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Costa Rica Turtle Conservation Caribbean Coast
A lot of help is needed from local communities and volunteers to make sure that the turtle species continue to exist. At present, approximately only one in every 5000 eggs laid will ever grow to become an adult turtle. Though human interference isn’t the sole factor responsible for this, it does greatly lessen turtle population sizes.
By volunteering on this conservation project and helping during the turtle-nesting season you can help make a real difference. Before the project started, the poaching rate was more than 95% but now with the presence of our night patrols and the hatcheries on the beach, the survival rate has increased incredibly to over 90% last season.
Volunteer RoleThe main focus of the project is to protect the nesting grounds from human poachers, pests and also more recently from the erosion of the beach. There are two sites available: Cahuita National Park or Gandoca National Park.
You will be involved in a diverse range of activities depending on the time of year and which location you choose. For instance, during the peak nesting periods, volunteers will spend a greater percentage of their time on egg collection and monitoring the behaviour of the turtles. The main type of work on the project involves night patrols and hatchery shifts whereas daytime work might involve beach cleanup and small projects, including initial construction of the hatcheries.
Project LocationCahuita National Park and Gandoca National Park, on Costa Rica’s southern Caribbean coast in the Talamanca region, province of Limón.
Accommodation and Meals
- Cahuita National Park
Volunteers will stay next to the ranger station of Cahuita National Park. A brand new accommodation block has recently been built (April 2007) which is very basic but comfortable. The rooms are fully screened by mosquito nets, and you have lockers and shelves are available for your belongings. You will sleep in bunk beds and share a room with around six other volunteers.
- Gandoca
Volunteers have the chance of staying at the Sea Turtle field station or with local families that have cabins available. In either case, rooms are shared with other volunteers. The houses in the community have electricity and clean drinking water. At the field station there is also drinking water and a limited electricity supply provided by solar panels. Included in your programme are all of your meals; breakfast, lunch and dinner.
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Programme OverviewDuration & Prices:
2 weeks - $929/€649,
4 weeks - $1479/€1099,
6 weeks - $2039/€1499,
2 weeks language & 2 weeks - $1669/€1199,
4 weeks language & 2 weeks - $2219/€1649,
2 weeks language & 4 weeks - $2039/€1499,
4 weeks language & 4 weeks - $2589/€1899,
How to book & pay:
Secure with $339/€259 deposit. The balance is due 10 wks before departure.
What is included?
All accommodation
All meals during project
Detailed orientation
Airport pick San José
Return transfer
24 hour assistance
Tour advice |
What is not included?
Flights
Travel insurance
Visas
Meals in San Jose
Alcoholic beverages
Personal expenditure |
Programme Summary:
Night patrolling, rescuing and tagging turtles, eggs collection and helping the baby turtles get to sea!
Arrival dates:
Cahuita: Peak months: July and August
Gandoca: Peak months: April to May; season extends until end of July.
First Monday of above months (please aim to arrive the sunday before)
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