Sea Turtle and Caiman Volunteer Guatemala

The project started its conservation activities as an attempt to counteract the threat to leatherback and Olive Ridley turtle populations posed by over harvesting by local egg collectors. As a volunteer you will play an integral role in the work undertaken on the project including being part of nightly beach patrols in search of nesting sea turtles and collection and burial of eggs in the hatchery.

Project Age Limit
Minimum 18 years. Maximum decided on potential participants’ health.

The Volunteer Programme
The project is located at a three-hectare sea turtle, caiman and mangrove conservation project, near the small village of Hawaii on the Pacific coast of Guatemala, eight kilometers from the resort of Monterrico.

In 1993, this project started its conservation activities in the Hawaii area primarily as an attempt to counteract threats to leatherback and Olive Ridley turtle populations by overharvesting by local egg collectors.

Turtle eggs are popular in Guatemala, as in other parts of Central America, as a supposed aphrodisiac. Despite their highly endangered status, virtually all sea turtle nests in Guatemala are harvested and the eggs sold to restaurants or in markets.

The project operates the most productive of the 14-20 hatcheries in Guatemala, collecting between 13,000 and 20,000 Olive Ridley and leatherback eggs per year. It also carries out research on these endangered reptiles in an attempt to counteract the effects of unsustainable hunting and habitat loss. The centre also breeds spectacled caimans (Crocodiles caimanus fuscus) and green iguanas (Iguana iguana) for release in the mangrove forests.

Together with the Guatemalan government and local communities, the organization is working to establish a protected area of over 3500 hectares in Hawaii with the goal of conserving the natural resources of the area while at the same time working with local residents towards their sustainable development.

Volunteer Activities
Your role as a volunteer will be to work as part of a team to ensure a better future for Guatemalan wildlife. It is important that volunteers can show initiative, be fairly independent and accustomed to working in at times ‘rustic’ conditions.

There are a number of different projects with which you can get involved in, according to your interests. Volunteer activities may include:

Turtle Conservation and research
During the egg-laying season (June-October) volunteers form patrols and spend nights walking the beach in search of nesting turtles. Once the turtle is sighted and “claimed”, volunteers wait until it has finished laying, collect the eggs, transfer and then bury them in the hatchery. Volunteers also receive voluntary donations from local egg collectors and transfer them to the hatchery. Once the eggs have been buried in the hatchery, the nest is marked and recorded in a log.

Once the eggs begin hatching (mid-July to December), volunteers assist in releasing the hatchlings and excavating the nests to determine the hatchling success rate, usually over 90% in Hawaii.

Hatchlings should be released at night or early or late in the day. Hatchlings are released at the same level of the beach where a turtle would nest (somewhere above the high-tide line) and are allowed to crawl unhindered to the surf, in order to become familiar with their place of birth, to encourage them to return to the same spot to nest. Also, they are released at different points on the beach so that finned predators off-shore don’t get used to getting a free meal. Basic research in turtle biology is also conducted at Hawaii including measuring nest and sand temperatures, conducting nightly crawl counts and monitoring and recording hatchling success rates.

Volunteers take part in these research activities. Staff at the centre are also very open to any other research ideas you may have.

Construction
The park is still young and the project plans to expand its activities as a centre of conservation in the south coast region. Volunteers assist in the construction of additional turtle hatcheries, including hatcheries in nearby schools, and the construction of volunteer and research facilities on the park.

Environmental education
Volunteers assist in conducting environmental education activities in local area schools, including teaching classes, developing curriculum, conducting beach clean ups and operating school hatcheries. One of our volunteers established a “Green English” course where he used ecological themes to teach English.

Mangrove reforestation
The mangrove forests lining the Chiquimulilla Canal are under constant threat from illegal loggers and fires caused by the clearing of pasture for cattle. Volunteers assist in mangrove reforestation activities carried out in conjunction with local schools and conservation groups.

Caiman and Iguana breeding
Crocodiles and other animals were once abundant in the south coast, but are rapidly disappearing due to hunting and loss of habitat. Crocodiles and iguanas are captive bred on the grounds of the Park and offspring are released into the nearby mangrove forests. Volunteers assist in the feeding and care of breeding caimans and iguanas before releasing them.

Community Projects
Successful sea turtle conservation efforts in other parts of the world have shown the need to work closely with local communities. This is especially true in a country like Guatemala where the resources and/or will on the part of the authorities are lacking to impose more stringent conservation measures.

The Hawaii project is an integrated project that, while attempting to conserve the flora and fauna of the area also tries to offer local residents economic alternatives to improve the quality of their lives. In addition to its educational activities, the organization has carried out health projects (construction of toilets and wells) and offered training in the preservation and processing of fish products and eco-tourism.

Turtle Breeding Season
The turtle season in Hawaii is from June to December with peak months of August and September for Olive Ridleys. For the much scarcer leatherbacks, the nesting season is December and January. For volunteers looking for a little more adventure and a more authentic Guatemalan experience, we also offer homestays with families in more remote fishing villages where volunteers help in the management and data-gathering at community hatcheries and educational activities.

Project Orientation
On arrival at the project you will have a brief orientation. This will include being shown around the project site, being introduced to the project coordinator and staff, a health and safety briefing and an introduction to your tasks while on the project.

Accommodation and services
The park includes a large central rancho with kitchen, office/library, second-story dormitory, a large, open common area with hammocks and tables, and a western toilet and shower. There is also a small visitor’s house where volunteers are welcome to sleep. Accommodation is rustic but comfortable, and with the ocean breeze and roar of the surf in the distance, it makes for the ideal atmosphere to relieve the stress of modern life and take in the wonders of the Pacific Ocean. There is 110 AC/DC electricity available. There are Internet services in Monterrico, 10 minutes away by bus. This costs around $1-2.

Project Support
Throughout your stay in Guatemala you will have the support and guidance of your coordinator and team. You will be provided with competent assistance and help with any questions or advice you may need during your stay.

In addition you will have access to a 24 hour emergency contact number so you can contact one of our UK staff at any time should you need to.

Spanish Language School
All participants who would like to develop their Spanish skills are recommended to take classes at our Spanish schools, located in the town of Antigua. Having a good basic grasp of the language will allow you to communicate with the people you meet and immensely increase your enjoyment of your time in Latin America. Our Spanish school is an institution created to offer personalized instruction in the learning of Spanish as a second language.

Also, there is a Spanish school in Monterrico, which is only 7kms away, and many volunteers take the opportunity to make a daily commute to classes to improve their Spanish.

For further information, or to secure your place on this programme, please call the Latin America Team today on 01892 516164, or email us at latinamerica@realgap.co.uk