Every year thousands of turtles gather on this narrow strip of beach in Nicaragua to nest. The gathering of Olive Ridley turtles at Chacocente is known as the arribada and lasts for a month.

The turtles' eggs are considered a delicacy and an aphrodisiac in Nicaragua which means they are traded on the black market.

Five kilometres away is the traditional fishing community at Bahia de Astillero where local people help protect the nesting turtles.

Local people help conservationists collect the eggs and move the nests to a safer place.

Workers move around 20,000 eggs the size of ping pong balls from 250 nests. They are taken from the beach in Chacocente to Astillero.

The eggs are then placed in a nursery. The area has been cleaned and enclosed to protect the eggs from predators and poachers.

After 45 to 50 days incubating the baby turtles emerge from the sand. The young ones are released into the sea at sunset every day.

The local community celebrate the return of the turtles to the sea with a festival.

The nursery has created local jobs, improved education about the environment and brought in tourists. Poaching has been reduced allowing more turtles reach the sea safely.

Jose Urtega (centre) from Fauna and Flora International, Roberto (left) and Don Manuel from the Ministry of the Environment all help protect the turtles.

A young turtle makes it way to the sea.