Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Romelia

Casa
Costa Rica
Montezuma
Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Romelia

The R.N.V.S. Romelia is located in Montezuma on the Nicoya Peninsula; created by Albert S. Ingalls II

Montezuma was a small fisherman town undergoing a massive depression in the late '60s when Albert S.Ingalls arrived, inspired by the Scandinavian couple Karen Mogensen and Olof Wessmberg, that like him, found Costa Rica's nature breathtaking. A visionary, Albert embarked on purchasing the lands that now form Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Romela (R.N.V.S.R.). Albert purchased the lands from Ro

melia Vargas to protect them from a predicted boom in development for tourism; due to the beauty of the peninsula de Nicoya. Romelia is located in Montezuma on the Nicoya Peninsula; it was created by Albert S. Ingalls III, by decree number N° 27412-MINAE on November 24, 1998, to contribute to the conservation of the Tempisque Conservation Area (A.C.T.) The land of the R.N.V.S.Romelia exudes beauty, with an extensive beachfront bathed by rolling Pacific Ocean waves. Romelia's seashore extends from Rio Cocal at Playa cocal (alias playa Grande) to Rio Bonito at Playa cocalito. Guarded by iconic sea stacks and an in-land nurtured by peaceful rivers with tranquil waterfalls. It is one of the peninsula's last bastions of pristine wilderness. This Refuge is approximately 224 Ha 8349 m2 (S.I.N.A.C., 2011) with around 50 hectares of beachfront. There are some distinct ecosystems, primary forest, secondary forest, riparian forest, and gallery forest within this territory. The avifauna includes more than 57 species of birds, 26 species of herpetofauna, 13 reptiles, and seven amphibians. There are also 26 species of mammals, including 11 types of bats. In the present R.NV.S Romelia focuses on two main active projects fulled by the power of volunteer work, both national and international:
The Romelia Sea Turtles Conservation Project aims to conserve the populations of turtles nesting on our beaches; this program began in 2009. For this project, we rely on the help of international and national volunteers. Environmental Education program aims to educate the children from our vicinity towns about the importance of land and wildlife conservation. Research Opportunities for Students and Independent Researchers

Our mission is to rally support for long-term, sustainable strategies to restore and preserve wildlife and land—the R.N.V.S.Romelia belongs to the Area de Conservación Tempisque (A.C.T.). And is part of the Corredor Biologico Peninsular, consisting of Cabo Blanco Natural Reserve, Curú Mixed Wildlife Refuge, Karen Morgensen Natural Reserve, Nicolas Wessberg Natural Reserve.

26/03/2026

Scope of the 2025/2026 Sea Turtle Conservation Project at Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Romelia
Each season brings its own set of challenges and surprises, and this year was no exception.

We are pleased to report that, despite these challenges, we successfully released 16,389 olive ridley hatchlings into the sea, achieving an 84.07% hatching success rate.
This year, 657 adult olive ridley turtles visited our beaches. A total of 241 nests were recorded, of which 213 with 19,650 eggs were relocated to our hatchery, and 28 were left in situ.

We are very grateful to the volunteers, companies and organizations that made this possible. Thank you 💚

Alcance del Proyecto de Conservación de Tortugas Marinas 2025/2026 en el Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Romelia

Cada temporada trae su propio conjunto de desafíos y sorpresas, y este año no fue una excepción.

Nos complace informar que, a pesar de estos desafíos, liberamos con éxito 16.389 crías de tortuga lora al mar, logrando una tasa de éxito de incubación del 84,07%.

Este año, 657 tortugas lora adultas visitaron nuestras playas. Se registraron un total de 241 nidos, de los cuales 213 con 19.650 huevos fueron trasladados a nuestro criadero, y 28 fueron dejados in situ.

Estamos muy agradecidos con las personas voluntarias , empresas y organizaciones que hicieron esto posible. Gracias 💚

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12/03/2026

03/03/2026

We celebrate by protecting wildlife. Join us in our heartfelt effort—our Peninsula de Nicoya needs more protected areas to ensure a better future for all.

20/02/2026

Baula tracks and nests have been spotted at Playa Grande (Playa Cocal), Montezuma, !!! ✨ We are absolutely thrilled with this incredible news. On the Nicoya Peninsula, sightings of the Baula sea turtle are extremely rare. Just three days ago, we discovered tracks and a nest belonging to this critically endangered giant. The Baula weighs approximately 700 kilos and measures about 2.5 meters in length.

The excitement at the station is contagious!

¡Rastro y nido de la Baula en Playa Grande (Playa Cocal), Montezuma, !!! ✨ Estamos muy emocionados con esta increíble noticia.

En la península de Nicoya, los avistamientos de la tortuga marina Baula son extremadamente raros. Hace solo tres días, descubrimos un rastro y un nido que pertenecían a este gigante, en peligro crítico de extinción. La baula pesa aproximadamente 700 kilos y mide unos 2,5 metros de largo.

¡La emoción en la estación es contagiosa!

18/02/2026

A glimpse into the lives of volunteers and staff in Romelia.

Nature for people, people for nature.

Join our community!

WhatsApp: +506 8609 3999
Email: [email protected]

Especial thanks to for the beautiful video.

18/02/2026

Romelia is seeking volunteers to help with the Sea Turtle nesting Season starting May through December.
Come and reduce your Stress by escaping the distractions of social media, traffic, and other modern stressors. At Romelia, you’ll experience tranquility, with no Wi-Fi, limited electricity, and no noisy roads—just the calming sounds of the jungle and ocean.

Enhance your mental health by investing your time in meaningful causes, connecting with like-minded people, and enjoying the beauty of nature. Challenge yourself by learning Spanish and engaging with individuals from around the globe.

Your participation will lead to personal growth as you experience diverse cultures and environments, fostering a sense of achievement.

**5 Benefits of Volunteers for Conservation Projects:**

1. Conservation projects thrive thanks to dedicated volunteers, alleviating the need to hire personnel.
2. Wider outreach from volunteers enhances conservation efforts, promoting sustainable living solutions that feel meaningful.
3. With limited conservation budgets, countries like Costa Rica rely heavily on volunteer support.
4. More helping hands mean more tasks can be completed efficiently.
5. Romelia is proud to have reached many conservation milestones due to the hard work of numerous volunteers, having a significant impact on our efforts.

Join us now and be part of the change. Help us during the next sea turtle season; your support will help release thousands of hatchlings into the ocean.

Apply now to volunteer from May through December 2026!

**Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Romelia**
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +506 8609 3999
Website: www.refugioromelia.com
Location: Montezuma, Costa Rica

30/01/2026

El día de hoy nos acompañaron nuestros amigos de y en nuestra limpieza de playa semanal, sin duda los logros son enormes cuando nos juntamos.

Recogimos 160 sacos y algunas piezas grandes entre ellas una cocina.

Nos acompañaron 30 voluntarios

Muchísimas gracias a todos y todas!

COSTA RICA NO BOTE SU BASURA AL MAR.

¡COSTA RICA, NO BOTE SU DERECHO AL VOTO, SALGA A VOTAR ESTE DOMINGO!

Today we were accompanied by our friends from and in our weekly beach cleaning, without a doubt the achievements are huge when we get together.

We collected 160 bags and some large pieces including a stove.

We were accompanied by 30 volunteers

Thank you all very much!

28/01/2026

OPEN CALL FOR RESEARCH ASSISTANTS

R.N.V.S Romelia is currently looking for research assistants for the upcoming 2026 Sea Turtle Season in Costa Rica. The season kicks off in May and runs through December. Join our team to gain practical field experience and earn a certificate of participation, which can boost your resume or count as service hours for college credits.

This position is unpaid, but we do subsidize food and accommodation.

If you're interested, please send your application to [email protected] by March 10.

Requirements:
- Curriculum Vitae
- Three professional referral letters
- Valid ID

09/01/2026

Presentes!

24/12/2025

Join our beach cleanup on December 27 at Playa Grande, or gather your friends to help keep your favorite beach beautiful. We have lined up leaders at some of Montezuma's beloved beaches. Find them at the beach at 8:30.

For those joining us in Playa Grande, we have a leader at Hotel NYA at 8 am. Check the flyer for details.

Únete a nuestra limpieza de la playa el 27 de diciembre en Playa Grande, o reúne a tus amigos para ayudar a mantener tu playa favorita hermosa. Hemos alineado a los líderes en algunas de las queridas playas de Montezuma. Encuéntralos en la playa a las 8:30.

Para aquellos que se unen a nosotros en Playa Grande, tenemos un líder en el Hotel NYA a las 8 de la mañana. Consulte el folleto para obtener más detalles.

13/11/2025

A team of students from the University of Costa Rica (UCR) conducted a study on our beaches to characterize the waste found there. They took a sample of 100x3 meters of beach and collected everything they found, later classifying it by origin or type of waste.

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Un equipo de estudiantes de la Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) realizó un estudio en nuestras playas para caracterizar los residuos que se encuentran allí. Tomaron una muestra de 100x3 metros de playa y recogieron todo lo que encontraron, clasificándolo posteriormente por origen o tipo de residuo.

Dirección

Refugio Nacional De Vida Silvestre Romelia
Montezuma
60111

Página web

http://www.refugioromelia.com/

Notificaciones

Sé el primero en enterarse y déjanos enviarle un correo electrónico cuando Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Romelia publique noticias y promociones. Su dirección de correo electrónico no se utilizará para ningún otro fin, y puede darse de baja en cualquier momento.