Madagascar Research and Conservation Institute's Marine Conservation Program works both independently and in collaboration with oceanographic organisations to gather vital raw scientific data through a number of initiatives including: Reef Surveys; Coral Bleaching Assessments; Nudibranch Surveys; Artificial Reef Surveys; Turtle Monitoring; Invasive Species Monitoring; Beach Clean Management. All marine volunteers receive comprehensive practical scuba-diving and theory training to prepare them to undertake research-based activities at sea. This includes species identification training for marine wildlife, which includes turtles, fish, corals and invertebrates. Volunteers are taught the methodology and diving techniques required for coral baseline surveying, a key skill in marine conservation as a universal approach to monitoring the state of coral reefs. In addition, volunteers are taught how our work fits into the bigger picture of conservation management required for establishing marine protected areas and improving coastal ecosystems.
Project Location: MRCI is based in Northwest Madagascar on the small island of Nosy Komba (‘Lemur Island’) also known as Nosy Ambariovato (‘Island surrounded by rocks’). Situated between mainland Madagascar and the large island of Nosy Be, this volcanic island offers a unique peace and tranquillity as there are no roads or cars on this island.
The MRCI research centre, Turtle Cove, is built into the steep, rocky slopes of Nosy Komba as a multi-level compound overlooking the spectacular coral reef below. Turtle Cove is nestled between a beautiful tropical forest and a pristine beach overlooking Nosy Be and the world famous Lokobe Forest Reserve. Just meters from Turtle Cove, volunteers can experience incredible coconut tree fringed beaches with easy access to MRCI’s home coral reef, now declared a Marine Protected Area by the Department of Environment in conjunction with MRCI, the local community and the Department of Fisheries.
Volunteers on the Marine Conservation program can volunteer for a minimum of 4 weeks to a maximum of 12 weeks. Our volunteers range in age from 18 to retirees and everyone in between, though most are in their early to mid-twenties. MRCI’s Marine Conservation program can accommodate up to 24 divers while our research centre at Turtle Cove can accommodate up to 54 volunteers at a time across all programs.
Languages Spoken: All program staff and volunteers must be able to speak, write and understand English. Our program staff and volunteers come from all over the world and speak a myriad of other languages in additional to English. Locally, our operations staff and the people of Madagascar speak Malagasy and some French. Volunteers have the chance to attend free Malagasy lessons offered on camp and learn more about the language and culture in this beautiful country.
Essential info: Volunteers are expected to have their own health insurance. Vaccinations are not typically required to enter Madagascar, however this may vary depending on your travel path. We recommend consulting a travel doctor about vaccinations and medications. Recommended vaccinations for Madagascar include: yellow fever, tetanus, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, typhoid, and rabies.
In addition, we recommend carrying preventative agents with you including sun screen, after sun lotion, mosquito repellent, rehydration supplements, anti-malarial medications, and anything else recommended by your doctor. There is access to good, fairly priced medical care here in country if needed. Due to the hot, humid climate, it is incredibly important to drink enough water. We have filtered drinking water available on camp; just be sure to bring a good reusable bottle.
Volunteers also receive:
Currency: In Madagascar the official currency is the Malagasy Ariary (MGA), which can only be exchanged in Madagascar. There are a number VISA ATMs located in Hellville which volunteers can draw cash from. We do however advise that you bring some Euro’s along with you.
Passport and Visa: All visitors require visas and a one to three month single entry visa may be obtained on arrival at the airport. We do recommend you check with the Consulate General as visa requirements can change at any time. A passport valid for 6 months after date of return is required. Please ensure you have at least two blank pages available in your passport before commencement of travel.
What to bring along:
Personal Items - Essential Items for all Volunteers
Personal Medical Kit (example)
Optional Items for all Volunteers
Essential Items for Marine Conservation Volunteers
Program Requirements: To participate on the Marine Conservation program, volunteers must have both PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water Dive Certification or equivalent to survey. PADI diving courses can be completed with us in Madagascar at the research centre. Volunteers must complete the PADI E-learning portion of the PADI training prior to arrival in Madagascar as access to WIFI is limited. When applying for the Marine Conservation Program, volunteers must specify their level of scuba-diving and/or any training required. Visit our MRCI Dive School page for more information on our PADI courses. Please note, this project has a minimum duration of 4 weeks to allow sufficient time to complete the dive and marine research training required to participate effectively on the project.
Internet: Wi-Fi is not available on camp, however there is Wifi access in the neighbouring village of Ampang, about a half hour hike from camp. Volunteers will also have access to Wifi over the weekends either in Ampang village or on the Neighbouring Island of Nosy Be.
Laundry: A hand washing laundry station is provided on camp with a clean water tap, concrete work surface for scrubbing, and buckets. Volunteers will need to purchase their own laundry soap (available on neighbouring Nosy Be) and can either do their own washing, or pay one of the local kitchen or care taker staff to do it for them. Typically, it costs 10,000 MGA per bag of laundry, plus soap.
About the Marine Conservation Program:
Reef Research
The MRCI
marine team collects time-series data recording diversity and abundance of
fish, invertebrate and reef building organisms through reef surveys at various
sites along the coast of Nosy Komba. MRCI are also monitoring the health of the
coral in the wake of our changing climate through coral bleaching and invasive
species surveys. After two years of survey work, the area of reef situated
directly in front of our home, Turtle Cove, known as ‘Turtle Towers’ was designated
as a ‘no-take’ Marine Protected Area (MPA), prohibiting all fishing activities
and restricted boat activities. This provided the unique opportunity to
additionally monitor the effectiveness of the MPA over time in allowing the
reef ecosystem to improve after being subjected to heavy, artisanal fishing
pressures and boat activities. The MPA site will be compared to our other reef
sites that are still impacted by direct anthropogenic pressures. The reef
research volunteers will be assisting us with is vital to justify the need for
the MPA, to raise awareness in the community and to provide more sustainable
local fishing opportunities for years to come.
The organisms
surveyed are divided into three species groups; the ‘active swimmers’ (fish),
‘benthic’ (bottom dwellers) and ‘sessile’ (stationary). Volunteers usually
specialise in one of three species groups, learn the species and are trained
how to participate in the reef surveys.
All the data collected through our reef surveys goes
to the Coastal Oceans Development Indian Ocean (CORDIO),
and is shared with our national partner, Madagascar Centre Nationale Researche
Oceanographique (CNRO).
Artificial Reef Research
The
establishment of artificial reefs in key areas are proven to be an effective
way to enhance coral reef stability and sustain the abundance of reef species.
Madagascar has witnessed several bleaching events and reef degradation in
recent times, so there is an urgent need to establish habitats which can
support a greater diversity of marine species.
Coral Transplantation
The MRCI
marine team has recently constructed a series of small, concrete, boulder-like
hollow structures called ‘domes’, with transplanted hard and soft corals
attached to them. These domes have been arranged into rows parallel to Turtle
Towers reef, within the MPA, which has been nick-named ‘The Orchard’. Over a
6-month period volunteers have helped to construct, implement, clean and monitor
the progress of the ‘baby-corals’. Now, you will be assisting the marine team
to survey The Orchard, and add new sites, recording growth rates of the corals,
level of coral bleaching and assessment of the recruitment of additional
species over time to the new artificial reef.
Creative Structures
The team has
also built a collection of metal re-bar artificial structures beyond Turtle Towers reef, also within the MPA. The aim of
both artificial reef projects is to provide additional substrate and habitat
for organisms to grow and thrive, to boost the rejuvenation and recovery of the
reef ecosystem within the MPA. Volunteers will have the opportunity to monitor
and carry out surveys on these structures, recording the benthic assemblage
cover as well as species biodiversity and abundance, to add to MRCI’s time-series
dataset.
Nudibranch Research
Nudibranchs are a group of wonderfully diverse
sea-slugs (gastropod molluscs). They have close associations with the marine
invertebrates and are great indicators of reef diversity. Volunteers will
actively participate in recording the species abundance and diversity of these
marine molluscs. Volunteers will assist us to build up the MRCI catalogue of
all the different species found in the area, which in turn helps to determine
the health status of the coral reef. All the data is shared with our national partner, Madagascar Centre Nationale Researche
Oceanographique (CNRO), who compare our species diversity with Nosy Be and
other parts of Madagascar.
Turtle Monitoring
On Nosy Komba
we see both the green and hawksbill turtles within and around the MPA. In
addition, the beaches adjacent to Turtle Cove are visited by a small population
of nesting turtles. Volunteers will be recording data on sightings of marine
turtles around Turtle Cove, through dry ‘turtle watches’ from the centre and on
snorkelling surveys. In addition, during the breeding season from November to
March, you participate in ‘Extreme Turtle Watch’ patrolling the nesting beaches
during the night for signs of activity. Volunteers will also have the
opportunity to assist in environment workshops promoting turtle conservation
measures. The overall aim is to establish the frequency and population strength
of the varying species which visit as well as any seasonal and long-term
charges in population size. The data collected on these important, endangered
species is shared with the C3 UK Branch of the
International Union of Convention of Nature (IUCN).
Orientation information
NOTE: The schedule will vary widely depending on boats, tides etc. Follow the instructions of in-country staff for actual times and stay flexible. Daily life in Madagascar revolves around family, boats and tides. Embrace the ‘mora-mora’ way of life and don’t get into a hurry. Just try to relax and enjoy the journey.
ARRIVAL MONDAY
TUESDAY: First official day on project! Generally, you will be doing hands-on activities integrated with staff and other more experienced volunteers. Staff will go over activities and times after dinner on Monday so you know where to go.
Typical Day: Each program has morning and afternoon activities. After dinner each day, we have a briefing to go over activities for the following day. NOTE: Schedule will vary depending on the project, tides, etc.
Sample Schedule:
Only cash is accepted on Nosy Be and Nosy Komba. There are no ATMs located on Nosy Komba, therefore all cash needs to be drawn ATMs located on neighbouring Nosy Be. The ATMs all take VISA; only one or two will accept MasterCard. Depending on weekend activities and the number of souvenirs and snacks purchased, volunteers typically find between $50 and $100 USD per week to be sufficient spending money.
A few popular weekend activities / places to visit are listed below. NOTE: Unless marked otherwise, volunteers organize trips to these places on their own, not through MRCI, however there is contact information available on camp from past volunteers on how they booked trips.
ARRIVAL INFO: The program begins on the first and third Monday of every month. The MRCI base sits on a small island called Nosy Komba off the northwest coast of Madagascar. There is no airport, roads or cars on this island, however on the neighbouring island of Nosy Be there is a large port and airport. Please arrive to Nosy Be for pickup the day before your start date so you can meet the team for transport to the volunteer camp on Nosy Komba. The boat ride from Nosy Be to Nosy Komba takes about 45 minutes and the last boat usually departs around 15:00.
Volunteers may fly directly into Nosy Be Fascene International Airport (airport code NOS), or into the capital city, Antananarivo (Tana for short; airport code TNR). If you fly into Tana, you can take a domestic flight from Tana to Nosy Be, or travel overland via Taxi Brousse or private car to Nosy Be. We can help arrange your overland transport if needed. This journey can take anywhere from 24 to 72 hours depending on number of stops, weather, road conditions, etc.
FOR YOUR ARRIVAL: Once you arrive on Nosy Be, our driver will meet you. He will have an MRCI sign with a turtle logo. Depending on the time you arrive, an MRCI staff member wearing a blue MRCI shirt will also greet you. If there is time before the last boat departs for Nosy Komba, you will be given a tour of the town of Hellville and an opportunity to purchase snacks, a local SIM card, draw money at an ATM, etc. Bear in mind that in addition to time constraints with boat departures, shops and stores all shut during siesta, between noon and 14:30 or 15:00. If you arrive at 15:00 or later (after the last boat departs for Komba), you will need to stay the night on Nosy Be. We can provide you with hotel recommendations if needed. The following day, you’ll meet an MRCI staff member at a predetermined time and place.
Your transport to camp, including the taxi from Nosy Be airport (or tuk tuk from port) to Hellville and your first boat to camp are included in the program fee. A staff member will accompany you on the boat from Nosy Be to Nosy Komba and give you a tour of MRCI camp on Komba upon arrival.
FOR YOUR DEPARTURE: You are responsible to arrange and pay for your own transport back to the airport, however we are happy to help you book your transport as needed.
Our research centre, Turtle Cove, is built into the steep slopes of Nosy Komba as a multi-level compound overlooking the spectacular coral reef below. Climb stone stairs up from an idyllic beach to main house situated above the dive deck and take in the stunning view of the ocean extending far across all the way to Lokobe Forest Reserve on Nosy Be. Main house accommodates senior staff members and serves as a meeting place and hangout for volunteers during the day. Large decks line the front of main house complete with hammocks, bean bags and benches. There is also a work area for volunteers as well as lockable storage boxes available for each hut to store small valuables. Volunteers should also bring a padlock to secure personal items in their luggage when not in use.
From the back of main house, follow more stone steps up another level to a separate kitchen and dining hut nestled among vibrant gardens. On this middle level and up another level sit a series of locally built bungalows fitted with bunk beds that serve as volunteer sleeping quarters. Volunteers can expect to share a hut with four to six other volunteers, and will need to bring their own bedding and towels. Also on these two levels, there are several bathroom facilities equipped with running water, flush toilets and coldwater showers.
Turtle cove camp is eco-friendly with solar powered lighting throughout. There are no charging facilities for electronic devices; volunteers are encouraged to bring a solar panel and battery pack to keep their devices charged. Charging ports are available in the neighbouring village of Ampang, about a half hour hike from camp. We do have an onsite generator for staff use, though volunteers are welcome to charge small devices (no laptops) from this if there is space. Bear in mind that in an effort to go green, use of the generator is minimal, sometimes only once per week or less.
Also keep in mind that we are dependent on the sun for most of our power and rainfall for our water, so conserve power and water as much as possible during your stay.
When packing, please keep in mind that there are no waste disposal or recycling centres in this area of Madagascar. Therefore, please minimize the amount of disposable, plastic or one-use type items you bring. Opt for rechargeable batteries instead of single use batteries as we have no way to safely dispose of batteries on the island. We suggest also bringing a solar panel and battery pack if you have any electronics you want to keep charged.
On camp, three meals per day are provided seven days per week. Each meal is prepared by our on-site cooks using traditional Malagasy cooking methods using fresh, locally grown, seasonally available produce. Most meals have a rice base with beans and vegetables on the side (or over rice). Fruit and vegetables served will change depending on the season and availability of local produce. Some meals will include fish/seafood, beef (zebu), or chicken. Meat, when part of a meal, is typically prepared with a sauce, cut into small pieces, and served over rice. In addition to bananas, breakfast usually consists of either baguettes and jam, eggs or crepes.
There is a vegetarian option for all meals. Due to logistics and the limitations of our remote location, we cannot provide a vegan option. Vegans can help themselves to the vegetable-based foods prepared, but will also need to supplement their diet with foods purchased off camp. If you have special dietary requirements, please let us know. We will do or best to provide accordingly, however you should not expect to eat as you normally do at home. Bear in mind that you are volunteering in a remote region of a developing country and flexibility is necessary.
MRCI's Marine Conservation Program runs throughout the year. Start Dates are the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month.
ARRIVAL DAY: You will be met at the airport (or port) on Nosy Be by our driver or an MRCI staff member. If you arrive before Sunday, you will be dropped off at your hotel after a tour of Hellville. On Sunday, you will meet a staff member at a predetermined time and place for transfer to the volunteer camp on Nosy Komba.
SUNDAY
Marine Conservation Research Assistant
MRCI's Marine Conservation volunteers are involved in a variety of projects focused on the protection of the marine ecosystem in Madagascar.
$500/week
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