Most turtles can be found in the oceans surrounding countries like Thailand, Costa Rica, Australia, southeastern USA, Greece, the Caribbean, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Oman and Egypt. If you have a passion for these beautiful animals apply to help them today.
Sea Turtle Conservation Programs
Island Turtle Rescue Nicaragua
• 2 – 8 weeks
• Price from £895
Sea Turtle Conservation in Costa Rica
• 2-12 weeks
• Price from £1,395
Work with Sea Turtles
Due to habitat loss along coasts lines sea turtles are facing a difficult future as the beaches where they usually lay their eggs are now home to hotels and resorts. Wildlife organisations are working to help turtles and their nesting eggs, and they hire volunteers all year round.
Voluntary work, internships and paid jobs are available all year round in exotic locations around the world. Projects are usually a lot of fun, where you’ll learn a lot from experienced staff, meet like-minded other volunteers from around the world and also get to to do activities in your free time.
You will receive practical training on the job from local staff, and have the opportunity to help safeguard vulnerable sea turtles and exceptional habitats for future generations.
Where You Can Help
On a project you’ll live and work with other enthusiastic and energetic international volunteers to conserve turtles. You can join projects all around the world with popular destinations being Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
In Europe, Greece provides a blend of a hot Mediterranean climate, fascinating ancient culture, and seas teeming with marine life. You can apply and immerse yourself in this fabulous culture whilst living close to the beautiful sandy beaches and helping to protect one of Greece’s most charismatic sea creatures, the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta in Greek). Plan a dream holiday to protect one of the most important loggerhead turtle nesting areas in Kefalonia.
What Will I Be Doing?
Your day to day duties will be dependent upon the current focus of the project at the time of your arrival. The work is varied with all volunteers taking on different roles each day.
If you are present during the main breeding season, you will assist in the identification of fresh sea turtle nesting activities. Successful nesting locations are then clearly marked and protected.
During peak nesting season tasks may include morning surveys to look for adult turtle tracks and locate nests, ‘caging’ or relocating threatened nests, and night surveys to observe and tag nesting females.
During the hatching season, you will record any hatching events and help to prevent the destruction of the nests. In addition to this, particular attention is paid to light pollution levels, which can cause hatchlings to crawl in the wrong direction and so, never make it to the sea.
You may have the opportunity to help identify potentially harmful light pollution sources and try to reduce their effects. When this is not possible, you will provide the nest with shade so that emerging hatchlings are not disoriented and make it quickly to the sea. Furthermore, you will patrol beaches close to the volunteer house, gathering valuable population data on these vulnerable sea turtles.
You will receive training and get to conduct daily monitoring surveys each morning to record nesting activity and help to protect turtle nests against predation by mammals and inundation by sea water. In addition to this, volunteers will conduct field surveys on nesting beaches to locate and protect new nests. At night you will help to survey, tag and measure nesting turtles and record beach characteristics and light pollution levels.
Sometimes you will work in an alternating shift pattern with the other volunteers. Between shifts you will have plenty of time to relax on your balcony, enjoy the white sandy beaches or explore the local area. You will also usually have one/two days off a week which will vary depending on the work programme assigned by your field leader.
FAQ
Additional Opportunities
Volunteers can enjoy a selection of other activities around their work shifts. You will have one day off a week which varies depending on the work programme assigned to you by your field leader. Some activities you can enjoy include hiking, swimming, sunbathing, horse riding, diving, snorkelling, sea kayaking and tours. Please be aware that some of these activities may incur an additional cost.
