Volunteer with Sea Turtle

Sea turtles are fascinating and unique animals. Each species is endangered to a greater or lesser degree, and volunteers are essential to sea turtle conservation around the world. Turtle is the most commonly found turtle in Sri Lanka. Depending on the amount of time you wish to donate, where you want to volunteer with sea turtles, and the amount of adventure you’re looking to endure, there are options around the world that can satisfy any traveler.


Project 01 : Sea turtle Rescue.

If you have always wanted to play an active role in conservation programs, then now is your chance to be a volunteer and contribute meaningfully towards the wellbeing of the Sea Turtles thriving in the south-western coasts of Sri Lanka. In the recent past, excessive commercial fishing and poaching of turtle eggs by humans and predators (dogs, monitor lizards, etc.) have resulted in their numbers dwindling significantly and thus, these turtles are not considered to an endangered species.

   1.   Preserving the eggs from predators and poachers
   2.   Providing a safe haven for hatchings to occur
   3.   Feeding them daily and releasing the healthy ones into the ocean when ready

What's Included?

What's excluded?

Purpose

The main purpose of this project is to protect the turtle eggs, and subsequently increase their population. On this project volunteers are expected to work closely with locals to rescue and collect the eggs of sea turtles.

Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities

As a volunteer for the Sea Turtle Conservation Project, you'll have to do the following,

  • Occasional overnight camping (during nesting season only). Go on night beach patrols to encounter, measure and tag nesting hawksbill turtles and on early morning boat patrols to document hawksbill nesting that might have been missed during the previous night’s patrols.
  • Protecting nesting mother turtles and eggs from poachers or predators.
  • Collect eggs for relocation to project hatcheries.
  • Monitor hatcheries for nest burial, temperature measurements, hatchling release and post-hatching nest excavations.
  • Release sea turtle hatchlings into their ocean home.

Location of the Project : Ahungalla Sea Turtle


Project length : Min 2 weeks - Max 12 weeks


© Ahungalla Sea Turtles Conservation and Research Centre | Design by Team SmarteWorks