Volunteer in Costa with IOI: Sea Turtle and Ray Research Volunteer
- Costa Rica
About Program
The Sea Turtle and Ray Research Volunteer will assist in ongoing sea turtle and ray monitoring projects in the waters and beaches of El Jobo on the North Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. You will work side-by-side with local community members to conduct night patrols of the beach, looking for nesting sea turtles, collecting data, and tagging the turtles. The sea turtles seen in El Jobo (Green, Olive Ridley, and sometimes Hawksbill) are all endangered species. Your work will help collect needed data about these populations of turtles as well as help protect them from poachers.
In addition to the sea turtle monitoring, you will also monitor the local ray populations by snorkeling and collecting data on the species and sometimes tagging them to better understand their migratory patterns. Other potential activities are sea grass and coral reef monitoring.
You also have the option of visiting the local elementary school to assist in their marine education program and English classes.
Video and Photos
Diversity & Inclusion 💙
BIPOC Support
LGBTQIA+ Support
Neurodivergent Support
Accessibility Support
Impact 🌎
Sustainability
Our Net-Zero 2025 Strategy extends our current 2021 carbon-neutral initiative which inset all of our Scope 1 (direct) and 2 (indirect) emissions, and offset all our Scope 3 emissions. Scope 3 emissions “are the result of activities from assets not owned or controlled by the reporting organization, but that the organization indirectly impacts in its value chain” (EPA 2022).
IOI’s programmatic on-site emissions, Scopes 1 and 2, were inset through our own conservation efforts. Our Scope 3 emissions, mostly created by travel to our faculty-led study abroad programs and volunteering opportunities, will be mitigated through collaboration with external providers.
Ethical Impact
To provide international education programs that support the education, conservation, and social development of isolated communities by assisting local institutions in sustainably handling the human-environmental intersection.
What We Do
We strive to help establish ecological sustainability and social stability in our host communities by applying thoughtful assistance and expertise to local needs – financed by educational travel programs.
How We Do It
1. We offer volunteer opportunities in conservation, education, and social development, that provide our participants with life changing experiences, and our local partners with funding, expertise, and human power on site.
2. We offer study abroad programs in which students spend up to three months studying the local environment and learning the local culture.
3. We develop and implement outreach projects with local institutions that address pressing conservation, education, and social development needs via fundraising and grants.
Program Highlights
- Gain experience working on a local community-based conservation project.
- Learn how to conduct marine science research and conservation, specifically related to sea turtles.
- Live in a beautiful coastal community and get practice speaking Spanish with your homestay family.
- Interact with community members and teach children about conservation.
- Embrace Costa Rica's "pura vida", laidback lifestyle!
Related Programs
Questions & Answers
Staff Interviews
These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.
Location
A pioneer of ecotourism, Costa Rica draws many tourists to its extensive series of national parks and other protected areas. Costa Rica began reversing deforestation in the 1990s, and they are moving towards using only renewable energy. Head to the cloud forest, relax on the beautiful beaches, or visit a coffee farm.
