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  Help a community protect its population of Olive Ridley sea turtles when you volunteer with our Sea Turtle Project in Costa Rica.

As a volunteer on our Sea Turtle Project in Costa Rica, you will work at Ostional, a community beach and national wildlife refuge on the Nicoya Peninsula in Santa Cruz, Guanacaste. You will work with a local community group that is dedicated to protecting endangered sea turtles and gathering data on their behavior and population.

During the last quarter of the moon, female sea turtles crawl ashore en masse to lay their eggs in the sand. But the eggs deposited on the first few nights were often eaten by predators or destroyed by other turtles that arrived the following nights. Since a nonprofit community group began its restoration efforts two decades ago, the population of baby turtles that make it out to sea has tripled. In exchange for their conservation efforts, the community is allowed to sell 1 percent of the turtle eggs laid during these mass nestings. The generated funds help support the community’s schools and infrastructure.

As a volunteer in Costa Rica, you will help community members patrol the beach and clear it of debris and unwanted vegetation so the turtles can nest. You will tag some of the turtles and gather information on their nesting habits and egg development. Once the baby turtles hatch, you will help them reach the ocean by defending them against predators. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to work in the local community. School children are eager to learn English and computer skills, so you will also have the opportunity to help teach these classes.


As a volunteer you will be:
Help construct a hatchery
Patrol the beach and clean it of debris and vegetation
Mark turtles that are nesting and search for marked
    turtles that are returning to the beach
Construct watering system for the hatchlings during
    the dry months
Gather information on egg development
Defend baby turtles on their way to the ocean
Extract and pack the eggs that are sold lawfully
Help build infrastructure
Teach English and computer classes

Project Length: Start Dates:
Minimum: 1 week
Maximum: 6 months		 Flexible, please inquire.
Project Cost: Cost Includes:

First week:
Each additional week:
The Ostional Sea Turtle Project costs per week after the second week.

 Airport pickup
On-site orientation and project training
Accommodations
Three meals a day with host family
In-country support and program coordination
Activities
24-hour emergency number
Volunteer donation to support the project
Volunteer Schedule: Accommodations:

Volunteers will work a minimum of 6 hours and as many as 12 during high season (arrivals and births), if you wish. The exact hours and details of your day will be decided during the volunteer orientation. Schedules vary depending on project needs, and volunteers should remain flexible.

 You will be staying with a host family. Arrangements can be made in rustic cabins or a rustic hotel for an additional cost.


Home > Central America > Costa Rica


  Debra Anderson
  “I very much enjoyed the trip. It provided physical challenge, mental and emotional enrichment, and some downright beautiful scenery.”
  Michelle Acosta
  “My stay and experiences in Ostional were awesome. My host family was wonderful and very nice to me. My host ‘abuela’ cooked wonderful meals for me. And my experience with the turtles, monkeys, iguanas, etc. was fantastic. My most pleasurable experience was holding the baby turtles and helping them to the sea. This is a trip that I will never forget. I am a true adventurer and loved every moment of my stay in Ostional.”



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the brochure for
this project		  
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