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The Marine Animal Rescue and Rehab Center (CRRAM)  The CRRAM started due to the absence of a center in the country, focused on the rehabilitation and releasing of marine animals. When the Marine Park opened its doors, people started to bring wild injured animals such as pelicans, gulls, boobies, sea turtles and, crocodiles. The “Parque Marino” also started to attend calls to rescue sea turtles from the Pacific and even from Caribbean coast. The CRRAM initiated thanks to donations from “Florida Bebidas” , “Pesquera Cannavo” from Venezuela, and the support of CRUSA Foundation, who are constructing a small installation to lodge marine turtles. We have technical support, marine biologists ,a veterinarian and volunteers. Once we receive an animal, the team decides what will be the best treatment according to the injuries or problems of the animal. The CRRAM has the support of the Hospital of Smaller Species and Wildlife, from the School of Veterinary Sciences of the national university. This hospital helps us with advanced surgeries, blood test, X-rays, etc, because our center still lacks this equipment. Objetive To rescue and rehabilitate by biological and veterinary handling and to release the animals once good health has been obtained. In the Park we try to release all sea turtles, birds and crocodiles, except when the animal cannot take care of itself , this is the case with the pelicans at the park who are completely unable to fly and of our two sea turtles (olive ridley) that have badly physiological conditions that make their freedom impossible. These injured animals play an important role with the education ofvisitors.
You can help the Center of Rescue and Rehabilitation efforts by giving better opportunities to the animals that need it, donations go to the “Banco de Costa Rica” account, and notification of it at info@parquemarino.org, or fax 2661-0633. Donation are tax deductible (see “donaciones deducibles de impuesto.doc”in documents icon, transparency section) Banco Costa Rica account: 001-227160-5 Sea Turtles From 2006 to 2008, more than 200 se turtles were rescued and released, including Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) from all ages: hatchlings, juveniles, sub adults and, adults. Come to the Parque Marino and see some of their stories. HAPPY ENDS: THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN RELEASED!!! “Lucia”… Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) Hawksbill sea turtles populations are in critical condition due to the exploitation of its shell to make jewelry. At the “Parque Marino”, since 1996, we have received six hawksbills, which have been completely rehabilitated to be released back into their natural environment. “Lucia” is one case, this hawksbill arrived on august 16th 2006, weighing 5.57 kg. It was found by a fisher in a drift net near “Caballo” island. Due to the evident injuries all over its body, fisher decided to bring it to the “Parque Marino”. The turtle was recovered in four months and was released on December 14th, 2006 with a weight of 8.39 kg, which shows the great progress of the turtle. All the wounds that it brought in its fins and shell were healed. How it came
Its release
“Mani”… Ready to release!!…
This turtle came on April 04th, 2008 with a weight of 3.5 kg. The turtle was rescued by Costa Rican coastguard when a family of the community of “20 de Noviembre” informed us that a turtle stranded on the beach and looked very weak. The turtle also showed injuries on its flippers the same as the last one. After the treatment had been given at the Parque Marino, the turtle looked better but it could still not dive and did not have the appetite so it was only fed with liquefied food. Due to this, we decided to send the turtle to the “Hospital de Especies Menores y Silvestres” (Universidad Nacional, CR) to do more specific tests. This hospital found that the turtle had a pneumonia, which means an infection in the lungs and therefore had prolonged treatment with antibiotics. So far this turtle is already eating, has increased weight and dives perfectly. It was released on October 08. “Charlie”!!!... Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) Olive Ridleys are the most abundant sea turtles but they are still considered endangered. They are famous because of the “arribadas” that they make on our beaches like Ostional and Nancite. Since 2006, the park has received 17 of these turtles all of which have now been released. These pictures show how it comes… due to all the trash thrown by people into the ocean, this turtle got tangled with a sack; it almost lost some of its flippers…
It arrived at “Parque Marino” on December 18th, 2008 and, it was found entangled with a sack by some fisher. This turtle brought obvious injuries in his legs caused by all the strings sack where it was entangled. He could hardly move one of its flippers and it became very dehydrated with signs of starvation. It had a slow recovery because of the dehydration but soon it started to eat which helped it to recover better. Due to the problem on its flipper, we had to move this turtle to the biggest tank of 90 thousand liters of water, where there were other fishes. This enabled it to regain more mobility in its flipper and to feel a little more as if it was in its natural environment. This turtle came with a weight of 2.53 kg and was released weighting 4.89 kg on May 26th, 2007. Maya…Tortuga verde (Chelonia mydas) 
Since 2006, “Parque Marino” has received 03 individuals of Chelonia mydas, all of them were completely recovered and released back to wildlife. The story that we are most proud of is that of a turtle which was stranded on the beach of Palo Seco , it was found by a group of students that also helps taking care of laid eggs of sea turtles. They were worried about this turtle (because it was not able to return to sea, it looked very weak) and decided to bring it to our institution. This turtle came on May 29th, 2007 weighting 35 kg, it looked weak and dehydrated. It was released successfully on June 26th, 2007 at the same beach where it was found. WHICH NO LONGER ARE WITH US… Here you'll see some of the saddest stories registered by the Parque Marino. You will see why these individuals failed to recover and therefore are no longer with us. The problem that suffers many of our sea turtles… The case of “Mila”
… This is definitely the saddest story we have had in the Parque Marino and it clearly illustrates the problem suffered by these animals in their natural environment due to pressure from human activities.This turtle of 22 kg was found at Caldera beach in Puntarenas on December 28th, 2007. Its injuries were evident. A very severe hit on his skull, a wound at the base of the rear fin (the “groin” region), and where part of its viscera were left (someone cut off this area to get the eggs). It also came with three circular hooks inside the esophagus. Despite this terrible list of injuries, the turtle fought heavily to survive but died in surgery on January 21st, 2008 while attempting to get the hooks which not allowed the turtle to feed normally. X-rays showed a head broke and three swallowed hooks. You can see photos from “Hospital de Especies menores y silvestres”, Universidad Nacional, Heredia
Fish nets and sea turtles 
A Olive Ridley juvenile (10.5 kg) stranded on Drake Bay in South Pacific, still with the remains of the fishing net that caused the amputation of its upper flipper. Due to the remoteness of the place, the animal could not be moved at the time, so it weakened further, making the trip harder to Puntarenas. After a day of traveling, the turtle was received in San Jose. It was very dehydrated and weak which complicated its surgery because it was necessary to eliminate part of its exposed bone which was a source of infections. The turtle could not withstand surgery because of the weakening it had, coupled with the infection which reached inner parts in its body. Our CRRAM resident animals “Mario Fernando” (Olive Ridley, Lepidochelys olivacea)  He was the first olive ridley turtle that we received and has been living in the Parque since November 2002 (see newspaper note in Document section). Mario was found very young tangled in a fish net, the fisher decided to raise it like a pet, nevertheless; for being a marine wild animal occupies many special cares in its diet as in itsnatural environment. Thisis why Mario developed a deformity in its shell, product of the inadequate diet that received in his first years of life, added to the fact that it was living in a small space, inadequate for the great size that was going to be acquiring. The main problems that brought Mario when he came to the Parque Marino were: the deformity in the shell, irritated eyes, infections in skin and shell, he did not know how to dive, which is an essential behaviour within marine turtles. With the help of biologists, veterinarians and volunteers, Mario is now able to swim like any other turtle but in case of releasing, it would be a very easy prey, because its swimming is very slow and it never has lived in his natural environment, reason why he do not know how to hunt by itself. “Shannanda” (Olive Ridley, Lepidochelys olivacea) 
Tortoises
“Manuela” Turtle was found on the street after being run over
Caimans and Crocodiles
In Costa Rica, two species of crocodilians exist: the crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) or wrongly called alligartors (relatives of lizards) and, the caimans or “guajipales” (Cayman crocodilus). At “Parque Marino”, there is an area of public exhibition of these animals; we work in an alliance with the Costa Rican Association of Specialists in Crocodiles and the National University. These animals have been brought mainly from farms where tilapias are grown and where their owners have asked this Association of Specialists to transfer the crocodiles due to the risks and losses which they represent; others came hurt reason and stay temporarily while they recover to be released. The crocodiles come mainly from the North and central zone of our country whereas the caimans were brought from the Caribbean side. Pelicans
The “Parque Marino” receives marine birds such as Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) with permanent disabilities, and we have now a number of permanent residents. They cannot fly due to the injuries that they have in the wings due accidents or human attacks. Some of these birds arrived with serious problems that would not allow them to survive during the rehabilitation period, but other ones have been living with us for several years, like Homero and Betty.
The first one came from the Limón, (Caribbean coast). He arrived at Simon Bolivar Zoo Park in San Jose, but they donated it to the Parque Marino because of warmer temperature in Puntarenas than in San Jose.
Homero lacks part of its wing, this makes it impossible to fly. Here in the “Parque Marino”, we seek to improve the quality of life of these animals; you can help us with donations.
You can help to ensure that our Center of Rescue and Rehabilitation continues growing and giving better opportunities to the animals who need it, below you can see a list of necessities we have, we appreciate your aid to buy some of the items. Donations go to the account at the “Banco de Costa Rica” that we have and notification of it to info@parquemarino.org. Donations are tax deductible (see “donaciones deducibles de impuesto.doc” in documents icon, transparency section) Banco Costa Rica account: 001-227160-5
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