Turtle Conservation in Sri Lanka

Program Description

Unfortunately, sea turtles face many dangers.

The hatchery program is designed to maximise the number of hatchlings reaching the sea and surviving through the critical stages of their early life. Only a few hatchlings from each batch ever make it to adulthood and, therefore, every nest-ground, every egg, every hatchling and every turtle is crucial to the survival of the five species resident here!

One of the most important elements of the project is its hatchery. Here, within the sanctuary of the project, collected and rescued eggs can hatch safely away from predators before being released into the sea at night-time.

This project has been running since 1988 with the main aim to monitor local sea turtle activity and conserve the local nesting sites. As well as this, the project aims to make the public more aware of how endangered these beautiful creatures are and just how important it is to help protect them before it is too late.

Highlights

Your English language skills will help to educate the locals who are keen to learn! You will interact with the community teaching conservational English - you will also get the opportunity to work with the local school children teaching English and a range of other subjects such as drawing, music, painting, singing and dancing.

A night patrol along the beach not only deters poachers but you might just witness a beautiful female turtle coming up to nest - a once-in-a-lifetime experience not to be missed!

Volunteers will be caring for the turtles that live at the centre, helping to maintain the project area and the beach by keeping them clean and tidy. You will bury the eggs brought by vendors, help with cleaning the hatcheries and feed the turtles before releasing them back into the wild!

Turtles come up onto the beaches to lay their eggs at night when they are particularly vulnerable. Once they lay their eggs, the nests themselves are vulnerable to predators and poachers - long tracks leading to the nesting site are very obvious! Even if the turtles don't visit at night, you can still enjoy a stroll along a warm beach, watching the stars to the sound of the Indian Ocean.

You will also lend a hand with the tours of the hatchery, helping to educate people about the importance of preserving the turtles and the work of the volunteers.

You will also have two days off a week, depending on your workload, giving you the opportunity to explore Sri Lanka’s rich cultural heritage.