OUR STORY
How We Got Started
CHURE
Azael Godoy, or as the locals call him “Chure”, was born and raised in Santa Catalina, Panama and has been proudly showing his backyard (the magnificent Coiba National Park) to visitors from all over the world for more than 10 years. Chure can usually be found out on the boat scanning the skies and the sea and has an uncanny knack for spotting wildlife in its natural habitat. He is an extraordinary man who’s physical and spiritual life has always been connected to nature, and he enjoys sharing his culture, traditions, and stories of his village.
“Chure is a phenomenal guide (and a great cook as well as he prepares the meals for the day himself) – not only does he know exactly where to see the dolphins, sharks, and turtles – it almost looked like the fish and reptiles were just waiting there for us 🐠, he is extremely attentive to the tour participants: he recognized I was getting tired while snorkeling even before I knew it myself and quickly arranged for a boat to get me to the beach. And he is an amazing swimmer and diver himself and is happy to share and show you the treasures of the sea and islands.”
– Lena M. Austria 
Angela
Angela was taking a break from being an international school mathematics teacher when she came to Santa Catalina in 2019. As an avid scuba diver, she has enjoyed exploring many other countries and oceans all over the world. Not like anywhere else she had been before, she was drawn to this magical place by her inner spirit. Like countless others who have come to visit, she fell in love and never left. She feels very grateful for the incredible life experiences she has already had and now wants to organize adventures and expeditions for other travelers in a place she is grateful to call home.
When Chure and Angela realized that they both shared the same strong passion for Coiba National Park and its incredible wildlife, the idea for Discover Coiba was born. Their vision and purpose were clearly aligned in sharing their favorite place with the rest of the world.
How We Got Started
Chure
Azael Godoy, or as the locals call him “Chure”, was born and raised in Santa Catalina, Panama and has been proudly showing his backyard (the magnificent Coiba National Park) to visitors from all over the world for more than 10 years. Chure can usually be found out on the boat scanning the skies and the sea, and has an uncanny knack for spotting wildlife in its natural habitat. He is an extraordinary man who’s physical and spiritual life has always been connected to nature, and he enjoys sharing his culture, traditions, and stories of his village.
“Chure is a phenomenal guide (and a great cook as well as he prepares the meals for the day himself) – not only does he know exactly where to see the dolphins, sharks, and turtles – it almost looked like the fish and reptiles were just waiting there for us 🐠, he is extremely attentive to the tour participants: he recognized I was getting tired while snorkeling even before I knew it myself and quickly arranged for a boat to get me to the beach. And he is an amazing swimmer and diver himself and is happy to share and show you the treasures of the sea and islands.”
Lena M. Austria
Angela
Angela was taking a break from being an international school mathematics teacher when she came to Santa Catalina in 2019. As an avid scuba diver, she has enjoyed exploring many other countries and oceans all over the world. Not like anywhere else she had been before, she was drawn to this magical place by her inner spirit. Like countless others who have come to visit, she fell in love and never left. She feels very grateful for the incredible life experiences she has already had and now wants to organize adventures and expeditions for other travelers in a place she is grateful to call home.
When Angela and Chure realized that they both shared the same strong passion for Coiba National Park and its incredible wildlife, the idea for Discover Coiba was born. Their vision and purpose were clearly aligned in sharing their favorite place with the rest of the world.
Our Mission is Simple . . .
Our Mission is Simple
We are Professionals Dedicated to Showing you the Natural Wildlife and Beauty of Coiba
National Park, through its Environment, People, and Culture.
Sea Turtles
Sea Turtles
Not long after, they became the founders of the only sea turtle hatchery in Santa Catalina, which was started in their own backyard. There are five different species of sea turtles that are critically endangered in Panama. On the beaches of Santa Catalina, there are several predators including dogs, birds, crabs, and unfortunately, humans. Chure is a native of the area, and in the past residents of his village have consumed the turtles and their eggs. It is Chure’s calling to help protect them and to educate others on the importance of their survival. Angela was involved in a turtle conservation program when she lived in the Philippines and loves continuing her conservation efforts in Panama.
Our
SEA TURTLE
Hatchery
Our Sea Turtles
Every year 20,000 – 30,000 sea turtles head to the coastlines of Panama to lay their eggs. Santa Catalina, on the Pacific coast of Panama, is one of those places. Sea turtles play a key role in the marine ecosystem on a global level, and worldwide low numbers indicate these species will not survive unless efforts are put in place to conserve the marine ecosystems, especially those considered as key habitats.
Five different species of sea turtles are critically endangered in Panama. Sea turtles return to the same area they were born to lay their eggs. The main mating season here is from May – September, but nests have been found all throughout the year. Sea turtle eggs that are laid on the beaches of Santa Catalina can be victims of consumption to several predators including dogs, birds, crabs, and humans.
Our Objectives
To increase the survival rate of sea turtles by removing eggs from compromised nests and transporting them to a safer location.
To improve and diminish the negative impacts created by the lack of awareness of this marine species and encourage social responsibility.
What We Do
We scan the beaches in Santa Catalina in the early morning before the sun rises in search of turtle tracks or any evidence that a turtle may have made a nest during the night. If we find a nest in a compromised location, we very carefully relocate the eggs to our hatchery. This is a delicate process because turtle eggs cannot be moved after 12 hours of being laid and must always be kept facing the same direction (cannot be turned) when being moved. There is a high mortality rate for eggs that have been turned during relocation. We then create a nest similar to the original nest, transfer the eggs, and wait 45 – 70 days until the hatchlings appear. Immediately after they hatch, we take them to the same location on the beach that we found them, making sure predators do not interfere with their release into the ocean.
If you happen to be passing through Santa Catalina when one of our nests hatches, we welcome you to join in the experience when we release the hatchlings into the ocean. Because turtles should only be handled when absolutely necessary, we do not allow guests to touch or hold the hatchlings during the release.
