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Turtle and Environment Conservation
Turtle and Environment Conservation

Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

Turtle and Environment Conservation

Trip Highlights

  • Opportunity to experience life in the most legendary and also most remote destinations in all of Central America
  • Work with a bunch of enthusiastic people during turtle patrols
  • Observe the turtles, protect their eggs, and indulge in doing something meaningful for Mother Nature
  • Gain first-hand work experience while assisting the local team
  • Meet some amazing like-minded travelers from all across the world
  • Experience the joy of staying in a beautiful isolated beach location
  •  

Overview

Overview

Volunteers in this project participate in a community-driven conservation project that aims to conserve sea turtle nesting beach habitat on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. They protect 8km of beach where they register over 7000 nests per season from the Olive Ridley and Pacific green species.The Osa Peninsula is on the far south Pacific tip of Costa Rica, in one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet. It is home to Corcovado National Park, that encompasses a wide variety of distinct ecosystems including old growth primary rainforest, palm forests, mangrove swamps, and coastal and marine habitats. With this variety of ecosystems comes a large number of native, endemic and migratory species. The Osa Peninsula alone holds an estimated 2.5% of global biodiversity, with some 250,000 plant and animal species, over 300 of which are found nowhere else on the planet.  

This project is actively working on 5 of the UN SDGs to help support the maintenance of a healthy planet.

Conservation and research on nesting sea turtle populations

  • Increase hatching success rates by protecting nests and in extreme cases, relocating nests to hatcheries. 
  • Increasing the chances of hatchlings reaching mature adulthood.
  • Reduce predation and poaching rates on our beaches by carrying out regular patrols.
  • Helping turtles that have suffered injuries as a result of bycatch, pollution, and damages from boats, other animals, or natural causes. 
  • Regular beach clean ups where we reuse garbage that is washed up on the beach and recycle the rest. 
  • Collecting data and conducting research to influence policy makers and to fill in information gaps in scientific research studies.

Community involvement in conservation

  • Provide better jobs with a steady income to people in the community. Specifically gold miners and ex poachers.
  • Educate locals on the importance of conservation within their community, to promote safe practices of ecotourism, and be more aware of plastic consumption and littering.
  • Provide English lessons to improve the lives of locals and to help community members take on leading roles in our project for tours, education, and manage overseas volunteers. 
  • Offer other services or tours, outside of turtle conservation, so that other community organizations may have a substantial income as well from ecotourism.

Education and activism

  • Promote environmentally responsible and sustainable economic opportunities
  • Leverage social media to promote environmental responsibility and awareness
  • Contributing to the advancement of local and national policy to further the Osa Peninsula's dedication to ecological sustainability
  • Developing and applying innovative methods for environmental research, conservation, and protection

A perfect program for, this program would give you an opportunity to gain first-hand work experience and contribute towards protecting the biodiversity of Costa Rica.


Program Requirements

Program Requirements

Volunteers must be 18 years or older at the time of joining the project. You need to have an open mind and a flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. The volunteer should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference. Participants must be fit and healthy at the time of joining the program and should be prepared to work outdoors and get their hands dirty. Participants in the program should have a keen interest and love for environmental conservation work. Participants should have no criminal convictions and should provide a clean criminal background check report.Participants should be prepared for physically demanding work as you have to walk for several hours on the beach in all weathers looking for nesting adult turtles. Volunteers need to be responsible, flexible, patient and proactive.You should have enthusiasm to get involved and learn as well as the ability to work hard without constant supervision.This is a great opportunity to learn new skills, meet new people and make a real difference to the turtles and local community members.


Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities

Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities

As a volunteer, you will participate in daily turtle patrols, morning patrols (3-5 hrs) or night patrols (4-7 hrs). On the patrols you will protect new nests, record data on the nesting females, see flipper tagging, excavate hatched nests, assist in the tourism element and release hatchlings!

During the day, you will also partcipate in beach clean-ups, plastic classification, English lessons for local people, presentations at our local schools, and tree planting and other maintenance projects around our camp! We normally work very hard on the project and we do expect all visitors to get involved to the best of their ability to help us achieve our goals, but there’s still always plenty of time to relax and explore. 


Volunteer Work Schedule

Volunteer Work Schedule

The weekly schedules must be flexible due to the nature of our environmental and community work and therefore if there are any changes to the schedule our staff will let you know as soon as possible. In terms of your work load, this will change depending on how many people are on camp, we may need you too help us out a little more than usual, but we will make sure you have time to rest. We will make sure that everyone has a minimum of one complete day off from required activities, however this will be designated by your camp leader and will fit around the weeks activities. If you would like to request a specific day off, please do so before the start of the week so it can be accounted for in the schedule.

Given below is a suggested plan, and might change according to circumstances :

Day 1, Sunday: Arrival in Puerto Jimenez

Arrival at Puerto Jimenez and transfer to a pre booked hostel accommodation in Puerto Jimenez. Arrival package for pickup and stay in San Jose is available at extra charges. There’s no pick up from the airport to the hostel included in Puerto Jimenez. Volunteers go on their own to the accommodation located in close proximity to the airport.

Day 2, Monday: Transfer to Volunteer Camp

Monday morning transfer to Camp Mariposa Azul. Meet and greet with the coordinator at the camp.

Days 3 to Day 8, Tuesday to Sunday: Working at the project site

Day 9, Monday : Return back to San Jose or continue program

Those participants who are doing the program for a week will be taken back to Puerto Jimenez this morning. Others will continue with the program further.

Things to Consider
  • Project Dates – The project is not available in May and June.
  • Pre Stay in San Jose – We can help you in arranging pickup and stay in San Jose before or after your program in Osa Peninsula.
  • Projects starts on Monday and ends on Mondays, volunteers need to be in Puerto Jimenez the night before (included in the project).
  • Minimum is one week, but more convenient to stay for longer 
  • Poor Wi-Fi
  • Work can be physically demanding

Living

Living

Being an International Organization, we try to make sure that our volunteers are given the kind of comfort and flexibility they seek. In terms of airport pick up, stay, local travel or work and even city tour, we help our volunteers and facilitate everything for them.

Airport Transfer

Participants need to arrive at Puerto Jimenez on a Sunday. You also have the option of booking airport pickup and pre stay in San Jose at extra charges.

There’s no pick up from the airport to the hostel included in Puerto Jimenez. Volunteers go on their own to the accommodation.

Accommodation

The rustic camp is made up of two mixed dormitory-style cabins with 8-10 volunteers per cabin, staff cabins, a communal kitchen, a chill-out area and a garden area with fruiting trees, a small greenhouse and a chicken coop. There is basic solar electricity and WiFi on the project, as well as western toilets and clean drinking water. 

There are lots of areas to explore in search of wildlife!! We share our space with some awesome domestic animals. The camp is equipped with the following :-

  • Clean drinking water
  • Single beds
  • Shared accommodation
  • Shower and toilet block
  • WiFi
  • Basic solar power
  • Handwashing laundry station
  • Parking / camping area
  • Communal area​​
  • Fully equipped kitchen

An English speaking volunteer coordinator is living at the camp and will make each week a clear agenda with work and fun activities.

Orientation

All volunteers are given an orientation before starting the program by the project coordinator.Orientation is conducted by the local staff and covers topics such as Volunteer Roles and Responsibilities,  Rules and Expectations, Safety and Introduction to your project and placement.

Meals

All meals are included at the camp and mostly vegetarian meals are provided.

During your Free Time

There are a lot of different activities around the Osa Península. Some of the activities are :-

  • Corcovado National Park 
  • Surfing in Matapalo 
  • Horse-riding - Chocolate tour 
  • Whale and dolphin tour 
  • Waterfall hike 
  • Guided gold-mining tour 
  • Plus a lot of free activities: night walks, jungle walks, beach cleans, game and movie night, pizza nights, etc. 

Beach nearby the camp is NOT allowed for swimming however you can enjoy activities such as beach playing games, looking for animals or taking in the awesome views.


Dates

Dates

2024

2025

January

07

14

21

28

February

04

11

18

25

March

03

10

17

24

31

April

07

14

21

28

May
June
July

07

14

21

28

August

04

11

18

25

September

01

08

15

22

29

October

06

13

20

27

November

03

10

17

24

December

01

08

15

22

January

05

12

19

26

February

02

09

16

23

March

02

09

16

23

30

April

06

13

20

27

May
June
July

06

13

20

27

August

03

10

17

24

31

September

07

14

21

28

October

05

12

19

26

November

02

09

16

23

30

December

07

14

21

28

Past Date

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Unavailable

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Costs

Costs

1 Week £553
2 Weeks £761
3 Weeks £918
Extra Week £255

Please Note: -An application fee of £179 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment.

What are you Paying for?

  • Pre departure information and support
  • Pre departure handbook
  • Pre-departure online (mindfulness) meeting 
  • Arrival on Sundays at Puerto Jimenez  
  • 1 overnight in Puerto Jimenez in a hostel
  • Monday morning 6am with colectivo/bus to Camp Accommodation
  • Meet & greet with English volunteer coordinator at the camp  
  • Including meals (mostly vegetarian) 
  • Follow up online (mindfulness) meetings
  • Free activities; night walks, jungle walks, game & movie night, pizza night etc. 
  • Poor Wifi
  • Return bus ticket back to Puerto Jimenez on Monday
  • Certificate Of Completion (Upon Request)

What's NOT included?

  • Airfare 
  • Visa  
  • Vaccinations
  • Pre and Post project stay in San Jose
  • Return Airport Drop

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