Meet the members - SEE Turtles

21st July 2011

Back again with our regular 'Meet the members' series! We're checking-in with SEE Turtles, who operate a fantastic conservation projects in Costa Rica, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago.

Who are you and your team?

Brad Nahill, Director & Co-Founder (Philadelphia PA now living outside of Portland OR), Dr. Wallace Nichols, Co-Founder (Davenport CA).

What inspired you to start, and how long have you been doing it?

I went to volunteer with a leatherback sea turtle conservation project in Costa Rica after I graduated from college in 1999.  I knew nothing about turtles before going and ended up falling in love with the giant reptiles and have made working with them my career.  Since then, I have worked at four turtle nesting beaches in Costa Rica and in 2008 launched SEE Turtles as a way to promote conservation travel and volunteering at turtle hotspots in developing countries.

Why did you choose Costa Rica?

I chose Costa Rica because it had the best opportunities to volunteer hands-on with turtle conservation.  The country has many well-run conservation programs on both coasts with great opportunities to participate.  Its also a relatively safe destination and has a strong reputation for protecting nature.

What makes you muchbetter?

We're muchbetter because our entire mission is about using ecotourism to support wildlife conservation.  SEE Turtles has generated more than $250,000 for turtle conservation and nearby communities and we have connected more than 100 volunteers with turtle projects who have completed over 1,000 work shifts.

Insider tip for your area

My best insider tip for Costa Rica is to visit the South Caribbean region.  Not only do they have turtle nesting beaches in Gandoca and Cahuita, the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge has one of the best hikes I've ever done and one of the world's best organic farms.  The region also has incredible indigenous reserves, great restaurants, surfing, snorkelling, dolphin watching, gorgeous beaches, and more.

View from your office window?

My home office window has a view of a fence but attached is a picture of the roof which we just added solar panels to.

If you like what you've seen, have a look at SEE Turtles profile and see the range of holidays they offer.

Photo of Brad with a turtle hatchling - Neil Ever Osborne

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