With its tropical climate,
his forest as far as the eye can see and the ocean for horizon, Costa Rica has been for some years the flagship destination
nature lovers. They go through thousands of
kilometers and disembark from all over the world to spend a few
vacation days here. Rosalie and her friend Asa
have been dreaming of this trip for a year and they are very moved, because they are getting ready
to live a unique experience. – It's half past noon,
we can go and listen to it in the village. – Otherwise,
there is acroyoga. – How are you?
– Okay, here we go. – In this jungle
from Central America, they came to participate
to a large hippie gathering. Once a year,
during one week, they are over
10,000 to meet here to communicate all
together and achieve ecstasy. – I am really
happy to be there. It's a great place. We are all blessed
I love you. – There is a lot of love,
of beauty, of life. We are all together. – Just arrived, contortion, yoga and music
mystical for the two French women.
Asa,
professional dancer, and Rosalie, a humanitarian worker,
get into the mood. – We feel… calm, poised
and at the same time present. – Yes.
– The energy is there. – In this new age atmosphere, the two friends
feel in their element. Here, all participants adopted
an eco-friendly lifestyle pushed to the extreme. For cabin materials,
only wood is allowed. For the shower,
it is paying and above all timed. no more than five
minutes per person. At the infirmary, Asa and Rosalie can find
100% natural remedies. – That's aloe vera. I put
on my sunburn. I'm a little red
it makes me feel good. It's cool. – It is this return to the sources that the two
came looking for Costa Rica. A pioneer country in
of ecology for 30 years. – There is really a will to do
make people aware importance and wealth
natural resources.
– To spend a week
in this particular universe, it takes 600 euros,
camping included. – You smell so good, come here. – Steven Brooks is organizing
this great gathering each year. If this 53-year-old American
fell in love with Costa Rica, It is not by chance. The country removed
his army 70 years ago to avoid
a military coup. Hippie at heart,
the American was seduced. – Hi Steve,
How is it going ? – He then decides to build there
his new world. A community
out of sharing with consumer society. – We want people
have a unique experience. Something they don't have
never known before. Like this, when they come back
at home, they will change their way of life.
We really live differently. People feel surrounded,
they help each other and love each other. – Here Steven Brooks is seen
as a spiritual guide. If it's that popular, it's because he found
the recipe for guaranteed success. For their first night it's finally time
what Asa and Rosalie are waiting for. Twilight kicks
of sending a gigantic rave party where all
eccentricities are permitted. A kind of Burning Man
dream beach version. The two French women
are not disappointed with the trip. – It's sunset. These are the last
hours of the day. Everybody's on the beach
we dance, we party. – Until nightfall the two friends and the whole
of participants engage to all kinds
games and dances in an atmosphere
completely crazy. A single watchword, let go.
– It's a bit unique, it's magic. All it takes is a sun
of a sea and people. It's the simplicity of seeing
everyone marvel for that. It's fantastic. – Asa and Rosalie are bewitched. Thanks to this kind
extraordinary event, costa rica
is about to become the new homeland
hippies all over the world. The country has many other advantages. Designated champion
of the earth by the UN in 2019, this american country
central has achieved a feat, double its surface
forestry in less than 30 years. She had been nearly shaved for
give way to intensive agriculture thanks to a reforestation plan. It covers today
half of its territory. This feat makes Costa Rica one of the first in the class
on the podium of global ecology. A pride for his young
40-year-old president, Carlos Alvarado. – I'm proud that
my country be rewarded for the action that
we lead in ecology. – Between the Caribbean Sea
and the Pacific Ocean, Costa Rica, the coast rich in French,
is, as its name suggests, one of the countries most
rich in Central America. Half of his five million
inhabitants lives in San José, the capital.
The millions of tourists who pass through
every year don't stop there often. They come first
in Costa Rica for nature, one of the best preserved in the world. It is the main
country resource. – Nature is our green gold. – Some criss-cross it in a van
to live extreme experiences. Others cross the planet to
get married in these breathtaking settings. – It is paradise
in every sense of the term. – Everyone spends their holidays here
under the sign of “Pura Vida!” », the currency of the country. She means living cool
and enjoy every moment. In Costa Rica, some
tourists put their lives at risk during spiritual retreats
secrets during which they take a drug
which is only allowed here. – I do not feel very well. As if my brain
had been reset. – Behind its eco-friendly window,
is Costa Rica really the greenest country on the planet? Not sure. its farming, one of the main resources
local, is controversial today.
– You can't go home. – Costa Rica is the nation that uses
the most pesticides in the world per cultivated hectare. Especially for growing pineapple
of which it is the world's largest producer. The consequences can be terrible
for plantation workers. – Look, I lose
my nails are sore. – How Costa Rica became
the fashionable tourist destination? Is this green paradise
actually preserved? Investigation of one of the most beautiful
Gardens of Eden on the planet. On the Pacific coast, early morning. – It is too beautiful ! If I could wake up like this
every morning with this little sound. the sound of the waves,
the wind and everything. – Laura and Raphaëlle discover
this wild setting for the first time. These two 28-year-old Lyonnaises
parked their van here unexpectedly, last night. They are part of the 70,000 French
who visit the country every year.
– This happiness! I like ! – These bohemian holidays,
they have been preparing them for years. They saved 1,800 euros each for
travel the country for three weeks, plane tickets included. – I want to
to experience this every day. It is too beautiful. The sand under your feet, waves, and then all the wildlife
and the flora that we have around us. It's just amazing. – Aboard their van,
comfort is rudimentary. A two-seater mattress in the back and a kitchen area
at trunk level. – Can I give you four?
– Yes. – For these two friends, this mode of transport is the best
way to enjoy these unique landscapes and 1300 kilometers of wild coast. What they don't know is that these beaches are the land
hunting terrifying wildlife. It's local surfers go
quickly warn them of the danger. – When the tide goes out, you
can see the crocodiles in the water. You have to be careful
and never swim alone. It's very dangerous. – Those aquatic monsters
flow down the rivers to come and catch
fish in the ocean.
Swimming is coming
more complicated than expected. – Are you going swimming? – I'm afraid of crocodiles. – I still have
a little scared. – Laura and Raphaëlle came
to fill up with thrills. In Costa Rica,
they will be served. – Come on, go! – The country is a paradise
for extreme sports enthusiasts. Surf, kayak, canyoning. Even stronger,
in the heart of the forest. This immense reserve shelters
within it a unique attraction. An XXL tree climbing course with one
longest zip lines in the world. 1600 meters of descent
above the canopy.
Chills guaranteed. A challenge for
the two adventurers. – OK. With all the material, I feel like,
it gets more and more intense. I'm excited at the same time,
I can't wait to find out what it's gonna be. Above all, I don't know if
in the jungle there are animals. It's gonna be amazing. – For the two young women,
Tension escalates. They're gonna hang on more
50 meters above the trees. – I am ready. I am ready. – One minute breathtaking flight
over 100 kilometers per hour above the forest.
Upon arrival, the two
girlfriends can't believe it. – “Pura Vida! » – Yes!
– Did you see these sensations? You see the trees, you feel
to go back into the forest when you arrive. – On arrival, you have this feeling
to enter the trees. That's it ? – It is not finished. last test, an attraction
even more terrifying. Tarzan's Leap
hanging on a vine. 50 meters of free fall. – My God !
I have chills all over. I'm starting to get goosebumps.
I have hair that stands up. – This time,
Raphaëlle is petrified. – I think I'm going to cry. – Under the encouragement of Laura… – You can do it, Raph. – She takes her
two-handed courage. – I do not think about anything.
I do not think about anything. – She throws herself into the void. After the great thrill, the great adventure. Costa Rica alone concentrates
6% of the world's biodiversity. There are 169 areas
protected nationwide. A quarter of the territory. One of the most visited
is in the North. 70,000 hectares of mangroves,
nicknamed the little Amazon, accessible only
by boat or small propeller plane. More than 1000 species of animals
savages live there peacefully. – Come on, let's go. – To explore
this earthly paradise, Laura and Raphaelle
called on Willis. – Go for it,
please pay attention. – This guide works
here for 30 years. He knows the mangrove
On the fingertips. A few paddle strokes
and already a first animal. – Look at her,
straight ahead, under the leaves.
Looks like a gray ball.
In fact, he's a sloth. – Yes, I see it. – He moves. Look, he's scratching. – I can see it. – Lazy, this mammal reputed to be the slowest
of the world is the country's mascot. threatened with extinction,
it is here totally protected. For the two young women, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
to see it in its natural environment. – There, we see it. – This is just the beginning. A coati. A water turtle. A caiman. Only terrestrial and aquatic animals
rare, often impossible to approach. Here, the French women are
a few centimeters from them. – I am not reassured because we
is within arm's reach of the caiman. – In a few hours, Laura and Raphaëlle will do
multiple encounters. Even the most unusual. Like those howler monkeys. – It really looks like
to humans, monkeys. – It must never
stay under the monkeys. They can do
poo or pee on you. Always close your mouth
when you are under the monkeys. – They let go. No toilets for
the wild animals. – The two young women measure
the immense privilege they have, see these animals in the wild. Costa Rica made some
His trademark.
Here, there is no zoo, they are prohibited. That's what pleases. Laura and Raphaëlle have
feel like explorers. – We have a feeling
to be alone in the world, lost in the middle of this forest. Discover this environment
natural alone, it is a privilege. – We are not in a zoo, we are in a park
wild natural national. So, you have to know how to stay humble
and accept not always seeing what we want to see. When we see them, they are
in the wild and it's priceless. – This show, they must
to the strict rules imposed by the State to protect the ecosystem. Only 1% of the park
national is open to visitors. Tourists come in drop by drop,
just a few hours a day. – This nature,
it is our green gold. You have to keep
this heritage and protect it.
– This model, the opposite of tourism
mass, makes Willis proud. This is also what
allows him to live, him and the 1500 inhabitants
from his village, Tortuguero. – Hello, welcome. – Before opening
of the park, 50 years ago, all lived in poverty. Today, this lost corner attracts
150,000 visitors each year. Restaurants,
food shops, everyone benefits from green gold. – Hi, how are you ? – Willis and all
villagers like Milton, souvenir seller
swear by it. – I can win between
eight and 40 euros per day. Tourism,
it's Tortuguero's DNA. If we didn't have it,
we wouldn't exist. See you later. – From the 1980s, Costa Rica
understand before everyone else that ecology can
bring him big. Reforestation, but also
development of renewable energies. The country produces almost all
of its electricity thanks to geothermal energy, wind or solar. A paying policy. nature lovers
arrive today from all over the world and some come to live
radical experiences. At the edge of the Pacific Ocean. This property in the middle of the forest
tropical has been home for several years a fitness center
somewhat peculiar shape. We practice there
a mixture of shamanism, yoga and relaxation through massage. – Take a deep breath.
Released. – The owner's name is
Darren Mack Bratney. This American
is the self-proclaimed therapist hard bangs
of the hippie movement in Costa Rica. This morning, he is organizing for his clients
a strange gardening session. Everyone comes here for a plant that
is all the rage in this community. – Take a drink
and do like this. Medication,
these are its roots. – This shrub is iboga. A well-known African medicinal plant
for its hallucinogenic properties. so dangerous that it is classified among the products
narcotics in Europe and the United States. Costa Rica is one of the few countries
in the world to allow its consumption. – This medicinal plant
is the strongest in the world. When we absorb it, it's like five years
of psychoanalysis in one evening. It reprograms your body
from the day you were born. – These therapeutic effects have never
been recognized by scientists, but Darren firmly believes in it. For 20 years,
he makes his business out of it. Dozens of tourists pay
each year more than 4,000 euros to afford a week
of supposedly miraculous cure. – There, it's a good
place to plant.
– Among them, Cash, Magdalena and Candy. These three friends who came expressly from England,
are in search of mental well-being. Their initiation begins with
planting young shrubs, but the gardening part turns
gradually into witchcraft. – It's a sacred ceremony. – Candy brought her charms and a very surprising fertilizer. – His own blood. – These are my last periods. I got them back
to offer them to the earth. It's an offering
to Mother Nature. Thank you for everything. thank you for this
amazing human experience and all that
you provide us. -In a few hours, Candy
and his friends are going to consume the iboga and live a confusing experience. Before, a conditioning. Participants must
get rid of their outfit and paint their body and face.
– It's a return to basics,
a return to basics. That's what iboga gives you. It reveals your true nature. – Head to that sauna
typical of Native American peoples. It is heated thanks to its large
stones that have been immersed in fire. On the inside,
the temperature climbs to 90 degrees. The group summons the spirits
and sings shamanic refrains. – This is crazy, man. You sweat so much, you
get rid of your impurities. We sang
tribal songs as if we had returned
hundreds of centuries back.
– I have never done
something like that. It is as if
we were in a parallel world. – Tourists are now
ready for the long-awaited ceremony. They will pass
the night on these mattresses. Before starting, they have to hunt
evil spirits with incense. Darren, the guru, comes to reassure them
before the big leap into the unknown. – Good night,
I will be around to help you. – All absorb these small
pills that contain iboga. Its consumption has already caused death
dozens of followers worldwide. Deaths caused by
respiratory arrests. You're welcome
frighten the participants. Only Magdalena starts
a prayer for courage. – I'm stressed right now. – What are you afraid of? – My demons. I'm afraid of my demons. – I do not know
what will happen to me. I want to take this trip
with a child's soul and a warrior spirit. – Gradually, the plant will submerge them
in a state of semi-consciousness. At Darren's request,
we film discreetly.
– It's not nothing
what they are doing. If you bother them
during this process, it can be very
disturbing to their mind and it's not
good for their health. – In truth, what he does not want to show,
these are the formidable effects of iboga. Even when we don't die of it, the plant can cause
epileptic seizures, paralysis and even syncope. All night long,
attendees will be haunted by visions
mystics and hallucinations. Most of them go
back to the bathroom to vomit.
These intense scenes
will repeat… until dawn. Twelve o'clock
after swallowing the pills, the three English are still
under the influence of drugs. – I do not feel
very well today. As if my brain
had been reset. I don't understand
well what is going on. That's crazy. I was very ill. – Candy, she is convinced
to have communicated with the Holy Spirit. – I surfed the Milky Way. I went to the moon. Hundreds of stars
spinners fell on me. God exists, I'm sure of it. At 1000%. As for Magdalena,
still in shock, she doesn't want
recount his experience. In France, these seminars
of self-revalorization are doomed by the authorities
who call them sectarian. Here, the state prefers
close eyes. A dozen centers, like the one Darren have seen
emerging in recent years. Jungle, dream beaches, and even a volcano.
Costa Rica alone offers
a variety of spectacular settings. These landscapes do not attract
than backpackers or hippies. In 20 years, the country is also
become the eldorado of lovers. Tourists who travel thousands
miles to get married here. Anya and her fiancé
Howie are New Yorkers. They will celebrate their union
in a few hours on the beach. Before, they offer themselves
amazing photo shoot in suit and dress
wedding in the middle of the jungle. – Hello, how are you ? Nice to see you. You are in good shape, I hope. – To get
these glamorous shots, the two lovers
called on Thomas. This photographer is French,
settled in the country for 17 years. He made this wilderness
and preserved its goodwill. – Look at me
and embrace. – Thomas photography
no less than 50 weddings per year. A business
exploding in Costa Rica. – There, we have Americans.
Those were Dutch. We had French people too
and Quebeckers, therefore French-speaking. We have Poles who have come. – To seduce its customers of the day,
the Frenchman pulls out all the stops for them. He knows the right places. Only in Costa Rica
take a good photo, it's worth it.
– Are you OK
if I sit there? – Perched two meters high,
the couple is not very comfortable. – He is dizzy. – No it's OK. I am strong. – Make her laugh. She's a little scared. I add a little risk inside,
it adds a little spice, It's quite interesting. A little bit of stress
a little bit of happiness. They are in Costa Rica. – This photo, future spouses
are not about to forget it. – It will prove to our children
that we were adventurers and that we liked the risks. However, they will be prohibited
to do this type of activity.
– Come on, let's cross the river. – The photo session takes little by little
wild expedition looks and Thomas will push the lovers
in their last entrenchments. His idea, photograph them
in the water, fully clothed. – It's really adventure. – Anya can say
farewell to her beautiful dress. Last detail that was not
not expected, these mojarras. small fish
seemingly harmless. – There are plenty of fish.
– They come to say hello. However,
they will quickly go on the attack. – They bit me. – This species
don't like to be disturbed and she knows how to defend her territory. – Did they bite you? OK, let's stop, let's go. – Anya's had enough. It's time to reach the mainland
to prepare for the big ceremony. Lovers rented at the edge
from the ocean this huge property with swimming pool and private golf. They paid 35,000 euros
to have the wedding of their dreams. It is not given.
Only,
at home, in the United States, they would have paid at least
three times more for the same standing. It's also that
who makes Costa Rica a favorite destination
for many Americans. – I came about twenty times,
there is always something new to see. new people
with whom to have a good time, it's incredible. When I leave
I feel sad. – It's nice to talk
of my country like that. – It's sincere, I think so. – Thanks. – Now for the big moments
they've been waiting for so long. The ceremony takes place on this
beach, facing the Pacific Ocean. New Yorkers of the Jewish faith, they have
meet their whole family. – The little guy from New York that
I am, will marry the woman of his dreams. We've been through a lot
things together, but the real adventure
start now. – I promise to always be
by your side and to be faithful to you. No matter what
life has in store for us. Today I give you
my heart as a wife. – This moment of grace, anya and howie
have been dreaming about it for years.
Thomas multiplies the clichés
so that they remain forever engraved in their memory. – That's wonderful. The white sand, the ocean,
sunset. what can we
ask for more? – It really is paradise
in every sense of the term. – Like Anya and Howie, 170,000 foreigners choose
every year Costa Rica as a wedding destination. With its lush nature, its five-star hotels
and its sumptuous villas, the country has succeeded in reconciling
tourism and sustainable development. However, in Costa Rica,
there are still exceptions. Remnants of an era where the watchword
was not yet ecology. Some places where
mass tourism has developed with serious consequences
for the environment. Like Jaco, a seaside town
in the south of the country, much appreciated by
North American vacationers. Here, no tropical forests,
but fast food, souvenir shops
and tourist buses. The city turned into a small
California with Costa Rican sauce. – It's cool here, we eat well,
the beer is good, the people are friendly.
– Is it like home? – Yes, we feel at home here. – We're right next to the beach. We relax, it's cool. – Each year, 300,000
vacationers land in this city of 10,000 inhabitants. A boon for traders. These tourists are also at
source of seawater pollution. Victor Arce, one of the leaders of the fight
environmentalist in Costa Rica is angry. With his wife Carla
and his nephew Hector, he comes regularly
surf this beach. However, scientific studies
demonstrated that these waters contained a very high rate
human excrement. – Water from Jaco,
she looks so clean but in fact, it is contaminated. We found inside
lots of fecal residue. – Do you surf in feces? – I try not to think about it too much,
but it is sad. It should really
protect our beaches. – In question, the insufficiency
of the wastewater treatment system. In some places, sewers flow directly
in this river that flows into the ocean. These waste waters
are full of excrement, but also products
household items from hotels and neighboring shops.
The poorest
come and wash there, at the risk of being
contaminated with bacteria. – Look, it's there. Do you see the falling water? You see,
it is a whitish color. It smells very bad. – The authorities have nevertheless reacted. They built some
wastewater treatment plants. However, due to the tourist boom,
they were quickly outdated. – It's a consequence
direct from mass tourism. Nothing was planned. Jaco has grown
like a big city, but without infrastructure
of health that should go with it.
– This is not the only one
subject which scandalizes Victor. Four years ago the government
pledged to ban by 2021 single-use plastic items, like bags,
straws or bottles. For the moment,
It is off the mark. Just go to
a supermarket in this seaside resort to see it. – Plastic, plastic,
plastic packaging, plastic. – Here it is everywhere. – All bottles are plastic. – The conclusion is clear. When he is shopping,
the ecologist has to deal with it. why you buy them
if it's plastic? – Do you see an alternative? There are no other options. What can I do ? I do not eat ? Plastic invades us.
I have to eat well, right? – If he is disgusted, it is because he knows that a part
of its packaging will end up in the ocean and pollute more
the beaches of Jaco. So to save
the ecosystem of his city, Victor has decided
to roll up their sleeves. He created an association
eco surfers. Once a week, they clean up
the dirtiest beaches in the region. – Look guys,
there's a good bunch of them. Two bottles, three bottles,
a washing machine block, a shoe, a deodorant, it hurts my heart.
– Surfers accustomed to the place
usually lend them a helping hand. – Where did you find this? – It was on the beach. – Yes as usual. – These are tires
bicycle or motorbike. People throw them into the sea
and the current brings back all the garbage. – In Costa Rica, selective sorting
has been mandatory for 10 years. – Five, ten,
fifteen, twenty-five. In my opinion, we picked up some
at least 45 kilos today. Victor and all the volunteers who
help him, remove each year, almost seven tons
litter on the beaches. In Costa Rica, in matters of ecology,
there is something even more serious.
The other major environmental challenge,
it is intensive agriculture. Coffee, bananas
Or pineapple. These cultures are practiced
in vast fields and they pay off big. The pineapple alone generates a billion
dollars in revenue each year. Costa Rica is
the world's leading exporter. Most of those found
in France to supermarkets come from here. – This is our
best typical fruit from here, our treasure, it is excellent. I have fresh ones every day. – Except that the beautiful story ends there. Because to produce so many pineapples, There is no miracle. The country is the biggest
pesticide user in the world per cultivated hectare. On average six times more than in France. A shame for this nation
which places ecology above all else. The impact on the environment
and the health of the inhabitants is disastrous. In the small village
of Paco Arreto, in the north of the country, Karen can't sleep at night. – Look, the yellow plane is coming back. – Every day, in front of his house,
she attends the same aerial ballet. This plane is spreading pesticides on the plantations
located near her home.
– They're coming this way
and fly over houses. The wind carries the poison towards us. – The mother
is completely surrounded. all around his house, fields as far as the eye can see,
all fed with pesticides. Karen is convinced that these are her
chemicals that made him sick. She has bone cancer. He was diagnosed four years ago. She is undergoing treatment
oral chemotherapy and fight all
days to survive. – I am very tired, I sweat a lot and I hurt in everything
the body, especially the bones. At night I wake up in pain
to take my meds. It's really very hard. – Unable to establish with
certainty the causal link between these pesticides and his cancer. Karen is sure of herself. The mother points
finger pineapple crops just behind his house. For years, she washed in
this river that borders the fields. She then realized that
used pesticides flowed into it.
– I think I have been contaminated by chemicals
of the pineapple plantation. There are no other
possible explanations. Even my doctor told me that. – Karen didn't press charges, because she can't afford it
to afford a lawyer. Before illness,
she was a cleaning lady. Today she does not work
more and survives with her six children thanks to a state grant, 130 euros per month six times less than
the average salary in Costa Rica. Fortunately, Etel, his son,
give him a hand. He is a seller in
clothes shop. – What did you bring? – Chicken.
– Thanks. Come let me kiss you my son. Thanks. – I think about his illness all the time.
Every day I wonder if
my mom will be with us the next day. It's very hard. – With his meager income, the family knows she doesn't weigh much
thing in the face of multinationals in the sector. In Costa Rica, several companies
share the juicy pineapple business. Almost all have
use of pesticides. This is what one of the workers admits,
who works in one of the plantations. – Hello. – In these fields, journalists
are not welcome. We film with a hidden camera,
without revealing our identity. What is in this cistern? – Chemical products,
insecticides and fertilizers. We put the product here. It's to grow
the plant faster. – Among the products spread,
some are banned in Europe. A farm worker agreed to us
show the damage they can cause. He does not work in
a plantation for only two years and he is already a victim of it. I lost my fingernails by handling herbicides
in the pineapple fields.
They fell a year ago. They broke away,
I bled and it hurt a lot. Look,
you can see the blood underneath. Now people
always look at my hands. They see that I am different. So I walk with a closed fist,
I'm ashamed and it depresses me. – When he handles these pesticides,
they wear gloves, but they don't have
enough to protect his hands. His case is not isolated. According to the unions, dozens of other workers
would have health problems. Why operators in Costa Rica
do they use such large quantities pesticides to grow pineapples? We wanted
ask them the question, But the most
refused our camera. – You have no right to return. – Who told you that ? – The owners. – Only one boss accepted
to talk to us by phone. He is European and has
a large plantation in Costa Rica. According to him, to ensure
good yields, pesticides are essential
in this country with a hot and humid climate. – Produce pineapple at a high
scale, chemical free, it's impossible.
These are the tropical countries, everything grows, the mushrooms
also grow faster. Afterwards, you have to protect yourself from insects,
so you're going to have insecticides. In Costa Rica, if you don't put it on,
we lose 99% of the production. There is no secret. – Today in Costa Rica, only 3% of production
of pineapple is organic. A drop of water
in this lucrative business. Karen may see for
long tank trucks turn around his house. Since she developed her cancer, she surrendered to God. In the evenings, she goes to the village church
to find some comfort there. – Hello Karen.
How is it going ? – This is one of
most assiduous parishioners. Her faith, Baptist, she hopes,
will save her. – God can do
great miracles. When I was in intensive care,
it was he who helped me hold on. – Karen continues
to follow his treatment. For now,
his health is stable. Like her, the sick
pesticides remain invisible. Today, the state
still not recognize the link between their pathology and the use
mass of chemicals.
When it is about
to protect the environment, the authorities are however
capable of small miracles and they are ready
to use the hard way. At the other end of the country, a Rangers team prepares
for an unusual mission. These specially equipped men,
are environmental police. – It's an Uzi and
a semi-automatic pistol. It fires 600 rounds per minute
and we have 20 bullet magazines. – Their leader is this woman. Her name is Yemi. If she and her men
are armed to the teeth, it's not to make a descent
muscular in a red light district.
– Good evening. – It's to protect
prestigious guests landing on the beaches
from Costa Rica once a year. Sea turtles. Every year, they come back to lay
their eggs where they were born. At times they may
be more than a million to pile in. It's everywhere
on every square meter. They step on each other,
there are so many of them. This almost unique phenomenon
in the world is called the arribada, the big arrival. Every year, amazed tourists come to enjoy
of this breathtaking spectacle.
– It's an amazing experience. I am 63 years old,
I came here to see this, to attend an arribada. – It's unreal. I dreamed
of that for years. – Do you like children? – Yémi and his men watch
tourists out of the corner of the eye. If they are there it is especially for the poachers who
try to collect turtle eggs because they are threatened with extinction. – Hello gentlemen. – Yémi has precisely
spotted two suspects. – Please come over here. You have to get out of the beach. I don't want to see you here. Please. Now you have to get out. – The policewoman knows
well these two men. – In the past,
they have already stolen eggs. So they banned
to come to this beach. They were tried in court. – They risk
up to three years in prison if they are caught
hand in the bag. However, there are candidates
because eating turtle eggs, it is a local tradition. Here, just bend down
to shovel it up.
This beach is seven kilometers long. Yémi recognizes that she
can't control everything. – There are plenty of accesses like this. That's a street. Thieves pass by
to poach quietly. We have houses that give
directly on the beach, so it's easy to access it. – It's usually after dark
poachers are the most active. One of them agreed that
we followed him on his egg hunt. We will call him Antonio.
He has been poaching here since
fifteen years. – People ask me for eggs.
So I poach. It makes me money
pocket is fine. – Not to be
spotted by the Rangers, Antonio asks us to film
without light with an infrared camera. Just arrived on the beach, feeling the sand with his feet,
he already spots a first nest. – It's easy, but you have to go fast. There are guards everywhere.
It's good, those are good. There are guards there,
I saw a light. We have to go now. In less than five minutes,
Antonio collected about twenty eggs. He leaves to deliver them
to a regular customer so as not to have too many
on him in case of control. – Mom. There are eggs, take them. – They are awesome. Its good. Take this. – Okay that's good.
Come on, I have to go. – For this first bag,
Antonio has just won two euros. It may seem thin,
but this is only the beginning. – Some nights, I can make myself
45 euros thanks to contraband. I don't mean turtles. With this I will
can buy me a drink. That's all that matters. The turtle is my livelihood. That's all that matters. The rest, I don't care. – In this country where the inhabitants
earn only twenty euros a day, turtle egg trafficking
is good business. To break this parallel trade, the authorities found
another rather surprising parade. The next morning, 10 a.m.,
in broad daylight, in plain sight, locals go
also cross the red line and collect the precious turtle eggs. – First, we seek
with tiptoes.
Then we touch
the sand with the heel. That's it,
I felt something. We are going to watch. It may seem surprising, except that they have every right
to collect and sell these eggs. Don Jeremias and his friends are part
of an association having an exclusive license granted by the state. – You have to dig
to reach the bottom. This is where it's the freshest,
and the eggs are fresher too. I am rarely wrong, I have become
champion to find the eggs. I will show you
how we eat them here. Like that, nature. It's very good, it gives strength,
it is a blessing from God. – Collection takes place
ten days a year. All members
of the association are invited and the number of eggs collected is limited. It's a situation
unique to Costa Rica. The aim is to enable residents
to perpetuate their ancestral traditions, but above all to break
the black market by selling them at low prices.
– Great girls, it's full,
there are many this year. – Hélène is a biologist. She endorses this collection, because it does not affect
to the development of the species. In fact, during the arribadas, there are many turtles
that they lay on top of each other and destroy themselves
their own eggs. There is a lot
of eggs that are laid. Therefore,
some end, crush. an arrival,
it can last 15 days. The turtles that come last
crush the eggs of the first. It's every time
the same thing and we lose all that.
For members of the association,
it is also very advantageous. The money from the sale
eggs are distributed to them. Few hundreds
euros per year and per person. Today, on this beach, turtle births
are constantly increasing. A shocking spectacle
every time, Don Jeremias. – Look ! She has just been born. The poor,
we help him out of the hole. She can not. If she stays there, the other mom goes
crush it without doing it on purpose. It happens all the time. She was lucky
this little turtle. When I see babies
arrived at the water, it touches me so much. It warms my heart very much. We men
we should take inspiration from that. They are so innocent. It's a very delicate balance. You have to be careful about it. – On average, only one in 1000 turtles
who is born here reaches adulthood. Like all the others, this one, if it survives, will come back to lay
in Costa Rica in about ten years. Thanks to the efforts
of the state and of all the inhabitants, the country is today
become a refuge for more than ten
of endangered species.