Coastal Sea Turtle Conservation

The Project

Ecuador's uniquely diverse coastline makes it a favourable nesting area for sea turtles, and as a result, there are 4 different species of turtles that call it home. These are green turtles, leatherbacks, hawksbills and olive-ridleys.

Despite their beauty and ecological importance, these gentle creatures are critically endangered.  Their nesting sites are being destroyed and over-fishing is depleting the oceans of food that is imperative for their survival.

The project was created in light of the urgent need to obtain information to conserve Ecuador’s ecosystems and marine resources, in particular, sea turtles. 

It is dependent upon the season how many turtles you will see. When they are active on land, you may be measuring and tagging the turtles, installing transmitters on their shells and for those who are enthusiastic, you will be capturing and recapturing tagged turtles in the ocean. It is possible that you may not see a turtle during your placement. 

In addition to turtle conservation, project staff and volunteers work with the community educating people from the surrounding areas about the conservation projects and the importance of respecting the environment. The project also operates a sea turtle egg hatchery program on one of the islands, the only one of its kind in Ecuador.

You are given an orientation session at the Quito office and a tour around Quito if you are staying in the city. At the project, you will receive an orientation and complete support and guidance while you are there. O2E are only a phone call or email away for any assistance you require.

The Location

The project is located in a small fishing village set in a bay on the coast of Ecuador. It is a prime turtle nesting location and quite possibly the most important area on the entire coast of Ecuador for turtle conservation. The beach is the focus of local life with fishermen mending their nets, courting couples, dolphins swimming in the bay, unaccompanied cows wandering along the shore and kids running down to play in the breakers at sunset. The beachside tree lined promenade is bustling with restaurants, cabanas and nightclubs. The climate is tropical and the average temperature is 26 degrees Celsius. 

The area is renowned for its coral reef and ecotourism activities and an ideal place from which to explore Machalilla National Park, an area classified as an ecological reserve and of archaeological importance. Machalilla National Park encompasses 55,000 hectares of land and two offshore islands, Isla de la Plata and Isla Salango. It constitutes the last remnants of dry tropical forest in Ecuador and is home to a rich variety of birdlife as well as some reptiles and mammals. Its fascination lies in the combination of desert, low-lying areas, beaches, bays and cliffs providing beautiful landscapes and endless photo opportunities. 

Our Volunteers

Sea turtles spend most of their lives in the ocean, but nest on beaches. At certain times of the year, when the tides and seasons align, the females abandon the security of the ocean and make their way up the beaches to lay their eggs. Sea turtles are very vulnerable on land, and even after a nest is successfully laid, it is still very susceptible to harm by humans. 

Through this volunteer program, you will gain an invaluable experience and share unforgettable moments with staff, the local people and with the biodiversity of Ecuador's coast. The work is interesting and unique and is very hands-on during rescues and releases.

Conditions Onsite

The project's activities are affected by the season. For example, nesting season usually begins in January so you may not find a laying turtle in order to count the eggs. It is not impossible though! Although project staff try their best to accomplish all tasks as scheduled, sometimes these cannot be carried out due to various factors (i.e. bad climate conditions). For this reason, we ask volunteers to be patient and understanding. 

With respect to turtle capture, we cannot always capture them as they are wild animals. The capture success depends on tides, climate conditions, and seasonality. It is rare, but possible, that you may not see a turtle.

Please Note

The second instalment of your project fees is due within 1 week after you paid the deposit on Volunteer World. This is a total of $495 AUD and comes off your balance. The balance is due 90 days prior to travel. For all further information about the fees, please scroll down to the section "Program Fees“.

As a volunteer you may help with the following activities

• Diurnal and nocturnal patrols of beaches 
  
• Measurement and tagging of turtles
  
• Egg counting and nest tagging
  
• Egg transfers to an egg hatchery site 
  
• Installation of transmitters on turtle shells
  
• Telemetry activities on board a boat
  
• Capture and recapture of turtles in the sea.

Monitoring nesting beaches

Throughout the nesting season, the staff and volunteers patrol the coasts of the park to learn the exact dates of the nesting season. They track numbers and locations of individual nests, count eggs, and determine hatching times. With these patrols, we hope to establish a clear idea of the population dynamics and reproductive success of the turtles.

When the nests are found, they are marked, protected, and constantly monitored. In May, the first hatchlings begin to emerge and make it safely to the sea!

On-board Monitoring

In the National Park sea turtles are frequently observed swimming freely in the coral reefs. However, little is known about these populations. To obtain a complete picture of the sea turtle population, it is also necessary to obtain data from the turtles in the ocean. To do this, the Environmental Ministry of Ecuador has allowed us to capture turtles at sea, take measurements, mark them, and release them back into the ocean. This information is vital to understanding their habitats and distribution, and recapture of marked individuals is especially helpful, as it helps us better understand the growth and development of the turtles.

Another objective of this activity is to determine whether the turtles are actually living in the reefs around the island, or simply passing through.

Every volunteer must contribute with the maintenance and cleaning of the Volunteer House and field equipment.

You can easily walk anywhere in town. That said, there's an abundance of motorcycle-powered "ecotaxis" that will take you anywhere in town for $1.50. 

There are plenty of travel opportunities along a coast of long deserted beaches, mangroves and coastal lowlands. It is also the country's agricultural centre with large plantations, especially bananas, dominating the inland plains. 

Transport along all this part of the coast is easy because there is only one road. Buses run either North or South, appear about every 30 minutes and you can flag one down or get off at any point you choose.

Visit the stunning and protected beaches of Los Frailes. Reputed to be the most beautiful beach in Ecuador and the star of countless posters, Los Frailes is 30 minutes away by bus. 

Visit the nearby Santa Elena Peninsula and Santa Clara Island provides the largest refuge for maritime birds in Ecuador and the tallest mangroves in the world are located along the Spondylus route, in the forest of Majagual in the Cayapas-Mataje Ecological Reserve in the province of Esmeraldas.

A day trip to Agua Blanca is a must! A small village inside the National Park is home to an excellent archaeological museum containing local ceramics, jewellery and domestic objects attributed to the Mantena civilisation dating from 500 BC to 1500 AD.

Isla de La Plata is a top spot for whale-watching as it is one of the primary sites in Ecuador for humpback whales.

For longer trips, take a bus to Guayaquil, Quito or take a guided nature trip deep into the virgin heart of the Amazon. Visit the mountainous region of the Andes where you find active volcanoes and crater lakes or for the more active traveller, you may try rafting, kayaking, trekking, mountain climbing, mountain biking, white water rafting or bird watching.

If you have time, a trip to the Galapagos Islands is sure to be memorable.