From the air: my mission to protect marine life

By Bárbara Sellés Ríos

How the use of drones is applied to marine conservation, their potential for wildlife monitoring and early threat detection. Technology can be a great ally for conservation, if used with sensitivity and purpose.

Technology can be a great ally for conservation, if used with sensitivity and purpose.

I am a biologist with a Master's degree in Conservation and Biodiversity from the University of Exeter (United Kingdom), and for several years I have dedicated my career to the protection of marine fauna, especially sea turtles. It all started in 2020, when I decided to come to Costa Rica to volunteer on sea turtle conservation projects in the Caribbean, with Pacuare Reserve and Sea Turtle Conservancy. What was supposed to be four months turned into nine... and a life decision: I didn't want to dedicate myself to anything other than sea turtle conservation.

In 2021, I continued my path on the Osa Peninsula, working as the coordinator of the sea turtle program at Osa Conservation. In addition to protecting nests and conducting long-term monitoring, I began to incorporate something different: the use of thermal drones to observe turtles at night.

That same year, we began to precisely evaluate the scope and effectiveness of aerial monitoring, and in 2022 we published a pioneering study, the first to demonstrate that thermal drones can be more efficient than traditional methods (read publication here). We discovered that they detected 20% more nesting activity than human patrols on the beach. Furthermore, they managed to identify tracks, predators, and even human activities that had gone unnoticed during foot patrols, showing the enormous potential of this technology for non-invasive monitoring of sea turtles.

Y el año pasado inicié una nueva línea de investigación en colaboración con la ONG Kuemar: monitorear tortugas y otra fauna marina en el agua. Esta vez, los drones nos permitieron observar algo que rara vez se documenta: el comportamiento de los machos, ya que la mayoría de los estudios se basan en hembras cuando salen a anidar. Pudimos registrar comportamientos de apareamiento, alimentación e interacción, y también identificar amenazas reales, como prácticas de pesca irresponsables, contaminación plástica y la presencia de otras especies marinas vulnerables como rayas, tiburones y peces costeros.

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​All of this has confirmed something for me: technology can be a great ally for conservation, if used with sensitivity and purpose. My passion is to combine environmental education and applied science to bring people closer to the ocean from a new perspective, from the air, and to awaken in them curiosity and empathy for marine life.

Each flight with my drone doesn't just capture images; it captures stories of resilience, beauty, and urgency. I want more people to know about these projects, to be inspired, and to see that there are indeed innovative and sustainable ways to protect nature. You are all invited to experience this up close through the conservation workshop: “Drones for Marine Conservation” with SosGrande:

Conservation workshop

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​If you want to help me continue this mission, to maintain the equipment, fund new expeditions, and share these findings with more communities, you can do so through my fundraising campaign:

​👉 From Above the Waves: My Mission to Protect Marine Life

Your support helps me keep flying… for science, for the turtles, and for an ocean full of life. 🌍💙