Volunteer with Sea Turtle Hatchling Season on Sal Island, Cabo Verde - 2024

Name: Volunteer with Sea Turtle Hatchling Season on Sal Island, Cabo Verde - 2024
Brand: Project Biodiversity
SKU: 267663
Rating: 4.86 (14 reviews)

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4.86 Rating

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Location

Cape Verde

Length

1 to 7 weeks

Project Types

Conservation Marine Conservation Sea Turtle Conservation Environmental Conservation Wildlife Conservation Education

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Program Details

Language

English

Age Min.

Timeframe

Summer Winter

Housing

Apartment

Groups

Small Group (1-15)

Pricing

Starting Price

260

Price Details

Volunteer contributions cover accommodation and utilities such as water and electricity. Meals are not provided. Food is not cheap here, but you will be able to save some money by doing communal cooking. Volunteer contributions also provide critical funds needed to support the basic but essential needs of the project, allowing us to patrol the beaches more effectively, and ultimately protect more turtles.

Contributions:
One week 220€ (260 USD approximately)
Two weeks 270€
Three weeks 320€

50€ for each additional week.

What's Included

Accommodation

Last Updated: Feb 16, 2024

Last Reviewed: Sep 05, 2022

Wish List

12 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

The islands of Cabo Verde constitute the world’s second most important nesting site for the Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), one of seven marine turtle species found worldwide.

Unfortunately, human exploitation of this species has brought them to the brink of extinction. Poaching along with the fast island development are the main threats to the species in Sal. For the last 12 years, both international volunteers and members of the local community have worked tirelessly to ensure the protection of this species. While the number of turtles killed has drastically reduced, illegal poaching and trafficking persist. Our mission continues in 2024 – hopefully with you as a part of our team! During the hatching season, volunteers are responsible for the monitoring of Loggerhead nests in the hatchery and on the nesting beaches. The volunteers will monitor the nests overnight, checking for any baby turtles and releasing them. Volunteers also take part in nest excavations and more.

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Video and Photos

Sea turtle hatchlings inside a bucket about to be released to the sea

Volunteer with sea turtle hatchling on the sand in the morning

Team members working on nests in the sea turtle hatchery

Outreach work with tourists in the sea turtle hatchery

Hatchery team outside sea turtle hatchery

Volunteers releasing sea turtle hatchlings into the sea

Volunteers excavating an already hatched nest

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Program Highlights

Volunteering period for the hatchling season: September 1st to December 6th
Overnight shift in the project hatchery monitoring the nests that are due to hatch and releasing the hatchlings on nearby beaches;
Excavation of nests that hatched on the previous night and collection of important scientific data. During those excavations volunteers will also be releasing any hatchlings left inside the nests;
Taking part in outreach activities with the local community and tourists, assisting in data entering and processing;
Join an international team and enjoy an exchange of cultures while exploring Sal Island. You can take surf lessons, go diving in caves and shipwrecks, experiment the local cusine and music, or just enjoy the beach!

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Program Reviews

4.86 Rating

based on 14 reviews

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Rating Spread Volunteer

5 rating 85.71%
4 rating 14.29%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Impact 4.95
Support 4.85
Fun 4.85
Value 4.45
Safety 4.75

Good for Students, Solo Travelers, Adventure travelers

Showing 9 - 14 of 14 reviews

Such an amazing experience of over 1 month between november and december. Everything was so nice: the people, the apartment, the work and the free time. Releasing the turtle was so magical. It mixes a good cause and incredible souvenirs. I never expected to be that emotional to leave the project. And i am already planning to come another time and experience the nesting season as I missed the opportunity to see an adult turtle on the beach. As, I come at the end of the hatchling season, so I got a lot of free time and I was enjoying the beach and the hot weather whereas in france it was snowing !!!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?

I was never to come alone as it was my first time doing volunteering abroad. I was stressed also because of the covid situation. But all the negative emotions disappeared so quickly after meeting all the other volunteers and the volunteering coordinator that is really there for you. I am so pleased to have experienced volunteering thanks to the project and I will keep the incredible souvenirs.

My experience within this project was really amazing. I am grateful for how involved i was in the work. Working with babies sea turtles everyday is so cool, especially in the beautiful island and landscapes of Sal. The team was super welcoming, supporting and i have felt confident from the start of my experience. I have been able to visit Sal Island during my free time, and to enjoy the life here with the beach, bars and activities around. I recommend 100% this experience that i will never forget !

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?

It was not surprising but new for me to sleep on the beach every 2 or 3 days haha

The whole experience was much above my expectations. The people from the project and the other volunteers were very nice and the baby turtles are awesome. The volunteers live in a shared apartment with the volunteer coordinator who's very friendly and helps with everything. We had 3 different shifts with various tasks so the work never got boring, I never felt so close to the nature before as I did releasing the babies to the ocean. With the schedule we had quite a lot of free time to explore the island and enjoy the beatiful beaches while having fun with the other volunteers.

What was your funniest moment?

We had nest excavations every day giving the tourists the opportunity to see some baby turtles. While I was digging up a nest I held some sand in my hand and a baby turtle suddenly started moving in it. I didn't expect it, I got scared and almost dropped the poor thing in front of the tourists, who were all laughing at me for being terrified of a cute baby turtle 😃

Baby turtles heading to the ocean after being released

The hatchery where the volunteers are working

Out of three projects I visited that was the one I had the most free-time. I had time to explore the whole island and get to know the culture and how the daily life on this island would look like. Besides that the work was very calm and I had a lot of time where there was just me and my thoughts.
So if you're looking to explore the island and work with an endangered species, join the team!
Then on top of all that the people of the team are so welcoming and warmly that you feel directly part of the team.
Ahh and almost forgot the baby turtles are the cutest thing I have ever seen!!!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Benefit of the free-time you have to explore and to get to know the island. If you stay open minded I'm certain you will fall in love with the island

It was an amazing experience. They were two weeks in which I was able to enjoy in a magnificent environment, with a group of international colleagues with whom I had a great time. Totally advisable. The work at the Hatchery is not so hard and there is free time to be able to carry out other types of activities such as tourism, outdoor sports, water sports, etc…
Without any doubt, if you like nature, beaches, wild life, turtles and you have a soul committed with the environment, this experience is for you

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Come without expectations and you’ll enjoy x2. Guaranteed!!

I had the most amazing time volunteering with Project Biodiversity this November. I met so many incredible people from all around the world and felt like I was staying in a safe and welcoming space right from the start, working with an organisation that truly prioritises wildlife conservation. Working with the loggerhead turtle hatchlings was a dream and I loved every moment, no wonder so many people never want to leave! Wish I could go back and do it all over again. Highly recommend to anyone who is interested in turtles, making a difference, and good company.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?

I think most of all I surprised myself of what I was capable of. Volunteering here really showed me that I can do anything and I felt so comfortable there as everyone was so welcoming and easy to be around. Unsurprisingly the turtles were the most amazing things I’d ever seen!

Questions & Answers

Staff Interviews

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

What is your favorite travel memory?

Traveling always brings you unforgettable experiences that crystalize as unique memories, but I guess that the ones that impress the most come from the first big trips that one takes.

One of my favorites is my volunteering experience with the Olive Ridley turtle in Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica. At first, it was truly hard to get used to the night shifts, the long walks carrying bags of eggs, the sand fleas, and the Gallo-pinto; but at the same time the landscape and the people who we were with at the station were, and the feeling of contributing to something bigger was so incredible, that I had to pinch myself constantly to make sure I was not dreaming.

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

Professionally, I've discovered that I have many skills that wouldn't know or wouldn't be developed if I wouldn't in this position. We started Project Biodiversity from scratch, with no resources and barely any funds, and the need for survival, together with a strong belief in our vision, pushed us to navigate unknown venues, in which I have been able to grow my natural organizational and mediatory skills.

Learning from my mistakes, from listening to others, and from successes, has given me a solid foundation for carrying on my job.

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

One of our favorite stories, which is really inspiring, is Caroline's story: she joined the marine turtle protection campaign for two weeks in 2019. Despite a relatively short stay, the experience she had was so impactful that she decided to change the course of her professional career on her return.

After several years in the management of QHSE (Quality, Hygiene, Safety, Environment) risks in the industry, she decided to deepen into the Environmental side and specialized in sustainable & ecological habitats. She's currently fully dedicated to actively promoting sustainable development!

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

I am going to get involved soon in the Marine Monitoring Programme, which is starting in mid-2022. Performing the director role has kept me away from the field for long years, despite that, I always tried to squeeze some time for it when I could. As a marine biologist, I've been missing the more direct contact with the ocean.

I always like to join activities in as many programs as possible, as I like to be involved from within (it helps to know your organization better), but I must admit that I have a weakness for the Marine Turtle Conservation Programme, as turtles were the reason that brought me to Sal in the first instance, and the reason to create Project Biodiversity.

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

It is unquestionable that one of the bigger strengths of Project Biodiversity is our resilience and an extremely strong commitment to our mission. We all share this innate spirit that pushes us to go beyond what could be considered "enough"; we only know to stop when the objectives are achieved, helping each other to achieve them.

I've felt my dreams become true on many occasions along these years, and it has always been possible thanks to teamwork. Even at this point in which the organization has wrong to have more than 15 permanent staff, we still feel that we're like a family.

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

I believe that what makes Project Biodiversity unique -our strong commitment, is also the key factor for its success.

We have a broad and inclusive vision: in our context, we do not understand conservation as an isolated concept, or as an oppositional action. Instead, we intend to make conservation part of everyone's lives, encouraging the involvement of all spheres of society, from governmental institutions to the private sector, to the local community, and to the international community and volunteers.

We understand that conservation is not only a conservationist's thing but everyone's responsibility for a better world.

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...