Sea Turtle Conservation
Coordinator | Sam
Coordinator | Sam
Book with Flex Option!
Choose new departure dates or change to a different volunteer program at no extra costs.
Highlights
Directly assist on conservation tasks to help endangered sea turtles such as the; Olive Ridley, Leatherback and Green Turtle. Ensuring as many eggs and hatchlings survive their time on land.
Experience the rural Ghanaian way of life and it's laid back, friendly atmosphere. Perfect stepping stone for travel abroad, Ghana is often classed as Africa for beginners!
Beatiful beaches, tropical weather and cooling coastal breezes await you on our beach conservation project.
Make unforgettabe memories travelling with your fellow volunteers at weekends to places such as Mole Safari Park, Cape Coast Castle & Boti Waterfall.
Work alongside fellow international volunteers in a close group and make friends for life whilst having a direct impact on sea turtle populations.
Protect the sea turtle population along the Ghana coastline working on nesting sites and beach patrols whilst experiencing beautiful surroundings in your free time.
This volunteer program is especially suitable for:
Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
50+
About
Join our new sea turtle conversation project and assist in protecting endangered sea turtle species such as the Olive Ridley, Leatherback and Green Turtle. Take part in beach patrols to collect data on nesting sites and sea turtle activity, relocate eggs to specially constructed hatchery to protect the eggs during their at risk period, ensure hatchery is safe and secure to help increase hatching and population targets for these species.
Why this placement
Sea turtles are a key stone species which means they have a crucial influence on their environment and surrounding species. Unfortunately as globally experienced, sea turtle numbers declined due to accidental capture in fishing gear, hunted for their meat and habitat destruction due to climate change and human impact. By assisting in data collection and conservation tasks we aim to play our part in the protection of eggs and hatchlings to protect population numbers as part of the global effort.
What is included
Support Staff - Accommodation - House Utility Bills - Pre Departure Support
Support Staff - You will have both pre departure support from our head office team and then in country support at the project sites with you to ensure you have a smooth transition into a new culture and answer any queries you may have.
Accommodation - Living with your fellow volunteers and support team you will have the benefit of a tight knit family feel and always ensuring there is someone to chat to and plan your free time activities. For full information on the accommodation provided please see below in the dedicated part of the listing.
How do I get to the placement
Depending on your team allocation and location assigned you may be a short distance to the beach that requires patrolling on that shift. You have the option to walk, cycle or take a short shared taxi ride depending on the distance.
What will I be doing
The core pillars of the conservation project at this time are; Beach Patrols, Hatchery Supervision & Data Collection.
Beach Patrols - Through the night you will be allocated a shift and beach stretch where you will monitor the beach looking for signs of nesting, during this shift you will log your miles and stretch of beach patrolled. Upon finding a nest, depending on location we would aim to transport these safely to the dedicated hatchery to increase their chance of survival and protect them from outside threats. Upon spotting sea turtles you will be responsible for logging the details for ongoing monitoring such as photograph, verifying species, approximate size, location etc.
Hatchery Supervision - When assigned on hatchery duties you will be supervising the location to ensure a safe environment away from any threats such as dogs or birds etc and making any necessary fence repairs or fixes.
Data Collection - Processing the data collected by the beach patrol teams or from your previous night shift, ensuring this is processed in a clear and accurate manner to share with our conservation partners both in Ghana and overseas.
Depending on volunteer team numbers and workload we also aim to run community awareness schemes to highlight the importance of sea turtles and their impact, tagging of adult sea turtles caught by fishermen and ensuring their safe return to the ocean and then providing this tagging information to worldwide organisations to assist in the tracking and monitoring of adult populations and establishing a fishing exchange where fishermen who have caught sea turtles as by catch can turn over the sea turtle to us for a fixed fee or item to prevent it being sold to traders for meat etc.
Who will I be working with
Depending on the numbers of volunteers at a time we aim to group volunteers into couples or small groups especially at the start of your trip until you complete the training and feel comfortable, however there may be periods of time further down the line where this is not possible due to the amount of beach to be covered during the patrols for example.
Our support team will always be closeby between the project sites or accommodation should you need any further support or assistance when in country.
Typical day
- Wake up to cook and have breakfast with your fellow volunteers or prepare materials for the day.
- 10:30am to 11:30am - Team meeting to review previous nights beach patrol.
- Lunch Break
- 1pm to 4pm - Daily Activities depending on assignment and current workload which can include;
- Monitoring of hathchery, replenishing sand when needed and making any repairs to keep structure safe.
- Educational Outreaches, School Partnerships and Community Sensitisation.
- Data Processing and logging of nesting sites, successful releases, species monitored etc.
- Visiting neighbouring communities on fishing bycatch rescue missions of adult sea turtles.
- Free time to explore the local beaches, forests and villages as well as chance to get to know your fellow volunteers and in house activities such as games nights, local language and cooking lessons.
- 10:30pm to 2:30am - Night time beach patrols checking for nesting sites and data collection. (Rota based with your fellow volunteers)
Free-time activities
Mid Week Free
Time
After school and evenings offer these
local opportunities around the local area:
- Hiking / Trekking
- Swimming
- Surfing
- Sightseeing of surrounding forest and landmarks
- After school & Homework Clubs
- Sports and beach games
Weekend Free Time
Most volunteers will travel at
weekends, across Ghana we have many amazing experiences which you can
discover. Here are just a few ideas:
- Safari
- Museums
- Slave Castles
- Canopy Walk
- Waterfalls
- Malls and Cinemas (Showing latest films)
- Beautiful Beaches
- Shopping / Arts & Crafts
- Restaurants and Nightlife
We are on hand to offer any advice that you might need.
Water Sports
Swimming
Concert/
Music
Music
Sightseeing
Diving/
Snorkling
Snorkling
Shopping/
Souvenirs
Souvenirs
Safari/
Zoo
Zoo
Hiking
Museum/
Opera
Opera
Sports
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 (basic level)
CV / Resume
No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.
Your helping hand will be required on
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
What's Included
Breakdown of Fees
Your placement fees will cover your initial registration and pre departure admin support, orientation and training, shared accommodation, accommodation utility bills and on site support staff
Please note that the fee at time of application is indicative. The actual fee may vary depending on the number of volunteers, supplies changing in costs and location of beaches assigned by the local authorities. The final price will be communicated to you as part of your pre departure documentation and guidance.
Accommodation
Volunteers will always share with fellow volunteers on the team as well as their support team supervisor. The utilities you will use are covered part of your fees such as water, cooking gas and electricity.
Depending on your team assignment you will live in shared volunteer housing overlooking the beach, it's supplied with basic kitchen equipment and shared areas to relax on your off time.
If you're ready for an extra level of adventure, at certain parts of the year it may be possible to lend a hand on our extended beach patrol sites in camping facilities on the beach.
Limited access at the project site
Visa, flights, travel insurance or vaccinations are NOT included in the program fees.
An airport pickup isn't included within the program fees either.
Food, snacks or beverages are at extra costs.
The nearest airport is Kotoka International Airport (ACC) in Accra. We assist you to find cheap flights to Ghana.
Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Ghana provides security and is a plus to have.
If you are intending to volunteer in Ghana you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Ghana.
Dates & Fees
NO CREDIT CARD FEES
Details on arrival
- Sea turtle nesting season in Ghana is between September - March so the project is only available within these months.
- Ideally we prefer for volunteers to arrive the first week of the month. Between the 1st - 7th each month.
- There is a few different options available to reach our camp at Cape Three Points, once confirmed on the team we can run through the specific details and costs but as an overview these options are;
- Domestic flight from Accra (Kotoka International Airport) to Takoradi Airport and then a taxi or shared bus (Trotro) from Takoradi to Cape Three Points.
- Taxi hire from Accra (Kotoka International Airport) direct to Cape Three Points
- Public transport from Accra to Takoradi using buses and trotros. Journey would be roughly from Circle Bus Station in Accra to Takoradi, Takoradi to Agona and then Agona to Cape Three Points.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1 - 28 weeks
Program fees
1 week
(min. stay)
$177
2 weeks
$354
3 weeks
$531
4 weeks
$708
8 weeks
$1,416
16 weeks
$2,832
28 weeks
(max. stay)
$4,956
Average fees
$177
/week
Please note that the above shown program fees are estimated.
Atlas Volunteers
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 Atlas Volunteers during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.
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Sea Turtle Conservation
Protect the sea turtle population along the Ghana coastline working on nesting sites and beach patrols whilst experiencing beautiful surroundings in your free time.
$177/week
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