Wildlife protection in the most authentic Mexico.
Coordinator | Beatriz
Coordinator | Beatriz
Book with Flex Option!
Choose new departure dates or change to a different volunteer program at no extra costs.
Highlights
It is possible to experience one of the most amazing spectacles worldwide: thousands of sea turtles nesting at the same time along the beach in a phenomenom called arribada.
You will experience the conservation work, how nature is being threatened and the effort of the local groups to protect natural areas and threatened species.
You will live with three different indigenous communities in the coast of Oaxaca in eleven days.
People from the coast are the best for making you laugh. They will make a joke for everything and you won't be able to stop laughing
With your visit, you will make possible to motivate local people to make a move, to being aware of the threats of nature and you will empower them to conservate their natural resources
11 days for experience how is living in three communities in Mexico; protecting turtles, crocodiles and deers; monitoring jungle wildlife; working with children and more!
This volunteer program is especially suitable for:
Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
50+
The mission of the project is to support and strengthen the conservation work of three community groups by supporting their activities, such as patrolling the beach, collecting nests to protect them from poachers, monitoring wildlife, feeding a small population of deers... And to wait for one of the most impressive phenomenon of the world: the arribada, a mass nesting phenomenon of olive ridley sea turtle
In addition, the project will be focused in raising awareness in the community and visitors about endangered species and their threatened state.
This project covers one of the most important beaches for olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) worldwide, since they have a synchronous mass-nesting behaviour, which occurs just in twelve beaches over the planet, termed arribada. This beach is also relevant for the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea).
The main activities of the projects will be:
- Patroling beaches during the night protecting sea turtles and their eggs, collecting eggs to protect them in the hatchery.
- Maintentance and vigilance of the White-tailed deer population
- Facilities maintainance
- Feeding and observing baby crocodiles
- Monitoring population by boat.
- Biological data gathering.
- Placing / removing photo-trap cameras to monitor fauna; Fruit and medicinal tree-planting.
- Night patrolling and camping
- If there is an arribada (not sure, because is a natural phenomenon), we will develop population monitoring activities.
- Environmental education
- Accompaniment in rural entrepreneurship projects
- Strengthening of the indigenous language
Sea Turtle Conservation
Waste Reduction
Leatherback Turtle
Ocean Cleaning
Olive Ridley Turtle
Green Sea Turtle
Typical day
When the sun is rising, the light wake you up from your bed. It's 7:00 am, the birds are singing and they are the only thing breaking the silence of nature. Your room is next to a lake, surrounding by mangroves, so you want to walk just to feel the morning.
After a walk waiting for your team to wake up, yoy can smell the breakfast of our oaxacan cook. Today it's time for a hot chocolate with milk or water and a nice bread.
During the morning, if you want to do an specific activity depending on your skills, you will be able to work on that, maybe editing some videos of the conservation work or designing a poster for the visitants. Some days, you will be part of the beach cleaning or environmental education activities. Some of you, will go with the person in charge of the hatchery to check if there are newborn sea turtles.
In the afternoon, visitants start to come. You can stay in the hatchery, next to the beach, supporting the guides with the visitants if it's needed.
The real work starts in the night for just of 2 people of your team. The group starts to patrol in quad about 9 pm or, depending on the moon, after the midnight and they can drive over 20 km of beach looking for nests or sea turtles during their nesting.
You won't patrol everynight, you will rotate with your mates in order to have energy to work in other areas.
Depending on the behaviour of the turtles, you can experience:
- Arribada, when thousands of sea turtles are nesting massively (few days per month from July to March)
- Newborn sea turtles in natural habitat. After 45 days of an arribada, millions of sea turtles born in order to start their lifes in the Pacific Ocean (few days per month from July to March)
- Leatherback sea turtle nesting, the biggest turtle in the world (from December to February)
Free-time activities
There are a lot of free time activities around:
- Waterfalls
- Observation of marine fauna by boat
- Puerto Escondido and Mazunte a lot of places to do extra activities such as yoga, sports, etc. There are a lot of travelers too.
- Bioluminiscence in water bodies
- Riding
- Crocodile observation by boat
- ....
Water Sports
Swimming
Sightseeing
Diving/
Snorkling
Snorkling
Shopping/
Souvenirs
Souvenirs
Hiking
Riding
Yoga/
Meditation
Meditation
Requirements
In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.
You need to speak English (intermediate level)
or Spanish (basic level)
Passport copy , vaccination international report , flight tickets, medical certificate and
No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.
Education; environment; anthropology; Marketing; Bussiness administration; Art; ...
Your helping hand will be required on
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday
from
15:00
- 20:00
What's Included
- Shared cabañas in the indigenous community of Ventanilla, Morro Ayuta and Escobilla.
- Camping in the middle of the jungle.
- Transport to the projects from the airport.
- 3 meals per day elaborated by an Oaxacan cook, to whom we will help if possible.
- Local guides who will teach you to understand nature in a completely different way.
- Activities coordinator to unlock your full potential.
- Basic material to work and for common using.
If you come alone and want to join us for one week out of the volunteer groups calls that we made, we can welcome you in Ventanilla community for the whole week, woring with deers, sea turtles and crocodiles.
It's possible to pick up you from 9 to 16:00 from Huatulco airport, not later. We can see possibilities to pick you up from Puerto Escondido airport or Pochutla bus station.
Rooms are called "Cabañas".
The rooms have three double beds and one bathroom in Escobilla. In Ventanilla, the bathroom is for common use and the have two double beds. They will be shared with part of your team, if you come in the 15 days group volunteering program :)
If you come during the individual volunteering, it's possible that you have to share your room with another volunteer.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner will be provided and it's possible to serve vegetarian food.
The breakfast will be basic, some fruits, toasts, coffee/tea, maybe some seeds such as peanuts... The lunch and dinner will be prepared by a oaxacan cook and she will prepare us the traditional food (also adaptated to vegetarians when possible). In Ventanilla, our cook is Edi, a lovely and incredible woman who cooks very nice dishes! And I have to say that she loves zucchinis to make an amazing soup :) .
Limited access at the project site
Visa, flights, travel insurance or vaccinations are NOT included in the program fees.
The nearest airport is Huatulco Airport (HUX) in Huatulco. We assist you to find cheap flights to Mexico.
Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Mexico provides security and is a plus to have.
If you are intending to volunteer in Mexico you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Mexico.
Dates & Fees
NO CREDIT CARD FEES
Details on arrival
For individuals, you are free to come when it's possible for you!
Calls for volunteering groups in 2022:
🔆12 of June to 26 of June🔆
🔆3 of July to 13 of July🔆
🔆13 of July to 27 of July🔆
🔆2 of August to 16 of August🔆
🔆16 of August to 30 of August🔆
🔆9 of September to 23 of September🔆
🔆11 of October to 21 of October🔆
🔆9 of November to 19 of November🔆
🔆9 of December to 19 of December🔆
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1 - 10 weeks
Program fees
1 week
(min. stay)
$498
11 days
$751
10 weeks
(max. stay)
$2,040
Average fees
$351
/week
The organization charges its fees in EUR. The price table in USD is subject to currency fluctuation.
Tartarukus
will let you know about the final price during your application process.
The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.
Your final payment will be agreed with Tartarukus during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.
Why book with Volunteer World
Volunteer World is the world's leading comparison platform for international volunteer opportunities. We guide you through a safe and easy
application process
- including all necessary payments. Planning your next meaningful trip with Volunteer World gives you free access to our:
Quality Assurance
High ethical standards & transparent social impact
Flex Option
Change your reservation at no extra costs
Refund Guarantee
We refund your fees if Tartarukus cancels your trip
Support & Mediation
We cover your back no matter what happens
Our services are free of charge!
All program fees are charged directly by Tartarukus.
What are people saying about Volunteer World?
Wildlife protection in the most authentic Mexico.
11 days for experience how is living in three communities in Mexico; protecting turtles, crocodiles and deers; monitoring jungle wildlife; working with children and more!
$344/week
You might be also interested in
Escazu, Costa Rica
As part of our local animal shelter, you'll be responsible for a variety of activities such as feeding, maintenance and engaging with animals!
Tenerife, Spain
Contribute to critical whale & dolphin conservation initiatives in the beautiful subtropical island archipelago - Canary Islands.
Napoli, Italy
Help the refugee and migrant community to gain a foothold in Europe by supporting shelters, schools, health care and activities tailored to their long-term integration.
Santa Maria Tonameca, Mexico
Support the community to strengthen ecotourism from protecting turtles, to empowering children, to protecting nature and to teaching English.
Santa Maria Tonameca, Mexico
Be the English teacher of the community and support them to reach sustainability through ecotourism, caring horses and environmental education.
404 Not Found
Why am I seeing this?
You requested a page that doesn't exist on this site any more. This could be caused by a link you followed that was out of date, by a typing in the wrong address in the address bar, or simply because the post has been deleted.