Historically, the marine turtles have arrived at the coasts of Bocas del Toro, for several centuries.

In spite of to be hunted for many years, the tourism can contribute directly to their salvation, because it has been demonstrated that, by means of the observation at the moment of nesting, the communities can receive income often superior to which would be obtained by means of the sale of their meat or its eggs.

Four types of marine turtles arrive at beaches of the islands to nest: the hawkbill, the logerhead, the leatherback and the green one. This last one makes an important migration during the months of July and August that happens throughout the coast to go to nest to beaches of Tortuguero, Costa Rica, although some of them also do it in Bocas.

The observation of the nesting, during the night, requires diverse well-taken care of and for that reason specialized guides.

One of the bigger enemy, nonsingle for the turtles nesting but also for the small young when being born, is the light.

For that reason strictly the use of lights is prohibited when it is going away to observe marine turtles nesting.

The lights, when the turtles come to nest, can do them come back to the sea. Nevertheless, when already they have nested, the existence of lights attracts them and often they take them towards the opposed side to which they must go: the sea, being a mortal trap. The same it happens to the newborn.

The ideal places for observation of turtles in Bocas are Bluff beach, where an activity organized by conservacionist groups exists, or in Long Beach, in the Marine Park, where although there is no usual visitación of tourists is possible to collaborate in the protection of the nests.