Programs Abroad

GUATEMALA - Sea Turtle Protection

	Project: Wildlife and Nature Booking Nº: GL101 Country: Guatemala + Location: Region of Hawaii Minimum Stay: 2 weeks Start dates: all year round Price: 2 weeks, from 420 USD
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Task

Turtle Conservation
Construction
Environmental Education
Mangrove reforestation
Caiman and iguana breeding
Community Projects

The project in the ecological park is an integrated project that, while attempting to conserve the flora and fauna of the area also tries to offer local residents economic alternatives to improve the quality of their lives. In addition to its educational activities, it has carried out health projects (construction of latrines and wells) and offered training in the preservation and processing of fish products and eco-tourism. Volunteers have assisted in these activities.

Volunteers are hosted at the Sea Turtle, Crocodile and Mangrove Conservation Project near the town of Hawaii (Guatemala, not US) 5 miles east of the main Pacific resort town of Monterrico.

1. Turtle Conservation (Egg Collection and Hatchery Management)
During the egg-laying season (June-October) volunteers are formed into patrols and spend nights walking the beach in search of nesting turtles. Once the turtle is sighted and "claimed", volunteers wait until it has finished laying, collect the eggs, transfer and then bury them in the hatchery. Volunteers also receive voluntary donations from local egg collectors and carry them to the hatchery. Once the eggs have been buried in the hatchery, the nest is marked and recorded in a log. Once the eggs begin hatching (mid-July to December), volunteers assist in releasing the hatchlings and excavating the nests to determine the hatchling success rate, usually over 90%. Hatchlings should be released at night or early or late in the day. They should never be released during the heat of the day as there are more predators and the midday sun will dehydrate them. Basic research in turtle biology is also conducted including measuring nest and sand temperatures,
conducting nightly crawl counts and monitoring and recording hatchling success rates. Volunteers
take part in these research activities. We are also open to any other research ideas you may have.

2.Construction
The Ecological Park is still young and plans to expand its activities as a center of conservation in the south coast region of Guatemala. Volunteers assist in the construction of additional turtle hatcheries, including hatcheries in nearby schools, and the construction of volunteer and research facilities on the park.

3. Environmental education
We firmly believe that environmental education is one of the keys to conserving the wildlife of Guatemala, and at all of our project sites, we host volunteers who are interested in helping out in our Environmental Education Program, although this requires a higher level of Spanish language ability. Volunteers assist in conducting environmental education activities in area schools, including teaching classes, developing curriculum, conducting beach clean ups and operating school hatcheries.

4. Mangrove reforestation
The mangrove forests lining the Chiquimulilla Canal are under constant threat from illegal loggers and fires caused by the cleaning of pasture for cattle. Volunteers assist in mangrove reforestation activities carried out in conjunction with local schools and conservation groups.

5. Caiman and iguana breeding
Crocodiles and other animals were once abundant in the south coast, but are rapidly disappearing due to hunting and loss of habitat. Crocodiles and iguanas are captive bred on the grounds of the Park and offspring are released into the nearby mangrove forests. Volunteers assist in the feeding and care of breeding caimans and iguanas.

6. Community Projects
Successful sea turtle conservation efforts in other parts of the world have shown the need to work closely with local communities. This is especially true in a country like Guatemala where the resources and/or will on the part of the authorities are lacking to impose more stringent conservation measures.

Although the turtle egg-laying and hatching season is from June to November and is the most active time at the Center, volunteers are needed at all times. Mangrove reforestation activities are carried out December to February. For those interested in environmental education, the Guatemalan school year lasts from January to November.

Accommodation

Volunteer house or Home stay
Volunteer house is fully equipped
Home stay with 3 meals / day

The Ecologic Park includes a large central rancho with kitchen, office/library, second-story dormitory, a large, open common area with hammocks and tables, and a western toilet and shower. There is also a small visitor's house where volunteers are welcomed to sleep. Nearby are the crocodile and iguana reproduction pens and the well. 260 feet away, just behind the coastal dunes, is the main turtle hatchery and holding tanks and a lookout tower. There is 110 AC/DC electricity available. Accommodations are rustic but comfortable, and with the ocean breeze and roar of the surf in the distance, make for the ideal atmosphere to relieve the stress of modern life and take in the wonders of the Pacific Ocean.

The volunteer lodging includes bed, shower, toilet, lockers and kitchen. The dormitory is screened in, but some volunteers hang mosquitos nets as well as an added precaution.

For volunteers looking for a little more adventure and a more authentic Guatemalan experience, we also offer home stays with local families in more remote fishing villages where volunteers help in the management and data-gathering at community hatcheries and educational and community activities. Homestay includes 3 meals per day and you will have your private bedroom. There is internet service in Monterrico, 10 minutes away by bus.

Requirements

Language:
Spanish language is not mandatory; however some Spanish skills will greatly enhance your effectiveness as well as your satisfaction with the volunteer experience.

Skills:
No prior experience is required; volunteers with a background in marine biology, ecology or prior work experience in environmental, educational or development work are preferred.

Age:
18+ years

Vaccination:
Please ask for medical advice in your home country and check the general entry regulation.

Insurance:
Full travel & medical insurance for Guatemala.

Visa:
Usually, tourist visa is fine for up to a 3 months stay. However, we recommend consulting the Guatemalan Embassy of your home country.

Details

The Ecological Park includes several volunteer projects. Among those are the sea turtle project, the caiman and iguana breeding project and the mangrove conservation project on the Pacific coast of Guatemala.

Guatemala's Pacific coast stretches 155 miles between Mexico and El Salvador and is made up of volcanic plains on which some of Guatemala's richest agricultural lands and largest farms lie. Because of this intense agricultural activity, the coastal plain - unlike the Peten region whose forests have remained relatively healthy - has lost much of its original biodiversity. However, the coastal fringe - including mangrove-lined canals, lagoons and lakes - has remained relatively intact, home to a rich variety of marine and bird life.

The activities of the Ecological Park were initiated in 1993, primarily as an attempt to counteract threats to leatherback and olive ridley turtle populations by overharvesting by local egg collectors.Despite their endangered status, virtually all sea turtle nests in Guatemala are harvested and the eggs sold to restaurants or in markets. Turtle eggs are popular in Guatemala, as in other parts of Central America, as a supposed aphrodisiac; clearly not a basic need given a population growth rate of nearly 3%.

The Park's base of activities on the south coast is a 3 hectare park on the beach, 1.5 miles west of the village of Hawaii and 4,5 miles east of the resort town of Monterrico. The Park is also in negotiations with the Guatemalan government to establish a 3500 hectare protected area centered on the mangrove wetlands of the area. The region's ecosystem consists of mangrove-lined estuaries, dry tropical forests and volcanic sand beaches. Beaches are of the "high-energy" type characteristic of the pacific coast: relatively steep and narrow with strong waves and tides and no reefs. The climate in the Hawaii area is hot with a rainy season between June and October. Days are hot, but breezy; nights calm and warm with occasional thunderstorms.

Under its project the Park solicits donations of sea turtle eggs from local collectors and then reburies the eggs in protected hatcheries. After an incubation period of roughly 50 days, the hatchlings are released into the sea. Over 12,000 eggs were collected in 1997, 10,000 in 1998, 14,500 in 1999 and over 16,000 in 2000. The Park's hatchery is the most productive of the roughly 14 sea turtle hatcheries in Guatemala. It also carries out research on these endangered reptiles. In an attempt to counteract the effects of unsustainable hunting and habitat loss, the Ecological Park breeds spectacled caimans (Crocodiles caimanus fuscus) and green iguanas (Iguana iguana) for release in the mangrove forests.

The mangrove forests, wetlands and coastal lagoons of the area are one of the last remaining natural areas on the south coast of Guatemala and in urgent need of protection. It also monitors harvesting of mangrove wood and conducts local educational and reforestation campaigns. Together with the Guatemalan government and local communities, the Park is working to establish a protected area of over 3500 hectares with the goal of conserving the natural resources of the area while at the same time working with local residents for their sustainable development.

The Park furthermore carries out educational activities such as lectures on litter, ecology and endangered species and interactive events such as beach clean-ups and baby turtle release "races" at area schools. It operates school hatcheries where students collect and bury their own turtle eggs and then release them when they are born.

Prices

Duration	in USD
2 weeks	420.-
3 weeks	525.-
4 weeks	630.-
Additional week	100.-

One time registration fee 75 USD.

What’s included:

Accommodation
3 meals per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Orientation kit
Local support
24h-Emergency Number
Airport Pick-up

What’s not included:

Flight
Medical Insurance
Visa (if necesary)
Personal expenses
Local Travels

Country

Country Information Guatemala

Guatemala, a country of great natural landscape, strong religious practices, preserved Indigenous traditions and the best watermelon in the world! This Central American country is snuggled between the Caribbean Sea, Pacific Ocean, southern tip of Mexico and surrounding countries of Belize, Honduras and El Salvador. Guatemala holds about 42,000 square miles of land, slightly smaller than the US state of Tennessee. This country is home to upwards of 12 million people with 2 million inhabitants in the capital of Guatemala City.

The country has 14 eco-regions ranging from Mangrove forests, ocean bodies and five different ecosystems. An outstanding 252 wetlands reside in Guatemala, including five lakes, 61 lagoons, one hundred rivers and 3 swamps. These features are home to around 1,246 known species with only 6.7% thriving and 8.1% in threatened states. Similarly, the Guatemalan fauna of around 8,681 species record that only 13.5% are abundant and growing well.

Over 6 million people, half of the population of Guatemala, claim Indigenous ancestry. The Natives of today are descendants of the Mayan society that thrived in this region more than 1000 years B.C. The first evidence of human settlers in Guatemala goes back to at least 12,000 BC, though certain evidence suggest this date may be as early as 18,000 B.C..

The modern-day Indigenous are hard working and proud people who retain many of their traditions. In some parts of the country, many still dress in the colorful way of their ancestors and speak only their native language. The majority of the population of Guatemala is Ladinos, a mix between Indigenous and Spanish cultures. However, the term can also refer to Indigenous people that have left their ancestral ways and adopted a more modern culture.

Both Ladinos and Indigenous alike live modestly and at times in very rustic conditions, sometimes using palm fronds to create a thatched roof. Nonetheless, they are very proud people who tend to work long hard hours, seven days a week, commonly making their living off the forest and/or tourism. The primary forest products include chicle –a sap from a tree used to make chewing gum; xate a leafy palm used in floral arrangements; allspice and timber, which unfortunately is rapidly disappearing. Thankfully, the Peten Region and the UN-declared Mayan Biosphere Reserve are areas of intense international attention to protect the unique cultural and natural resources remaining in the largest forested area in the Americas after the Amazon basin.

The best time to travel to Guatemala depends on what cultural and sightseeing aspects most attract you. In regards to weather, December to February hold cold mornings and nights, March and April are the warmest and driest, while May and June bring buzzing mosquitoes. October and November ends the rainy muggy season and brings colder temperatures back to Guatemala.

The best time to travel in regards of cultural activity lie between to the two main Christian holidays in December and April. During the Christian pass-over month of April, Guatemala is alive with religious ceremonies and traditions. A second high season, typically for North Americans is between June to August. If you are planning to travel during these months, reservations and booking ahead are advised.

From walking around the busy streets of Guatemala City or exploring the enormous aesthetic temples of the ancient Mayans, this country holds many hidden jewels! Eating watermelon and mangoes galore, swimming in warm ocean water and discovering a new way of life, Guatemala has something for everyone! The people of “Guate” are warm, generous and await your visit!