Expanding Horizons in Costa Rica

Written by Morgan Faith '24

Myla Owens ‘24, a Wilson College veterinary nursing major, traveled to Costa Rica during summer 2023 to study dolphins as part of an Earthwatch Program expedition funded by the Joan M. Thuebel ‘52 Earthwatch Prize.

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Adventuring to Protected Lands

After winning the Earthwatch Prize, Owens chose to take an expedition focusing on marine mammals and predators in the Costa Rica area.  

The area where Owens stayed, Golfo Dulce, was a protected national park. Within the national park, native species such as macaws, hawksbill turtles, howler monkeys, sea turtles, and humpback whales thrived.

Owens shared in her PowerPoint presentation at a special Common Hour event that, “the purpose of the expedition was to gather information on the cetacean species, the bottlenose dolphin, pantropical spotted dolphin, and humpback whale.”

Through Earthwatch’s program, preservation of the rich biodiversity within this national park in Costa Rica will continue for future generations.  

Myla Owens shared how much the excursion opened her eyes to the world around her saying, “In this captivating land, I discovered the beauty of living a life disconnected from technology and social media, gaining a profound appreciation for alternative ways of existence. Moreover, I learned the invaluable importance of supporting and protecting ecosystems to facilitate the conservation of biodiversity.”

An Average Day in Costa Rica

The expeditions trips are far from rest and relaxation. Rather, they are focused on taking time to learn more about the world we live in, collecting data, and understanding how we can better preserve our earth for future generations to come.  

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For Owens, her day consisted of just that. “I worked on monitoring groups of dolphins using GPS location and analyzing their group sizes, activities, and behaviors,” said Owens.  

On an average day, working with other marine biologists and scientists, Owens would eat breakfast around 7 a.m., get on a boat at 8:15 a.m., and collect data for most of the morning and afternoon. By noon, the crew would have lunch. From 4 to 6 p.m., the crew would review the data they collected. Once debriefing was completed, the crew would head back to land for dinner and rest for the evening.  

As for collecting data, Owens followed a five-step process that she presented at the Common Hour. The five-step process was as follows:

1. Find pod or individual dolphins
2. Follow the group for ten minutes minimum
3. Photo identification and identifying activity
4. Follow for five-minute windows
5. Observe

Once these steps were completed, the crew took approximately two hours to review the information they collected. The team would break off and identify the individual dolphins. Next, they would upload any data to historical records of the gulf and compare it to previous data collected.  

Owens reflects on her experiences in Costa Rica with Earthwatch, “This journey was nothing short of transformative.”

Finding the Dream

Since Owens has returned from her excursion, she has come to appreciate preservation of national lands and the biodiversity of unique creatures.  

Owens reflects on her trip, “The experience has motivated me to follow my dreams and appreciate the hard work which conservation biology relies on to protect beautiful cetacean creatures.”

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As a veterinary nursing major and biology minor, Owens hopes to continue to help creatures of all kinds grow and flourish. Thanks to the generous donations of Joan M. Thuebel for this scholarship and prize at Wilson College, students like Owens are able to have unique experiences in their field of study. Scholarships and prizes such as the Earthwatch Prize give students like Owens the opportunity to spread their own wings and take flight.

Owens shares her immense gratitude for the Earthwatch Program and for Joan M. Thuebel’s commitment to helping students like her succeed and achieve their dreams. “This experience was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and Joan M. Thuebel's commitment to providing such experiences is a testament to her remarkable generosity and dedication to cultural enrichment and scientific learning.”