% of their time.

With AI-powered drones, we are opening a new window into their underwater world. Our mission is to collect crucial data on sea turtle behavior, distribution, and human-induced threats, using non-invasive aerial monitoring enhanced by artificial intelligence. This approach allows us to detect threats like illegal fishing practices and egg harvesting, and pollution in real time, report these violations to the authorities, and map where different turtle populations, especially elusive males, who remain vastly understudied, are located.

By combining cutting-edge technology with conservation science, we aim to generate distribution models and threat detection tools that can directly support marine protection efforts and long-term research.

The insights from this research will lay the groundwork for this important work in the future. And the data will not die. With this foundation of data, I hope to dive into it through a PhD in conservation technology, under the guidance of Dr. Nathan Robinson, a renowned marine scientist globally recognized for the viral video showing a straw being removed from a sea turtle’s nose. I will also collaborate with Kuemar, a marine conservation NGO based in Costa Rica that monitors nesting activity on the beaches directly in front of the waters I will be surveying. These beaches are critical nesting sites for three threatened sea turtle species. This second expedition is a vital step toward solidifying the research goals behind this innovative approach to protection and prevention.

Why it matters:

Sea turtles are guardians of the ocean. Their presence supports coral reefs, seagrass beds, and marine biodiversity. But they’re facing threats we still don’t fully understand, especially underwater.

With your help, I can return to the field, deepen this innovative research, and help build a future where science, technology, and conservation work together to protect marine life.

How funds will be used:

Your support will cover the essentials of the 2025–2026 field season:

- Flights to Costa Rica

- Food and accommodation

- Data analysis, storage & reporting

- PhD application preparation (after the expedition)

Why donate?

Each drone flight reveals stories we’ve never seen.

Each dataset brings us closer to saving a species.

Your support is more than a donation, it's an act of hope for sea turtles and the ocean they protect.

Join me:

- Help fund the next step in this journey.

- Support science that protects life below the surface.

- Be part of this story: from the ocean, to the skies, to the lab.

❤️ Thank you for believing in this mission. Let’s fly for the turtles!