Nearly all species of sea turtles are endangered, with sea turtles facing serious threats to their survival. But there is good news. Our partner organization in Costa Rica consists of biologists, managers, and educators working hard to conserve the critically low populations of sea turtles through research, conservation efforts, and even a Care Centre.
You can be part of this fantastic project, too, as volunteers are a vital part of the team on the Osa Peninsula. You’ll get to help with essential in-water research, hands-on assistance with tagging and sampling, and even get up close and personal with the rare Eastern Pacific hawksbill turtle. Not only will you be contributing to their protection, but you’ll also get to experience the vibrant local ecosystem, which is home to a fantastic diversity of wildlife, including scarlet macaws, monkeys, and occasionally dolphins and whales. Ready to be part of a positive change for sea turtles?
Here’s what your days will look like:
As a volunteer, you’ll help with all of the programs at the Osa location. On Ocean Days, you will spend the day on the boat and the beach. Nets are carefully placed in the water, and once a turtle is caught, volunteers help bring it to the beach, where it is measured and tagged, and samples are taken. The turtle is then released back into the ocean.
Your duties include:
Helping to carry material and field equipment to and from the boat
Preparing and organizing the nets
Untangling deployed nets
Watching deployed nets to detect sea turtles
Measuring and recording scientific data
Restraining and carrying the sea turtles
Mangroves play a crucial role in coastal ecosystems. Unfortunately, most of the mangrove forests along the coast have been destroyed, negatively impacting the wildlife. You’ll be asked to help with the reforestation project on Mangrove Days. Volunteer duties include:
The collection of seeds and propagules
Gathering mud for the seeds and seedlings
Sowing and planting seeds and juvenile plants in their natural habitat
Maintenance work at the nursery
Volunteers usually work from 7:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Ocean Days and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mangrove Days, with an hour off for lunch. Volunteers have one day off per week, organized at the project.
Consider staying longer to take a guided hike through Corcovado National Park. While you are volunteering, you will be able to chat with locals about what they recommend you do on your off days. There are cocoa tours, kayak trips, tree-top adventures, and more!
Seagrass monitoring takes place every three months. Seagrass meadows are crucial to the ecosystem’s health and provide food for the Pacific green sea turtles. During one of the monitoring periods, volunteers at the project are asked to help count the blades and leaves of different seagrass species to monitor their status.
You will stay with a host family committed to sea turtle conservation and closely associated with the project. AEI volunteers stay less than 1 km from the main project site and the beach. Volunteers stay in a cabin or room with up to four other volunteers (of the same gender). There are western bathrooms that are shared between a few volunteers.
Do you have questions about safety? We have answers right here!
We’ve got you covered every step of the way! Your volunteering journey includes:
Airport pick up and drop off (at the closest airport)
Comfortable accommodation with a local family
All meals
Wifi
Comprehensive pre-departure & on-site training
A donation to our Placement Partner
AEI Travel Manual brimming with key travel insights including packing list, currency information and in-depth placement description
Premium Individual Travel Insurance (up to USD 500,000 in emergency medical coverage)
24/7 emergency support throughout your placement
One tree planted for every volunteer to help offset carbon emissions and create more livable ecosystems for wildlife
Enrolment with the Global Travel Academy to earn a certificate in International Volunteering
The package does not cover flights, entry visa costs, international and domestic airport taxes, immunizations, and medications.
This is an ongoing program with operations every day of the year. There are no specific start or end dates. We work with you and your schedule so you can serve this community and help animals when you are available.
Are you thinking of fundraising for some or all of your fees? Many of our clients have been very successful with their fundraising efforts. Please visit our fundraising page to learn more about their successful fundraising projects and how you can fundraise for your experience.
Our partner’s vision is to create a future where humans and sea turtles can live together in balance on the coast of Costa Rica, and the habitat and the local economy are sustainably managed. We want your help completing their work in recovering mangrove forests and seagrass beds and studying green sea turtles and the rare Eastern Pacific hawksbill turtles. This is a rare opportunity to gain hands-on fieldwork experience, learn how to organize and set up the equipment, and record your findings.
Are you ready to have the time of your life volunteering and having fun on the Southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica? You’ll be part of a group of friendly biologists and volunteers working together to make a daily difference. Depending on the time of year, there might be several other international volunteers at the placement—friends you will create unforgettable memories with.
It’s impossible not to be amazed by the beauty of this place. Imagine being surrounded by stunning beaches and lush jungles, with macaws, toucans, and sloths hanging out in the trees. The best part is that you’ll spend your spare time soaking up the sun on the beach or snorkeling in the crystal-clear ocean.
After a day of volunteering, you can kick back and relax with your new friends, check out the local restaurants, or go on a wildlife adventure. And if you’re feeling extra adventurous, ask about the horseback and snorkeling tours offered in the community.
B Corps are certified by the non-profit B Lab to meet rigorous social and environmental performance standards, accountability, and transparency. We have been a B Corp since 2013, and since then, we have always been in the top 10% of quantifiable benefits to the environment and the communities in which we operate.
We acknowledge the traditional and contemporary custodians of the land on which Animal Experience International’s Barrie office is located. These people are the Ho-de-no-sau-nee-ga (Haudenosaunee), Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ, Mississauga, and Wendake-Nionwentsïo People and we recognize their continuing connection to the land, waters, and culture. We pay our respect to their Elders, past, present, and emerging.
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