Description

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Overview

 

Sea turtle conservation efforts started in this part of Latin America in 2004 when the initiator established a volunteer program for the protection of the sea turtles. Such conservation approach was unique and still has a special attention of various organizations around the world, most notably the WWF (World Wildlife Fund). In 2011, the sea turtle conservation activities were handed over to an organization you would volunteer with. This Caribbean coast turtle volunteer program comprises an important beach monitoring and a hatchery operation. Furthermore, it offers environmental education and outreach program to rise the awareness about sea turtle conservation and involve local Costa Rican communities.

 

Why volunteer for the sea turtles? How would a volunteer ‘help the world’ in protecting the sea turtles in Costa Rica?

 

Sea turtles are over 100 million years old. They travel through the oceans and are not limited by the states’ borders. Thus, all the nations living around a certain ocean area need to act together in the sustainable measures to protect these marine animals. Why are sea turtles important? They keep the sea in an ecological balance and through this keep the ecosystem healthy. Not long ago a survival of these sea turtles where you’d volunteer for was at risk due to the poachers, who are now helping in the protection (see below). If sea turtles cannot survive, this might have the consequences also on humans in the future, thus we need to preserve them. Costa Rica is very lush, green and mountainous, and has one of the most beautiful nature. This will inspire you to make a notable contribution and experiencing even a special volunteer adventure. Come along to this valuable sea turtle volunteer project.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner content_placement=”middle” el_id=”project-cta-green-color-white” css=”.vc_custom_1507287329245{margin-top: 50px !important;margin-bottom: 50px !important;background-color: #02ab4c !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}”][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]

Get advice for the sea turtle conservation.

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Location:

Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica

 

Duration:

1 week to 12 weeks

 

Airport of Arrival:

San Jose (SJO), Costa Rica

 

Volunteer Contribution:

Data collection and protection of the Leatherback Sea Turtles, Green Sea Turtles and Hawksbill Sea Turtles.

 

Age:

18 – 70

 

# of Volunteers:

30 International volunteers (e.g. USA, Canada, Denmark, UK)

 

Languages spoken:

English, Spanish

 

 Essential info:

To be added.

 

What is included?

 

Airport Transfers:

Volunteers will make their own way, via public transport, to and from Bataan, where they will be collected.

 

Accommodations:

Shared room in beach huts, in the research station

 

Food:

All inclusive; vegetarian, vegan also available; typical food of Costa Rica.

 

Insurance:

Volunteers must provide their own comprehensive travel health insurance with volunteer abroad coverage.

 

 Essential info:

To be added.

 

Other:

 

Optional excursions:

Due to the remote location of the project no excursions are available

 

Support:

24h emergency support and local in-country sea turtle conservation team

 

Not included:

Flights, personal expenses, transport to and from the airport, transport to and from Bataan.

 

Minimum Conditions:

• Minimum age: 18
• Participant must be in good physical condition
• Language: basic English, Spanish
• Interest: enthusiastic, team player, willing to help in turtle conservation;
• No vaccines are needed
• No police Background check is needed

The country is extremely safe, however precautions must be taken with your personal belongings.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1507287746302{margin-top: 50px !important;margin-bottom: 50px !important;background-color: #157a7c !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}” el_id=”project-cta-blue-color-white”][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]

Get live chat to have the best volunteer adventure in Costa Rica.

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Location

 

The project is located in the north of the Caribbean province. The beach is part of the 50km coastline stretching between Tortuguero National Park towards South of Costa Rica. The project is very remote, and access is only by the boat through the canals of Tortuguero.

Within the area we can find tropical rainforest, mangroves and rivers, which  are home for a lot of exotic animals like monkeys, sloths, crocodiles and a numerous variety of birds and insects.[/vc_column_text][vc_gmaps link=”#E-8_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” size=””][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-question” add_icon=”true” title=”About” tab_id=”about”][vc_column_text]

About

 

This sea turtle Costa Rican conservation project works together with the local community, where former poachers have been trained in sea turtle conservation and work together with volunteers to protect the critically endangered animals. The project does night and day beach patrols and operates a hatchery. Volunteers take an important part, as their fees represent an income for the local inhabitants. The volunteer organization strives to increase the alternative livelihoods for coastal communities versus poaching and hunting turtles and to achieve a sustainable sea turtle management.

 

The main threats for sea turtles in this part of Costa Rica are: egg poaching and hunting nesting turtles which are the cause for a population decline. Especially in the Caribbean, the consumption of sea turtle meat and eggs or the utilization of turtle shell for jewelry production is rooted in long-lived local traditions and a strong belief that sea turtle eggs serve as aphrodisiac. Along, sea turtles face the negative effects of global warming, contamination, habitat loss due to the beach erosion, entanglement in fishing gear and trash. Through the involvement of local inhabitants of this isolated and small community, the sea turtle project provides a unique opportunity for volunteers to experience a community-based Costa Rican conservation. It also offers a legal and sustainable revenue for community members. The data taken from nesting females improves our understanding of their behavior and helps coordinating conservation efforts worldwide.

 

The main nesting activities here are from the Leatherback Sea Turtle, but also Green Sea Turtles and Hawksbill Sea Turtles are coming to the beach and lay their eggs. All sea turtles species are listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Green Sea Turtle at this location is ranked as “Vulnerable” and the Leatherback and Hawksbill Sea Turtle as “Critically Endangered”. Therefore your sea turtle conservation volunteer position here will not only help to the sea turtles but also a local community! Exciting, isn’t it?[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-compass” add_icon=”true” title=”Orientation” tab_id=”orientation”][vc_column_text]

Orientation

 

Each volunteer will receive orientation in our offices in San Jose before travelling to the project. During the orientation, we will explain the volunteer work roles, explain why we need volunteers and give helpful tips to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-user-plus” add_icon=”true” title=”Contribution” tab_id=”contribution”][vc_column_text]

Contribution

 

Between March and October volunteers, together with the sea turtle research assistants, patrol the beach from 8:00 pm to 4:00 am in different shifts and sectors of the beach. It will take at least 4 hours to patrol the beach effectively and if a nesting turtle is found, the eggs will be collected and relocated into a hatchery. The turtle work will be done following an official protocol and involves tagging, taking biometry and other important data of the turtle. Former poachers, now trained in conservation techniques, and the trained volunteers carry out the important work and are responsible for guarding the nests at the hatchery and releasing baby turtles.

Not only for the sea turtles – volunteers are involved also in the daily tasks, like cleaning, gardening, kitchen work, painting, maintaining, beach cleaning etc., depending on the season and the needs.

 

Typical Day: You will volunteer about 6 – 8 hours per day, 6 days out of 7.

After breakfast, you will receive a briefing from the previous night’s activities.  After that, you will participate in the volunteer activities around the station. This could be maintenance, hatchery construction, cleaning, painting or beach cleaning – depending on the needs.  After lunch, you will have time to relax.

In the afternoon we will continue with our volunteer activities.

In the evening, dinner will be served, and you will prepare for your night shift. Patrols take place from 7pm though until 4am – so you will be put on a 4 hour shift during this time.

Hatchery monitoring takes place 24 hours per day – so if you do not go on a patrol you will be put on a hatchery shift.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_type=”entypo” i_icon_entypo=”entypo-icon entypo-icon-signal” add_icon=”true” title=”Living set-up” tab_id=”living-set-up”][vc_column_text]

Living set-up

 

Accommodation:

Volunteers will stay in one of 6 shared beach cabins.  Each cabin is equipped with bunk beds and can sleep 6 – 8 people. The shared bathroom and shower block is separate. The property is very open and just meters from the beach.

There is a kitchen, office for staff and a common area for the sea turtle volunteers, with hammocks and reading material.

 

Food:

Three meals a day are included (meals are mostly vegetarian). Meals will be prepared and served for volunteers, unless there are very few volunteers, in which case everyone will prepare and serve meals together.

Volunteers must wash their own dishes.

Meals are mostly vegetarian and typical dishes include Costa Rican food, rice, black beans, plantains, salads, vegetables, pasta and soups.  There are no amenities around, so volunteers must take their own snacks.

Tea and coffee are available all day.

Alcoholic drinks are not permitted whilst participating in the project.

 

Internet:

There is no WiFi or internet connection at the project

 

Laundry:

Volunteers can hand wash clothes. A detergent is available.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-suitcase” add_icon=”true” title=”Travel focus” tab_id=”travel-focus”][vc_column_text]

Travel focus

 

This is a beautiful area on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and has a lot of wildlife. It is common to see sloths, white faced and howler monkeys and many species of birds. Our work takes place at night on the beach – even when it rains, we must patrol the beach.

We are studying three different species of sea turtles, of which two are critically endangered – which is our biggest highlight!

In your free time, with no volunteering for the project, you are free to organize your own activities, such as morning exercises on the beach or taking a walk through the small community.

Swimming in the ocean is not recommended due to strong tides and rip currents.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_tabs][/vc_column][/vc_row]