Volunteers for Sea Turtle Patrols

Volunteers are needed primarily for sea turtle patrols during the sea turtle nesting season from March 1st to October 31st Patrols camp and walk the beaches at night to help measure and tag the turtles, mark and disguise the nest location, and monitor hatchlings. Groups of 2-3 volunteers patrol each monitored beach along with a local guide. Volunteers stay from a month up to the entire nesting season. During the daytime, volunteers help out with animal feeding, grounds keeping, trail clean up, and other projects as needed. There is also plenty of time to enjoy the sights and sounds of Carriacou.

Accommodations and Costs
Volunteers stay in the Pagoda in bunk-style beds with a shared kitchen and two shared bathroom/shower areas. Volunteers take turns with chores such as cooking and cleaning. Volunteers are responsible for buying their own food from the many local markets. Smoking, drugs and alcohol are not allowed at KERS. The costs for lodging is $15US per day for a minimum of 30 days; this fee is reduced proportionally if the volunteer stay more than two months.

Current Volunteer Opportunities
Research Assistants for Leatherback & Hawksbill Tagging Programme

Period: March 1st-October 31st every year. Minimum period of stay 30 days
Duties:

• Night patrolling on foot in a nature park area comprising 4 different beaches from 8pm to 5 am; 5 nights a week.
  
• Assisting tagging post nesting turtles, carapace measuring and other data collection.
  
• Nest marking and disguising against poaching.
  
• Hatchling monitoring and survival rate data collection.
  
• Daytime beach survey by boat/kayak.
  
• At Kido Station: quarters maintenance and cooking in turns.

Requirements: Applicants should be good swimmers, physically fit to walk on beaches and adaptable to work night-time and sleep during day time. Applicants should have a keen interest in conservation and ecology; pursuing or possessing a degree in a related field of study is preferred. Smoking, drugs, and alcohol are not allowed at KERS. Travel insurance is required.

To apply as a Volunteer
Please email your introduction including your research objectives and/or conservation/environmental goals along with your CV (Word, pdf, or text format is fine) and a scanned copy of your valid passport to kido-ywf@caribsurf.com.