Sea Turtle Conservation Internship in Sal Island, Cape Verde

Name: Sea Turtle Conservation Internship in Sal Island, Cape Verde
Brand: Project Biodiversity
SKU: 240676
Rating: 4.67 (3 reviews)

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4.67 Rating

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Location

Cape Verde

Length

18 weeks

Industry

Biology Conservation and Preservation Ecology Marine Biology Sustainable Development Wildlife Sciences

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Program Details

Compensation

Stipend

Timeframe

Summer

Language

English

Weekly Hours

Age Min.

Qualifications

Relevant qualification

Pricing

Starting Price

Price Details

Project Biodiversity is based in Santa Maria, a popular tourist destination known for its beaches and water-sports. Participants are based in field camps out of town with self-catering accommodation in Santa Maria provided on rest days. Meals are provided for in camp but are not provided on the days off. Field Assistants will receive a €100/month stipend.

Field Assistants are not required to pay any participation fees but need to cover their flights and insurance personally.

What's Included

Accommodation Some Activities Some Meals

What's Included (Extra)

Main meals are given during the time at the field camp. On days off, participants are expected to cover their own food.

What's Not Included

Some Activities Airfare Some Meals SIM cards Travel Insurance Visa

Last Updated: Feb 10, 2022

Last Reviewed: Feb 10, 2022

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24 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Project Biodiversity is looking for candidates to join our team as Field Assistants, from June until October, for the 2022 Loggerhead nesting season in Sal Island, Cape Verde. We need passionate, driven individuals who wish to help us protect this incredible species in its native habitat.

Loggerhead nesting season runs from June to October, with hatchlings emerging from mid-August to late December. Throughout the season the team of Project Biodiversity is made up of local and international assistants and volunteers. Our work involves patrolling beaches (night and morning) monitoring nesting and to deter hunting, collecting data, conducting research, collaborating with tourists and local businesses, operating hatcheries, running education and outreach activities and organising beach cleans. Although there is a wide scope of activities within the project, protection of nesting turtles continues to be the main focus and whilst this can be stressful and tiring, it is highly rewarding.

This program is currently not being promoted on Go Overseas by its provider. Check with Project Biodiversity for the most up-to-date information regarding the status of this program.

Video and Photos

Loggerhead normally nest during the night, but sometimes we find them during the day. Here our coordinator is training how to PIT tag a turtles to an internship.

The main hatchery is one of the three hatcheries were the doomed nests are moved to protect their eggs and to make sure that all hatchlings get to the ocean.

A juvenile green turtle found entangled in ghost fishing nets, was rescued, treated and released again to the ocean

Lost turtle being brought back. Sometimes turtles get disoriented due to light pollution.

Team collecting information on nesting female

Sea turtle hatchlings heading to the water

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Program Highlights

As critical part of our team, you will have the opportunity to directly contribute to the conservation of this endangered species, and ultimately help build a more sustainable Cape Verde.
The project encompasses patrolling beaches to monitor nesting and deter hunting, data collection, research, working with tourists and local businesses, operation of hatcheries and hatchling releases, education and outreach activities and beach clean-ups.
Join an international team and enjoy an exchange of cultures while visiting Sal Island. The project staff enjoy discounts in dive centres, surf schools and excursion companies.
You will gain valuable experience on sea turtle conservation. Maybe your first step of your new career!
Join us from the 8th of June until the 20th of October for the whole nesting season.

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Program Reviews

4.67 Rating

based on 3 reviews

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Rating Spread Intern

5 rating 66.67%
4 rating 33.33%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Growth 4.7
Support 4.35
Fun 4.7
Housing 4.35
Safety 5

Good for Students, Adventure travelers

Showing 1 - 3 of 3 reviews

Perfect place and opportunity to get hands on experience with turtles and turtle hatchlings. This programme does not give you a secondary or an assistant role when it comes to collecting data, you come face to face with hundreds of turtles and gather countless data.

Living together with everyone was an amazing experience because you really got to know people really well and be there for their best and worst moments, which created really solid friendships. And you get to work, swim and watch the sunrises together!

What was your funniest moment?

When me and my patrol buddy found a turtle without a butt and had to help her deliver her eggs while guarding her from other turtles who were trying to nest in the same place. We were so confused and had to improvise but it turned out to be a really funny experience

The hours are long, the tents are sandy and the turtles don't even say thank you.

However, the hard work is ultimately rewarding, with the knowledge that this work plays a very important practical role in the conservation of an endangered species.

There is also something to be said for how closely you will actually work with the turtles, providing a very rare opportunity to interact with such amazing animals up close. From measuring and tagging the adults, to releasing hatchlings to the sea.

Camp life itself is a great lesson in recycling and sustainability, with nothing going to waste and fewer home comforts than many are used to.

Days off offer a great opportunity to go diving, snorkelling, sample the night life and perhaps drink a beer or two in the sun.

Definitely worth it.

What would you improve about this program?

The only real improvement I can think of would be communication. Sometimes decisions were made or schedules changed without much advance warning. While this is understandable in some circumstances, it's always nice to have a solid idea of what you need to be doing.

I have been fortunate enough to join resident sea turtle biologist for nesting seasons around the world and this season, experience, was by far my favorite. I came as an experienced sea turtle biologist, with particular interest because I had not work with this species. Carreta Carreta or loggerhead. Even as a semi experienced sea turtle biologist I learned ALOT. it was a great and valuable experience for my future as a conservation biologist. The living situation, I do not want to say was hard but it depends on your type of personality. It was rustic. We slept in tents on the beach but we lucky enough to share a space with a Kite Boarding school. This gave us access to a kitchen and sitting area where during the day we could relax sit and the table, read, play games ect. Since we were on the beach and of course conservationist we tried to preserved resources as much as possible. We were allowed limited amount of bucket fresh water showers and limited access to fresh water to do laundry. Once a week we had a day off and the program was nice enough to rent us an apartment in town . There you could take a fresh water shower, enjoy restaurant food, the town and lay by the pool. For me , a fresh water shower once a week with ocean showers in-between was plenty. Others opted to take some fresh water bucket showers in-between. The season was incredible but prepare to work hard. We are all there for a passion for these animals and conservation and they need our help. There were sleepless night, arduous nights but with the support of my fellow field assistants and staff of the program it was one of the most rewarding expiernces of my life. I will never forget my time in Sal and with Project Biodiversidade.

What would you improve about this program?

There are certain people in higher position that I don't agree should be there. I believe in general teachers and good forms of teaching is under appreciated and some of the teaching staff should not be teachers. In addition I think after proving responsibility we should have more freedom to go into town. Connect with family and loved ones. We did nothing during the day most days and I never understood why it was such a "favor" to go into town outside of our one day off.

Questions & Answers

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

What is your favorite travel memory?

I believe my favorite travel memory is from a few years ago when I was a research assistant on an expedition in the Brazilian Amazon. I had never been to the Amazon forest so it was a dream come true for me. To be in the most biodiversity-rich place on the entire planet, surrounded by this majestic forest was truly magical. I got to see beautiful frogs, birds, tapirs, all different types of flora, and even river dolphins (which are really pink!)!

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Since working for Project Biodiversity I became more responsible and learned to trust myself for different tasks. I also became more independent and at the same time, learned it is OK to ask for help when help is needed. I believe that working in a different continent also allowed me to develop new skills I didn’t necessarily learn with my background in biology.

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What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

This 2021, while the world was still in the middle of a pandemic, we were fortunate enough to welcome a good number of volunteers from all around the globe, as the situation regarding the pandemic in Cabo Verde was better than in Europe, for example. We had a volunteer from Portugal who was supposed to join us for just three weeks but she fell in love with the island, the people, and of course the turtles, and ended up staying for one month and a half! She got along with everyone in the team, and really connected with the NGOs mission and goals.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I would choose the sea turtle nesting season volunteering program because it is truly incredible to be able to see an animal that has beaten the odds of survival and has traveled thousands of kilometers nesting in front of you. It is really beautiful to see this natural phenomenon under a star-covered night sky, on an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

The fact that we are a rather small NGO but with people from different countries across three continents, and adds so much diversity to our team. We all have different backgrounds so we can combine our expertise to tackle the challenges we face every day. I was especially proud of our team in 2020 when I wasn’t even on-site, but we had a record season (for that time) of nesting loggerheads and we still manage to protect and patrol nesting beaches across the island with the help of amazing local volunteers (since the borders were closed due to the pandemic) who connected to our mission and dedicated their time in helping us.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I believe having team members aligned with the same mission and goals is key to having a successful organization. When the whole team has the same overall goals, it is easier to have everyone working in the same direction, even if people come from different backgrounds and/or countries. This way, the team can easily connect and help each other in times of adversity and also push each other in the right direction.

About Project Biodiversity

Projeto Biodiversidade is a young Cabo Verdean non-profit association that aims to implement a wide range of environmental programmes that will contribute to the preservation and restoration of the natural habitats of Sal Island, to increasing the opportunities for sustainable exploitation of its natural resources, and contributing to the...