Veronica Valverde Cantillo, MSc

Veronica is a Costa Rican marine biologist who has been working as part of the research team at the Playa Cabuyal (Guanacaste) turtle monitoring site since 2015. She now serves as the field coordinator—overseeing data collection, student research projects, volunteers, and interns. Veronica has been leading nesting and in-water turtle biology investigations for several years and has engaged both Costa Rican and international student groups in her research. Veronica is also the Science Director for Equipo Tora Carey, a community-based conservation non-profit in El Jobo, Costa Rica—which focuses on the protection of sea turtles and other marine wildlife through local research, education, and conservation initiatives. Her research focuses broadly on the conservation of endangered species—specifically at the ecological level, associating environmental factors to the behavior and movement of individuals within ecosystems. Veronica has used technologies such as satellite data and acoustic telemetry to study how environmental factors affect endangered sea turtles at different spatial scales.

Why are you interested in your research focus?

Early in my marine biology studies, I had an up-close experience with nesting sea turtles at Playa Cabuyal. In my first years as an intern with The Leatherback Trust, I was amazed by these living dinosaurs that visited this remote beach in Costa Rica. Their adaptability and resilience sparked my interest as I learned more about their life cycles and the challenges they faced. I was able to see how research can help humans understand these animals, help reduce the impact we have on them, and even help their survival in the new climate conditions they face. After several years of being around them, I particularly saw how they are a part of complicated big ecosystems and how we need to study them at small and large scales to give them a better chance of survival.

What is one of your favorite moments in the field?

Many will say seeing a sea turtle lay their eggs is a magical moment. It is an experience that touches you in a different way than any other. This is particularly true for me, as after more than eight years working with nesting sea turtles, I appreciate being immersed in this magic at every opportunity. Being up close with endangered animals as they are laying their eggs in a strange habitat, seeing the effort they make to lay their eggs in the safest place, and being a guard to them in these vulnerable moments is incredibly special. Being close to a sea turtle’s behind during starlit nights, feeling their effort with every breath, and counting the eggs as they drop will always be my favorite moment.