Volunteer Positions with Sea Turtles in Sal Island, Cabo Verde 2017

If you are looking for your first experience working in conservation, are taking a career break, or just wish to spend your holidays doing something meaningful, this is the opportunity for you! We only take a limited number of volunteers each season and we are looking for people who want to do something really worthwhile during their free time and who are prepared for some challenging, but very fulfilling work. Volunteers are a critical part of our turtle protection team with their enthusiasm and energy has been helping us to save many turtles.

As a volunteer, your primary role will be to patrol the beaches at night with other assistants in order to deter hunters and ensure the turtle can nest safely. During patrols, you will also assist with important fieldwork activities, including tagging and measuring turtles, and relocation and excavation of nests. You may also get involved with other aspects of the outreach activities and assisting other local community focused charities with small projects. With this experience you’ll learn about turtle conservation techniques and will have the opportunity to make a real difference to the survival of marine turtles.

Volunteers are based in field camps  with rest periods in apartments in Santa Maria. Volunteers work six days each week and will have 1 day/night off to explore the island, enjoy diving, surfing and other water sports, or just lay on the beach and relax!

Living under these conditions can be challenging, extremely tiring and stressful, and will include work both at night and during the day. A good level of fitness and physical and mental energy is required as patrols are long (possibly all night), conducted on foot and may be as long as 15km. Shift patterns vary but you will have 1 day of rest per week. .

Requirements:

• Desire to participate in conservation
• At least 18 years old
• Understand written and spoken English
• Good level of physical fitness
• High level of energy and flexibility
• Able to cope with physically challenging conditions (camping, long walks, late nights, hot weather, insects)
• Ability to work and live with people of different backgrounds and nationalities

Volunteer Contribution:

Volunteers contributions cover accommodation, utilities such as water and electricity, and meals during your working period. Meals are not provided on rest days. Please note that water and basic meals are provided in the camp (see section About the Camp for more information). Volunteer contributions also provide critical funds needed to support basic but essential needs of the project, allowing us to patrol the beaches more effectively, and ultimately protect more turtles.

One week €250

Two weeks €315

Three weeks €375

Four weeks €400

50€ for each additional week beyond 1 month.

Benefits:

Volunteers will be provided with accommodation during their stay – 6 nights per week in camp, with a rest night off in Santa Maria.  Meals will be provided to volunteers during their time in camp. In addition to meals and accommodation, spending time in the project will give you an incredible opportunity to work closely with marine turtles and directly contribute to their conservation. You will gain valuable fieldwork experience, and be exposed to a wide range of cultures and backgrounds during your time with us.

Timing:

We recommend a minimum stay of 3 weeks. The period goes from 1 July until 20 October; Volunteers can apply at any point throughout the season.

How to apply: email to volunteerinsal@gmail.com