A group of six men armed with AK-47 assault rifles and 9mm handguns forced their way into a nursery set up to protect the large Leatherback sea turtles and stole their eggs.

According to a televised news report broadcast by Repretel channel 6, the gunmen descended upon a beach encampment in Playa Moin, in the province of Limon. A group of volunteer workers, many of them foreigners, were bound and gagged at gunpoint.

A spokesperson for the group involved in protecting the gentle, giant Leatherback sea turtles explained to Repretel that the gunmen entered the hatchery and took eggs from all 19 nests. A total of 1,520 eggs were stolen, and according to the spokesperson, baby turtles were about to hatch.

Turtle egg poaching has been a major problem in the port city of Limon, according to the volunteers. The poachers have openly threatened the volunteers since they know that nurseries and hatcheries can yield lots of eggs. The workers have requested police protection in the past, but officers are usually busy with conducting patrols and responding to calls in the city at night.

Volunteers called on the public to help them put a stop to poaching by not buying turtle eggs. In Playa Ostional in the Pacific, the taking of eggs is regulated by the government and performed in a very respectful and sustainable manner by members of the community.

Leatherback sea turtles can live for many years, can grow up to two meters in length and weigh up to 900 pounds. Costa Rica has two National Parks dedicated to protecting the Leatherbacks, but they do not extend to Playa Moin in the Caribbean. Leatherbacks and other sea turtles enjoy significant protection by the government and the community in places like Playa Ostional in the Pacific and Tortuguero in the Northern Caribbean coast.

Fuerza Publica officers are currently looking for the perpetrators.