Fleming College

Studying sea turtles in Costa RicaSix Fleming College students have embarked on the trip of a life time, studying and collecting data on sea turtles for two weeks in Costa Rica.The students, in their fourth semester of the Ecosystem Management Technician program, are completing the field placement component of their program.Staying at a Canadian Research Station, the students will not only be following the sea turtles day and night but will also assist in data collection on migratory birds and mammals in the rain forest.The students, along with Ecosystem Management Program Coordinator Mike Fraser and faculty member Barb Elliot, left for Costa Rica on April 16. Arriving in the capital of San Jose they then journeyed toward the Caribbean coast, travelling up a river by boat for 70 kilometres then into the rain forest where the research station is located.Ahead of the trip, Mr. Fraser explained the field placement came about as a result of a desire to create more international opportunities for students. He was able to organize the trip after connecting with a contact in Costa Rica.“I’m really excited about it. It’s something I’ve been working on for a long time. It’s a real benefit to the program,” he said. Students will be journaling throughout the trip and a video of the voyage will be produced.While fourteen students initially applied, six were chosen. Students had to submit a resume and essay complete interviews and a fitness test. They were then selected based on these criteria as well as their academic performance.Four of the six students will be returning to Fleming in the fall to complete their third year in the Technologist program.