Sri Lanka Turtle Conservation Project

Program Summary

Idex has been offering volunteer and travel experiences to international volunteers for over a decade in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Vietnam and Thailand. Over the years, we havebeen building on our diverse experience, having provided placements, travels and learning opportunities to many volunteers since the start of the programs.
Idex carries with it a trust and experience of more than a decade in volunteering activities, and is now offering an amazing turtle protection project in Sri Lanka to provide a real and valuable experience to our customers along with a chance to make a difference in such a beautiful island by helping out in turtle conservation.
Program Location
Sri Lanka is home of 5 out of 7 species of turtles in the world. Our project is located in Induruwa, Kosgoda on the west coast about 75 kilometers south of Colombo.
Kosgoda, Bentota, and Induruwa areas are prime turtle nesting sites of Sri Lanka and beautiful areas with stunning beaches and several turtle hatcheries which attracts a lot of tourists.
Accommodation

Home stay with basic facilities near the project site along with home cooked food. Comfortable simple rooms on sharing basis are available for your stay.

Our Promises

Our promises to all our customers participating in this program are

Safety

Our travellers will have the safest possible experience through:
  • Airport to airport support.
  • Safe and clean housing.
  • Fully escorted trip.
  • Reliable and quality suppliers.
  • Well organized activities and projects.

Fun

Our travellers will have loads of fun by:
  • Interacting with travellers from all over the world.
  • Participating in local cultural workshops.
  • Variety of included and optional activities.
  • Interacting with local community.

Personal Growth

Our travellers will be a better version of themselves after this program through:
  • Developing confidence.
  • Developing an appreciation for others’ way of living and thinking.
  • Learning new skills or applying their current skills.
  • Becoming globally minded.

Program introduction and volunteer activities:

On the project you will work closely with our local partner in conservation and research center for protecting beautiful sea turtles. We conserve five types of sea turtles in Indian ocean as mentioned:
  • Green turtle
  • Hawksbill turtle
  • Loggerhead turtle
  • Olive Ridley turtle
  • Leatherback turtle
The overall aim of this sea turtle conservation project is to monitor sea turtle activity and conserve the local nesting sites in the Induruwa Kosgoda region of Sri Lanka.

Our project is located right next to the beach about 500 meters from Induruwa Kasgoda, a small town. We are working with local people for saving sea turtles, as these innocent animals cannot protect themselves. On the other hand, a lot of turtles get killed because of consumption of eggs and their meat, demand of their shells for decoration, injury from fishing and a million of turtles died because of no care or treatment. Our commitment is to support the local team to help & protect these critically endangered sea turtles. Volunteer work includes protecting turtle’s nests, hatching eggs, collecting turtle eggs, feeding turtles, caring for and treating turtles that are victims of commercial fishing and various illnesses. Cleaning the beach and turtle tanks, releasing turtles back to sea and educating community for saving sea turtles.

Turtle populations are attacked at all stages of their lives, both from natural and human pressures and all species of sea turtle are now classed as endangered. Without intervention, we may lose these beautiful, ancient creatures from our oceans forever. Our conservation effort aims to prevent further decline of their population and protect turtles by ensuring viable nesting and feeding populations of these magnificent ancient creatures.

Participants will work from Monday to Friday and will be assigned at least 6 hrs of work a day as per the requirement of the project. The work would be divided in two parts. Shifts will vary as work is needed at the turtle project for 24 hrs. There are days when project expect shifts at night as well as through the day particularly during egg laying season of the Turtles. Typically the shifts will be divided into 2 parts with a lunch or dinner break of 1 hour, as the case may be.

Two major challenges for this projects first volunteer will be staying with host family (home stay) with basic facilities in small village, secondly maintaining a turtle hatchery is quite expensive, A large amount of money has to be spent on the construction and repair of tanks, pumping sea water, cleaning and purchasing fish for feeding and hence entrance fees charged from tourists.

Why and for what are volunteers required at this project?

The project requires the help of volunteers and locals to keep running the project. Volunteers will be assist with the operation of the project and undertake local community development projects.

Requirements

  • Volunteers must be 17 years or older on program start date
  • Good physical fitness.
  • Vaccinations (as suggested by your general Physician)
  • Flexibility and team work.
  • Respect the local culture and get hands dirty
  • Activities Time
  • No of volunteering positions available 8 to12 volunteers
  • No of local workers 3 to 4 workers
  • Available months Throughout the year
  • Minimum Program duration required At least 1 week at project

ACTIVITIES THAT VOLUNTEER WILL DO AT THE PROJECT

Caring turtles that live at the centre.

Washing turtles or giving them a wash

Night patrolling the beach to collect eggs if female turtle come for laying their eggs at night.

Maintaining the project areas and beach

Lifting turtles from tank to tank

Releasing baby turtles in sea

Feeding turtles

Eggs collect from nest on beach or bought from vender to avoid their sale in market

Guidance to tourists

Sri Lanka Turtle Conservation Project

Duration : 14 Days

Country : Sri Lanka

  • Day 1, Monday, (Colombo)

    Arrival at Colombo Airport and transfer to Idex accommodation in Colombo. (Airport code : CMB)

    (Breakfast Only)

  • Day 2, Tuesday, (Colombo)

    Early morning after breakfast, Orientation. After lunch transfer to Project location by road (75 Kilometers Approximately: 3hrs). Settle down & free time in the evening

    (Breakfast,Lunch & Dinner)

  • Day 3 , Wednesday, (Kosgoda)

    Early morning visit to project for introduction of local team and get briefing about turtles. Start Volunteer work

    (Breakfast,Lunch & Dinner)

  • Day 4 - Day 5 , Thursday to Friday, (Kosgoda)

    Volunteer work

    (Breakfast,Lunch & Dinner)

  • Day 6 - Day 7 , Saturday to Sunday, (Kosgoda)

    Weekend free/optional trip

    (Breakfast & Dinner)

    • Day 8 - Day 12 , Monday to Friday, (Kosgoda)

      Volunteer work

      (Breakfast,Lunch & Dinner)

    • Day 13, Saturday, (Kosgoda)

      Free time

      (Breakfast,Lunch & Dinner)

    • Day 14, Sunday , (Kosgoda)

      After Lunch transfer to Colombo Airport.

      (Breakfast & Lunch)

Services Included

  • Pickup at Colombo airport and one night stay in Colombo on arrival.
  • Home based accommodation on sharing basis.
  • Sri Lankan food (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) for the entire duration of the program as per meal plan.
  • Presence of a dedicated program coordinator that will resolve volunteering issues with projects and facilities
  • The program coordinator will be available at the project at regular periods and will be accessible at all times of the day on phone during the entire project
  • All local project coordination, placement and orientation of volunteers in the project
  • Extensive pre-departure information, post-arrival printed material, regular training and support by IDEX for preparing the participants for their experience.
  • The volunteer accommodation will offer necessary amenities like purified water, television, western toilets, mosquito nets etc.
  • Local transportation from accommodation to project and return.
  • Transfer from project to Colombo Airport (Airport drop).

Arrival Procedure

dex offers the pick up in a window from-10 AM on the start date of the program until 6 AM on the following day (Day 2) of the program.
Arrival pickups outside of these times are available on extra charges.
Check in at accommodation is available from 12 noon on Day 1 of the program, even though, it’s our attempt to have the customers, checked in at the accommodation, as early as possible.
Customers are to exit from departure gate and wait outside of exit gate at Bandaranayake International airport
Please advise all your customers to look for the Idex logo instead of finding their personal name when searching for the airport pickup representative.

Departure procedure

Airport transfer on departure is available from 8 PM on the 2nd last day of the program (for ex, Day 14 in case of 2 week program) until 10 AM on the last day of the program (for ex, Day 15 in case of 2 week program).
As per the new transfer structure, the departure transfer will be available at gaps of 2 hours and the customers will be asked to take the most convenient transfer for them. The available departure times will be: 8 PM, 10 PM, Midnight, 2 AM, 4 AM, 6 AM, 8 AM and finally at 10 AM.
Departure transfers outside these times or schedules are available on extra charges.
During departure, check out time from the accommodation is 12 noon on the last day of the program (for ex, Day 15 on a 2 week program).

Important:

All the program and services are available as per schedule only. If any deviation or reschedule occurs and such would cost extra to organize, then it will be charged extra to the customers.
*We are not able to do any settlement or reimbursement against any unused services.

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