Programs Abroad

COSTA RICA – Sea Turtle Protection, Nicoya Peninsula

	Project: Wildlife and Nature Booking Nº: CR115 Country: Costa Rica + Location: Nicoya Peninsula Minimum Stay: 2 weeks Start dates: all year round Price: from 2 weeks, 765 USD
More Photos...

Task

Patrolling the beaches during the night
Observing and protecting sea turtles and their eggs
Collecting and analyzing data
Teaching nature conservation at local schools

At the beginning of the project, you, as a volunteer, will be warmly welcomed and given an introduction of the most important issues concerning your work in the sea turtle project. There are numerous exciting tasks that are involved in the project which offer a great insight into the work of environmentalists in Costa Rica!

During your volunteer work, you will provide support to this project that devotes itself to the protection of different species of threatened sea turtles, their eggs and hatchlings in the province of Guanacaste. This region where you will be living and working forms part of the Camaronal National Park located on the beautiful Pacific Ocean of Costa Rica.

While working in this project you will patrol approximately 3 kilometers of beautiful beaches during the night where you can observe and study the actions of the rare Leatherback sea turtle and other sea turtle species in their natural habits. Turtles are present throughout the year on the region's beaches where they go to lay their eggs. July to December is the peak season when turtles lay their eggs. During this time volunteers can observe the makings of up to 30 turtle nests each night! From January to June an average of five sea turtles appear per night to make their nests on the beach. During either season, you will have the unique chance to view the sea turtles up close and become involved in the protection of their existence. While in the field at night, it is extremely important to collect data on the turtles in order to be able to evaluate and analyze the sea turtle population in the Pacific Ocean.

You will have the unique and exciting experience to be able to approach these mystical animals which are threatened with extinction. In this region, the rare Leatherback turtles are existent, allowing you to witness these endangered animals. Their incredibly enormous shells can grow up to 100 inches long and they can weigh up to 1,650 pounds. They typically appear from October to February on the region's beaches to lay their eggs.

Since the project aims is to protect the eggs and hatchlings from threatening wild animals that eat or trample the eggs, you will collect some of the turtle eggs and store them in incubators in order to observe them until the small turtles hatch after 45 to 60 days. You will then participate in their release into the wild. This is a huge assistance is supporting the sea turtle's population growth in the Pacific Ocean.
During some days, you and the other volunteers will also teach nature conservation classes at local schools with the objective of strengthening children's environmental awareness. Other days, you will work in the project's hatchery station in order to analyze the data that is collected throughout the night.

Accommodation

Volunteer House
Dormitory style bedrooms
3 meals per day

During the volunteer program, you will be accommodated in one of the designated volunteer houses. The houses are small and rustic but comfortable with a communal kitchen and dining area, a telephone and internet access.

Note: Depending on your arrival day, the program includes between one and three overnight stays in a single room with a Host Family (half board) or in a hostel in San José.

Requirements

Language:
Functional Spanish skills (language courses can be booked through us)

Skills:
No professional skills or experience is required.

Age:
18+ years

Vaccination:
not required. Please consult us and your doctor for specific recommendations.

Insurance:
Full travel and medical insurance is required. You can purchase a full coverage, no deductible health and travel insurance at a special rate for our participants by contacting your South America Inside representative.

Visa:
Tourist visa valid for 90 days. For further information regarding visa requirements please contact us and the corresponding embassy or consulate in your home country.

Details

During your volunteer work you will support this Sea Turtle Protection Project in the Camaronal National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is situated in the province of Guanacaste in the northwestern corner of Costa Rica. The area that became a National Wildlife Refuge in 1994 extends over 243 hectares of land spanning 3 kilometers along the coast. The region is the most important area in respect to sea turtles' nests in Costa Rica.

In additional to the turtles, you will find numerous different species of plants, mammals, birds and reptiles which make this one of the most biologically diverse regions on our planet. The large number of live species also attracts many volunteers from all over the world. As a volunteer you will support a team of biologists in observing sea turtles laying eggs, watching over the turtles' nests, excavating some of the eggs and keeping them in incubators. You will not only observe the animals but also the environmental conditions in order to record the temperatures and the amounts of precipitation.

The work in this project is extremely exciting. Witnessing and studying sea turtles that can reach a weight of up to 1,650 pounds with shells up to 100 inches long is a very unique experience. You will watch them dig holes incredibly fast, despite their huge size, in order to deposit up to 60 eggs in the sand!

In addition, you will teach nature conservation classes at local schools in order to explain to children the importance of environmentally responsible behavior. There are so many ways that you, along with other international volunteers, will be assisting in the protection and conservation of Costa Rica's wildlife. Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity!

mapa_camaronal

Source: Google Maps

Prices

Program Duration	in USD
2 weeks	765.-
3 weeks	995.-
4 weeks	1,225.-
Additional week	210.-

Registration fee 75 USD.

What’s included:

Accommodation
3 meals / day (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Orientation kit
Local support
24h-Emergency Number
Airport pick-up
Volunteer Work Placement
Certificate of participation

What’s not included:

Flight
Medical Insurance
Visa (if necesary)
Local Travels

Country

Country information Costa Rica

Costa Rica stands as one of the smallest countries in Central America with approximately 19,000 square miles and a coastline of 810 miles. The country borders Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the south and the Pacific and Caribbean Sea on either side. Costa Rica is home to 4.5 million people with upwards of 350,000 people living in the capital city of San Jose.

The Costa Rican climate is commonly humid and warm year round, although temperatures in the highlands are typically colder and cloudier. Incredibly, 23% of an already small amount of densely populated land remains protected territory by National Parks and/or private reserves. This protected land is home and host to a wide variety of exotic plants, animals, and social and environmental projects to ensure the protection and conservation of the tropical habitat. When walking the streets of Costa Rica, make sure to ask Costa Ricans, who typically know heaps, about their national treasures.

Further, Costa Rica is the most politically stable country in Central America, with a disbanded army for more than sixty years and a relatively high standard of education. Tourism is one of the main economic income sources for Costa Rica. With over 2 million tourists exploring Costa Rica each year, the country stands as the most visited nation in the Central American region. Through eco-tourism programs, (which CR was one of the first countries offering this type of tourism), a variety of activities, and year round tropical weather, the country attracts tourists from all over the world.

Aside from protected land, the true jewels of Costa Rica are the surrounding islands with serene beaches and breath-taking nature. This country offers beautiful landscapes for dream vacations of beach lounging, surfing, snorkeling, hiking volcanoes, zip-lining, rafting, bird watching, fishing, and exploring rain forests.

The dry season of Costa Rica is between December and April, though like most Latin countries, schools are closed, beaches full and finding last minute hotels may be tricky. A second peak season arrives with the Europeans and North Americans during June and July. As the off-season arrives in May, so does the lush green vegetation with the rainy season. Lastly, Costa Rica encompasses year round possibilities for surfers, fishing enthusiasts and wildlife lovers alike. Depending on what coast you want to surf, what fish you want to catch and what bird you hope to see, there are variations on ideal months to further research.

Finally, Costa Rica is a perfect place to learn Spanish, as the Spanish spoken here is typically slow without strong accents and layers of slang. The Costa Ricans are very friendly, energetic and always with a smile!