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Volunteers are not expected to conduct these patrols on their own, and will be accompanied by a community/staff member and/or soldier at all times. All participants will work under the supervision of a Camp Co-ordinator, and will work alongside local and international volunteers, as well as Cape Verde soldiers, assisting the program in all aspects of conservation and research. Daily duties will include monitoring nesting beaches either during the night or early in the morning. In the afternoon, other activities such as collecting data on the beach, preparing materials for schools, beach clean-ups etc. will be carried out. Participants should expect to work up to 40h per week (sometimes more). The coordination of the whole program is done by staff based at the charity headquarters in Sal Rei, the capital of the island. Currently, there are three different bases around the island where teams are deployed to ensure the protection of several key nesting beaches. These are: Lacacão Camp, Boa Esperança Camp, and a house located in the village in Fundo das Figueiras. Each base is locally coordinated by one or two Camp Coordinators; they are in charge of ensuring that the camps/house are well maintained, food and water supply are plenty, and patrols are scheduled and data is collected. One or more local assistants are hired to assist with the patrols, and they may or may not live with the rest of the team in the camps/house. Additionally, to each camp a team of up to 5 soldiers is deployed. The soldiers ensure the safety of the camps, volunteers, and most important the turtles, and participate actively in all aspects of the work. Nest excavations and relocations: occasionally turtles lay their eggs in unsuitable places. In such cases, the nest is relocated to a new site and the eggs are carefully moved and re-buried. After the nest has hatched we do a survey of the hatching success rate, which involves nest excavation of the nest and analysis of the shells left. Education & awareness Producing and distributing conservation related signs in the beaches (ongoing activity); Assisting with organized turtle watches for school/community groups & tourists; Participating and helping with school camps; Helping design school and community education talks & activities (eg. using drama, art, songs and games) in subject matter concerning marine environment and turtle conservation; Participating in conservation awareness events; Assisting in carrying out educational workshops and activities, lessons and interactive; Assisting with setting up an environmental centre in Fundo das Figueiras. Beach Clean ups are done regularly and may involve schools, communities, local businesses and the hotels in Boavista Training No experience is needed, all training will be provided. However you must be willing to work hard as the research requires long walks (up to 15 km) in warm and humid conditions. You also need to be friendly and communicative, be able to work in a group and live in a beach camp setting. Requirements All participants are expected to fulfill certain requirements in order to participate in this program. Work is extremely demanding, both at a physical and mental level, and these requirements are just to ensure that volunteers bring the right expectations and enjoy their experience in Boavista. Need to be fit and motivated, and enjoy working outdoors Volunteers must be good swimmers, physically fit to walk long distances on soft, sandy beaches and nature trails, working in all weather conditions, and keep smiling! A background in wildlife conservation is preferred Previous experience in other sea turtle conservation projects is an advantage Able to converse, receive and understand instructions in English or Portuguese Minimum age of 18 Travel and medical insurance Being able to work in remote areas under extremely basic conditions (no sanitation in campsites) Flexibility to adapt to changing schedules as required & able to adapt to work nights and sleep days Available for a minimum of 2 weeks (conservation volunteers) or 6 weeks (interns) You will be staying on very remote beaches and communities, and need to be prepared to live without nightlife, shops, television, etc. You will have free time during the day to walk and explore the beauty of the island or to read a book. Volunteers are expected to take active part on camp/house maintenance and cleaning, as well as cooking. Depending on which project you are allocated to, you may be based in a small village, and you should be open and prepared to live respecting Cape Verde culture and habits. The villagers are not used to having foreigners in the village living with them. It is only in the last few years that tourism has been growing. You might find the local’s daily habits different from yours, but please consider that we are all different and should respect the culture of the country where we are. The exchange of culture and different ways of seeing things enriches us and brings positive effects. Women are kindly asked to respect the local community culture and dress discreetly at all times. In the beach camps you can wear swimwear and shorts. Campsites will be extremely basic and rustic, and volunteers share the tent with several other colleagues. Sanitation is non-existing or very basic, while water will be rationed and used for drinking and washing only (there will be no running showers). Food is at all times very basic, and at times repetitive. It is possible to cater for vegetarians, but not for vegans. Applicants with specific diet requirements/food allergies should contact the project staff prior to applying. The activities of the project are mainly conducted on sandy tropical beaches, which are very isolated and unspoilt by tourism. Volunteers should have a keen and genuine interest in conservation and ecology and respect the surrounding environment. Applicants must understand that this is mostly an overnight position, resulting in lack of sleep. Applicants should be physically fit and must be able to sit, stand and kneel for long periods of time. Work conditions are extreme with temperatures ranges from 17ºC at night to 40°C during the day. Work is sometimes required in rainy conditions and at times bugs and flies are not only common, but abundant. PARTICIPATION OPTIONS There are two different types of volunteer placements, which differ mainly in the duration of the volunteers stay, and the amount of responsibility: conservation volunteer (for stays up to 6 week) or intern (stays over 6 weeks). CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS are required to stay for a minimum of only 2 weeks, and participate in all aspects of the work. Applicants from any background are accepted, and full training is provided. INTERNS are required to stay for at least 6 weeks, and may stay from 6 weeks up to several months if they wish. Applicants from any background are accepted, however this placement is more suitable for gap-year students, undergraduates or recent-graduates who wish to gain more experience in wildlife monitoring techniques and conservation work. Interns will work more closely with the Camp Coordinators and research staff, and might receive extra training for specific tasks or research projects taking place. WHEN TO COME: NIGHT PATROLS: Start around June 15th and may last until October 15th. Additional work after this time will resume to morning surveys, nest exhumations and hatchling releases, and other activities organized in the communities. NESTING: Turtles are recorded from early June and the peak nesting season runs from mid July to mid September. After this time the number of nesting females starts to decrease. HATCHLINGS: Hatchlings start emerging in mid August, most nests will hatch from late September towards late November. What is and what is not included Airfare, travel/medical insurance and personal expenses ARE NOT included in the costs. Personal medical and travel insurance for the duration of your placement – please note, this must include cover for repatriation. You will be working in the vicinity of wild animals so please check with your insurance provider as you may require particular insurance. Project site logistics are complex due to the remoteness of the sites and high living cost in Boavista. Project funds are limited and cover costs associated to local salaries, military presence and extremely high running costs. Therefore the organization relies on volunteers to contribute towards their participation costs. These fees cover 3 daily meals, drinking water, accommodation (shared campsite/house), airport pick-up and travel to project site, in-country support, and visa support. Food and accommodation is provided during the time at the project sites only. Personal expenses incurred during volunteer’s free time are not covered (days off, hotel stays, meals or snacks in town, etc). Expect similar prices to European cities.
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