Costa Rica Sea Turtle Conservation

By assisting during the turtle-nesting season you can help really a difference. Before the project began, the poaching rate was over 95% but with the presence of our night patrols and the hatcheries on the beach, the survival rate has increased to over 90% last season.

Volunteer Role

The main objective of the project is to protect the nests from human poachers, pests and more recently from the erosion of the beach. There are two locations available Cahuita National Park or Gandoca National Park.
You will be involved in a variety of different activities depending on the time of year and which location you choose. However, typical activities include:

Patrolling the beach at night to record turtle numbers and behaviour
Working with the local community during the egg harvest
Tagging rear flippers of turtles, taking nest dimension measurements
Assisting baby turtles to the ocean to avoid predators such as birds
Cleaning the beach to ensure litter does not interfere with the turtles
Collecting eggs to store in the man-made beaches and hatcheries
Night patrols

During peak nesting periods, volunteers will spend a greater proportion of their time collecting the eggs and monitoring the behaviour of the turtles.

Locations

Caribbean Coast - Cahuita National Park or Gandoca National Park on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast in the Talamanca region of Limón.

Pacific Coast - We work on 3 different sites along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, which you are free to choose between: Matapalo (Puntarenas), Buenavista and Playa Hermosa (Guanacaste).

Accommodation and Meals

Caribbean Coast
All meals included.

Cahuita National Park - Volunteers will be staying next to the ranger station of Cahuita National Park. Bunk beds and sharing a room with around 6 other volunteers.
Gandoca - Option of staying at the Sea Turtle field station or with local families that have cabins available. In either case rooms are shared with other volunteers.

Pacific Coast
Two meals a day are included in Buenavista and Playa Hermosa sites and three meals a day at Matapalo.

Matapalo - Rustic house with electricity, shared bathrooms.
Buenavista - Camping site equipped with tents, a kitchen and a dining room. For your basic needs it has a toilet and space to shower.
Playa Hermosa - Punta Mala National Wild Life Refuge - Volunteers will stay in a rustic house

Check out our alternative Costa Rica turtle conservation project!
Sea Turtle and Surf Costa Rica

Programme Overview

Combine this project with our Costa Rica Spanish Language School

Duration & Prices:
2 weeks volunteer £499, 4 weeks volunteer £799
2 weeks language and 4 weeks volunteer £1099
4 weeks language and 4 weeks volunteer £1399

How to book & pay:
Secure with £195 deposit. The balance is due 12 wks before departure.

What is included?
Accommodation
Most meals during project
Detailed orientation
Airport transfers
24 hour assistance
Tour advice

What is not included?
Flights
Travel insurance
Visas
Meals in San Jose (Caribbean coast)
Alcoholic beverages
Personal expenditure

Programme Summary:
Night patrolling, collecting eggs, rescuing and tagging turtles and helping the baby turtles get to sea!
Other Costa Rica volunteer work

Arrival dates:
First Monday of above months (aim to arrive the Sunday before).

Peak months:
Cahuita: July-August. Gandoca: April-May; season until end of July.
Playa Hermosa, Buena Vista & Matapalo: August-October.

Costa Rica Travel Advice:
Visit our Costa Rica Travel Advice page for useful travel information.

Ask a question

If there's anything you'd like to know, call 01892 516 164
or complete the form below and we'll be able to help.