Volunteer Opportunities with Friends of the Osa
Sea Turtle Conservation Program
The goal of our sea turtle conservation program is to guarantee the health and ecological success of the sea turtles nesting on the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, by integrating conservation, research, and educational outreach.
Our volunteers come from all over the world in order to help save sea turtles. With the help of volunteers we have protected more than 16,000 sea turtle hatchlings over the last two nesting seasons and carried out a number of educational projects to raise local awareness about the importance of conservation on the Osa Peninsula. We rely on volunteers to provide the level of coverage that makes this project successful and it is our goal to provide an enriching personal experience for everyone who contributes their time to this project. Because we are expanding our program for the 2010 season to cover from Piro beach all the way to Carate (a total of 18 km of beach) we need your help now more than ever!
As a volunteer, you will
- be an integral part of nightly beach patrols
- conduct morning beach surveys
- take biometric measurements of sea turtles
- record data and enter into database
- assist in applying identification tags
- monitor nesting sites
- take sand temperature
- cover nests with protective screens
- mark nests
- evaluate nesting and hatching success
Our primary concern is the health and safety of our volunteers. We are committed to ensuring that all participants have a safe, enriching, and educational volunteer experience. Volunteers can expect:
- an e-info pack before arrival with lots of information about what to expect and what to bring
- an orientation upon arrival about the science station and Friends of the Osa's surrounding conservation property
- to receive an educational presentation about sea turtles
- to receive hands-on training and support on how to conduct sea turtle field work
- training on how to use all equipment essential to collecting data
- access to onsite staff and field coordinators
No prior experience or knowledge of Spanish in required, while English speakers have ample opportunity to practice and develop their Spanish language skills. Interested volunteers may also have the opportunity to get involved in local environmental education by working with students at the Osa's elementary schools.
For more about the Sea Turtle Conservation Program on the Osa Peninsula, please read the Volunteer Manual where you will find detailed information about the program, costs and dates, and the options that you'll have for accommodation.
How to Apply:
Before you apply, please make sure you've reviewed all the information provided in the Volunteer Manual to become familiar with volunteer duties on the Osa and read our Visitor Information. When applying, please follow these steps:
1. Send the completed application form to seaturtles@osaconservation.org. Please make sure to indicate the weeks that you will participate in the program.
2. Once we approve your application, you can send your signed volunteer agreement and acknowledgement as well as the $200 program fee. If you choose to stay at Friends of the Osa's Piro Research Center, you can make one payment based on the number of weeks you will volunteer (for example, $500 for one week, $800 for two weeks, etc.).
3. If you choose to volunteer on the beaches of Carate and stay at an independent lodge, you will need to first pay the $200 program fee to Friends of the Osa and indicate which week(s) you would like to volunteer. We will then confirm your registration with the lodge and you will make your lodging and accommodations payment with them directly.
Remember that volunteer weeks at Piro Research Center begin every Tuesday while volunteer weeks in Carate begin every Thursday. This schedule allows us to provide a thorough program orientation to all volunteers.
If you have any questions or need more details, please e-mail seaturtles@osaconservation.org. |
