Volunteers – Sri Lanka proud to announce their new conservation program in Sri Lanka for international volunteers

Millions of years before man colonized in Sri Lanka, marine turtles had been coming to the undisturbed beaches of this beautiful island to lay their eggs. Presently due to the speedy population increases with the development Turtle nesting beaches are being disturbed by human activities. During past the marine turtle population is decreasing in the world due to the illegal "Tortoise shell Trade ", Killing Turtle for meat, destroying their feeding habitats such as coral reef , caught and drowned in fishing gear , illegal poaching of turtle eggs etc..

Presently Sri Lanka is taking several steps for the conservation of this critically endangered five species of marine turtle at the south western coast of Sri Lanka.

• Olive ridley turtle
   

• Logger head turtle
   

• Leather back turtle
   

• Green Turtle
   

• Hawksbill turtle

Our partner organization in Sri Lanka with collaboration of Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project operating two cost effective ways for people of all ages to gain practical experience or to learn from practical experience in protecting and conservation of these endangered marine creatures while contributing for the conservation and also helping the local people in their community development effort during their free times.

1. Volunteering in a Sea Turtle Hatchery from 2 weeks - 6 weeks

2. Working as an Intern in Turtle Conservation from one month to a period of Three months.

What Volunteers Sri Lanka Offer You...

• You are working under the guidance of Mr. Dudley Perera the veteran manager of the Kosgoda Sea Turtle hatchery with 15 years experience in Sea turtle and country leader in Sea Turtle conservation.. His staff are at the forefront of turtle conservation in Sri Lanka. The first three days of your arrival will be allocated to enhance your knowledge and the skills in Sea turtle conservation .

• Volunteers – Sri Lanka provide all volunteers with three day local language course as we believe that the learning at least commonly using local words will also be very important to a volunteer to work effectively and understanding the local culture during your stay in the country.

• The interesting work of yours really begins in the evening after the main meal of the day. You will be work with the experience staff members of the Turtle Hatchery .

• Patrolling the beach until mid night . You can approached turtle when she starts laying the eggs . You have enough time to study on turtle as the whole process of a nesting turtle can take up to 3 hours.

• In the occasions that nesting took place in a non protect zone in the beach the volunteers will relocate the nest to a safety of the hatchery. Where they will take data on the eggs and assign them to one of two treatments, full sun or shade. This incubation experiment will help define the effect of nest location on the sex ratio and survival of hatchling, one of the primary objective of the hatchery.

• At the 42nd day later between 6.00 PM - 9.00 PM the eggs baby turtles are hatch out. All volunteers as well as the interns will be thoroughly involved with the whole process, from when they are relocated, - counting eggs , look after the relocated nest , taking baby hatchlings from the nest to water tanks or directing to ocean .

• For further study purpose few number of baby hatchlings will be keep in water tanks and you will be engaged in maintaining records of the babies, cleaning the sand where nests have been scrubbing out and refilling the water tanks when hatchlings have been released.
   

• During day time you will be engaged in explaining and demonstration the life of sea Turtle, identification of different species of conservation , high lights the available threats to this marine creature, conservation strategies using, etc to the visiting local and international personals.

• Normally for a day nearly 30 - 45 groups will visit the hatchery. Mostly Tourist as well as students from Schools.

During your free time you will allowed to enjoy Canoeing Trip in the near by Maduganga Lake. Watching coral reef at Hikkaduwa .Visiting Mask museum etc ,

Field Conditions
You will provide home stay accommodation in a separate room with facilities such as western type toilets, private shower, Pipe Born purified water, Electricity and three meals per day. The main foods be rice, bread, local fruits, vegetables and meats such as chicken, beef etc..