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Turtle Conservation

The need for turtle conservation has, sadly, become increasingly vital in recent years. Indeed, many species of turtle throughout the world are facing the very real threat of extinction.

The fact that there is a need at all for turtle conservation is entirely down to the destructive nature of mankind. The reasons turtles have become so endangered due to the negative actions of humans are numerous, meaning that turtle conservation efforts have to address the threat to turtles in several different ways.

There are three key areas being targeted by turtle conservation organisations in their on-going efforts to save turtles from extinction. The first key area for turtle conservation is to encourage and develop more responsible, ‘eco friendly' tourism - particularly in beach areas. The second key area for turtle conservation is to put pressure on fishermen to practice more ‘turtle friendly' fishing techniques. The third key area for turtle conservation groups is the preservation and, where possible, restoration of critical marine habitats or turtle feeding grounds.

If you would like to volunteer on a turtle conservation project on your gap year, then we have turtle conservation programmes in four very different, but equally exciting, destinations - Costa Rica, Guatemala, Malaysia and Peru. Full details on all of these turtle conservation programmes check out the programmes. Alternatively, if you have specific questions regarding any of the turtle conservation programmes, you can also speak to a travel adviser.

The following is a brief description of each turtle conservation programme and the type of activities you can expect to get involved with if you volunteer on them.

Turtle conservation - Costa Rica

Volunteers on the turtle conservation programme in Costa Rica help protect the endangered ‘Lora' turtles from the two-fold threat of beach erosion and human poachers. The types of work you can expect to do on this turtle conservation project includes patrolling the area at night, collecting eggs, tagging turtles and helping baby turtles return to the sea.

Turtle conservation - Guatemala

Turtle connservation olunteers in Guatemala get involved with the fight to save the local ‘Leatherback' and ‘Oliver Ridley' turtle populations who have been hunted close to extinction by locals for their meat and eggs. Volunteers on this turtle conservation project help out with important tasks such as the patrol of beaches in search of nesting turtles and the collection and recording of research data. As well as turtle conservation volunteers can also get involved with a Caiman breeding programme, mangrove reforestation and local educational community projects.

Turtle conservation - Malaysia

The Malaysia turtle conservation programme is based in the idyllic setting of the Perhentian Islands in Malaysia. Volunteers on the programme get involved with all aspects of local turtle conservation and can also, if they wish, learn to scuba dive in their spare time.

Turtle conservation - Peru

The turtle conservation project in Peru is different from all of our other turtle conservation programmes in that it helps protect river, rather than sea, turtles. The Turtle Conservation Project is based in a national rainforest reserve in the heart of the Amazon. The turtle conservation project aims to involve local communities and, as with our other turtle conservation programmes, volunteers help out in a number of different ways - from locating nests to returning hatched turtles to the wild.

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