Volunteer Program

Our volunteer program affords anyone interested in sea turtles the opportunity to play an essential part in our project here on the Osa. By giving their time and energy to do hands-on work with local turtle populations, volunteers make a crucial difference in the conservation effort, while personally gaining an extraordinary experience in the tropics.Without the efforts of volunteers, this program would not be as successful as it is. Their work helps us obtain crucial data while protecting sea turtles and their nests. Thanks to their help, in the last three years we have released more than 45,000 hatchlings from our beaches.Aside from their conservation duties, program volunteers have plenty of free time to explore and enjoy the beauty, serenity, and unmatched biodiversity of Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula! Corcovado National Park, the Golfo Dulce, and the many wildlife refugees and biological corridors that adjoin our site are all places to view the many mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and amphibians that call home to the area that National Geographic has called "one  of  the  most  biologically  intense places on Earth".

Volunteers live at our field station right in the middle of the rainforest, with the pacific ocean a few short steps away!

Volunteers pay a fee that covers their food and housing. All of the meals will be prepared daily by a member of the local community, who lives on-site. 90% of the food will be purely Costa Rican: rice, beans, chicken, beef, salads, a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, juices, Costa Rican coffee, and many desserts. Vegetarians and vegans are welcome and will find themselves well acommodated by the program's "TIco-style" cuisine. The field station is rustic but comfortable and each volunteer will have their own bed (but must provide their own bedding). Bathroom and shower facilities, as well as safe drinking water, are available on-site.

Volunteer Responsibilities

Each night, pairs of volunteers walk the beach with field assistants in two different shifts: 8pm-midnight and midnight-4am. During this time, the volunteers take data from turtle nests and eggs, assist in measuring and tagging turtles, remove and replace nests into our protective hatchery or elsewhere on the beach, and release baby hatchlings into the ocean. The next morning, one volunteer patrols the beach once again to collect information on any nests laid after the completion of the night patrols. All of the information that we collect from the beach will be recorded in the data sheets and ultimately transferred to a computer database. Because following temperature fluctuations is an essential part of the study, during the afternoon scheduled volunteers are in charge of taking and recording the temperatures of all the nests on the beach and in the hatchery. Once the nests start to hatch, the volunteers focus attention on the hatchery by checking in each afternoon to weigh and measure any hatchlings found, and then to release them. One volunteer each day is also assigned to excavate any nests that hatched three days prior, by digging, counting, studying, and recording the results.

While on site, volunteers have additional options for participating in local conservation efforts, including visiting schools to educate children about the importance the environment and its conservation and to give the children lessons in your native language to open them to another culture. Volunteers can also help arrange and conduct guided tours of the hatchery and night patrols for students or guests staying in nearby hotels.

Dates

- July 1st - Dec 15th

Free Time

Although there is plenty of work to do, the volunteers still have lots of free time every day, during which you can hike the trails near the field stations, camp out at Corcovado National Park, do some kayaking at Pejeperrito Lagoon where you will have the chance to see lots of migratory birds and crocodiles, relax on the beach, or take the local transportation into the nearest town, Puerto Jimenez for shopping, emailing, or making phone calls.

What kind of wildlife might you see?

Scientific reports discuss about 70 species of crabs, 61 freshwater fish, 46 amphibians, 117 reptiles  and amphibians (including 1 crocodile, 1 caymen, and three sea turtles), 367 species of birds, 140 species of terrestrial mammals, and 58 species of bats. Some of these organisms are considered endemic, which means this is their only habitat on earth. Largely through ongoing conservation efforts in the area, endangered   large  mammal  species,  including  tapir,  white - lipped

peccaries, ocelots, and jaguars, are rebounding.

Requirements:

Volunteers must be at least 18 years old, be in good physical shape and be able to walk more than 6km (just under 4 miles) per night, and must have the ability to tolerate the tropical climate (humidity, rain, mosquitoes). Most of all, the ideal volunteer must have the interest, passion, and determination to help bring these amazing creatures out of endangerment.

Costs:

US$ 25/day + US$ 35 (Inscription)

How to register?

1. Contact the Volunteer Coordinator by postal mail, electronic mail, phone or fax.

2. Send back the Registration Form with the dates you would like to participate. This is also your opportunity to ask any general questions.

3. Make your reservation for the dates you plan to participate and an appointment to visit the office in San Jose (optional).

What to bring:

Clothing

Pack for hot weather and dirty conditions. Lightweight and fast-drying articles are best. Don’t bring denim. It NEVER dries in tropical humidity.

• Two sets of field clothes
• One set of camp clothes
• Plenty of socks / underwear
• Swim suit
• Sheets (2 sets)
• Sunglasses / hat
• Garbage bag / tote for storying dirty laundry

Footwear

• Close-toed beach shoes that can get wet
• Hiking shoes or boots – comfortable and broken in
• Tennis shoes/sneakers for around camp

Gear

• Headlamp w/ halogen or strong incandescent bulb, preferably with a red light (we recommend the Rayovac 3-in-1 Head Lite ( http://store.sundancesolar.com/ra3ledhewiba.html)
• Extra batteries, or a solar charger with recharcheable batteries (recommended) (http://store.sundancesolar.com/sobachfor4aa.html)
• Rain gear – we work in the rain and you will get wet ( http://www.campmor.com/cgi-bin/redir?prod=39177441)
• Watch
• Sunblock
• Insect repellent
• Water bottle
• Day pack for hikes
• Optional: Venom extractor for insect bites (http://www.campmor.com/cgi-bin/redir?prod=1059)  

Personal

• Passport and a photocopy of the first page (carry the photocopy separately)
• Documentation of international medical coverage/traveler’s insurance
• $26.00 for the Costa Rican airport departure tax
• Spending money
• Toiletries (biodegradable products are best), cortazone creme/benadryl for insect bites
• Lightweight sheets
• Towel
• Money for local transportation, telephone calls, internet use, souvenirs, overnight stays in Puerto Jimenez. Most ATM cards will not work in Puerto Jimenez but money can be taken out at the local bank using a credit card.
• Recommended: A book or two for lazy afternoons
• Camera / portable music player
• Ziplock bags for storing any electronic equipment you bring

Don’t Bring

• Anything that requires an AC power supply (ie hairdryers, electric razors)
• Tents
• Laundry Soap

Be sure to pack carry essentials (documents, medecines, and a change of clothing) in your carry-on luggage.

A good online source of outdoor gear and clothing is www.campmor.com. We also recommend http://www.sierratradingpost.com/DeptBargainBarn.aspx, which carries inexpensive outdoor-wear and equipment.

Travel information:

There are a few different ways that you can get to the field station in Rio Oro from the International Airport in San Jose

1- The cheap, but very long way: there is one bus from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez, at 12pm. The bus company is Lobo Blanco and is located 100 meters diagonal from the bus stop for San Carlos in San Jose (telephone: (506) 257-4121). The cost is approximately 3500 colones and the trip takes about eight hours. The bus station is not in a good area of San Jose so keep your eyes and body parts around your bags. The thieves are fast and invisible here and the police won’t help get your stuff back if it gets stolen. We suggest having the taxi wait with you until the bus arrives at the station.

2- The quick but expensive way: there are two domestic airlines that fly to Puerto Jimenez multiple times a day. The trip takes about 45 min and costs up to $97 per person. We use Nature Air.

NATURE AIR Company
Telephone Puerto Jimenez:(506) 735-5062 OR 735-5722
Telephone San Jose: (506) 220-3054
Fax:(506) 735-5043
www.natureair.net

SANSA company
Telephone Puerto Jimenez: (506) 735-5017
Telephone San Jose: (506) 221-9414
Fax: (506) 735-5495
www.flysansa.com

Once you arrive in Puerto Jimenez there is a bus (the "collectivo") that will take you to Rio Oro. It leaves twice a day, at 6am and 1:30pm. The trip takes about two hours and costs approximately 3500 colones (approx. $7 US). This will be the transport you take back and forth from Rio Oro to Puerto Jimenez for email, laundry, etc. Just tell the driver that you are headed for the sea turtle conservation project in Rio Oro and they will drop you off at the field station.

Contact:

Please contact us with questions about the program and application. We have offices in both Costa Rica and Washington DC.