Wildlife Volunteer Costa Rica
(Tortuga Beach, Punterenas)!

Projects Carried out at Reserve

Sea Turtle Conservation:

Your help is needed to conserve endangered sea turtles! Three different species of sea turtles nest at the beach in the reserve, all of which are in danger of extinction. The Olive Ridley is the species you will be doing the most work with.

The sea turtle eggs are in danger from poachers and beach erosion, so volunteers and reserve staff patrol the beach at night and move the nests to a protected hatchery where they are monitored 24 hours a day.

In the hatchery, important scientific data is gathered such as incubation periods, nest temperatures and the effect upon gender, environmental factors, and more. In September, the eggs begin to hatch, and Costa Rica sea turtle volunteers help to release the babies back into their ocean home.

In the past two seasons, volunteers have helped protect over 140 nests (each nest has over 100 eggs), and they have helped release over 5,000 hatchlings safely back into the wild! By joining this project, you can make a huge impact in protecting endangered sea turtles that need your help!

The Costa Rica sea turtle volunteer project is available only during the nesting and hatching season, from July to December/January. You can expect nesting adults from July through December, and babies hatching from September and on into January.

Volunteers will also participate in the variety of other ongoing research projects being carried out at the reserve. You should be aware most of the work with sea turtles is done at night, and only 8 people at a time can go out on patrol per night.

This project is quite popular, so volunteers with their hearts set on should book as far in advance as possible, sometimes 6 months or more, to ensure space is available.

Crocodilian Monitoring Project:

Twice a week, (depending on the tide and weather conditions) volunteers will go out at night from 5 pm to 2 am to conduct exciting and important research on the different crocodilian species that make their home in the reserve.

Using flashlights, Costa Rica wildlife volunteers detect the eyes of the animals, their numbers are counted, and their location marked on a GPS. Smaller animals less than one meter in length are captured to determine their species, sex, size, and health, and then they are tagged and released back into the wild.

This research is being carried out to determine the distribution of crocodilians in the area, their relationship with the environment, the impact humans are having on their habitat, and to help in the conservation and management of this ancient and often misunderstood species. You will gain valuable experience doing exciting scientific research in the field.

Bird Monitoring Project:

When you join this wildlife volunteer program in Costa Rica, you will help monitor the fascinating and numerous bird species present in the reserve and surrounding region. Costa Rica volunteers and staff will make weekly observations to maintain an updated record of which species are living in or visiting the area.

At low tide, volunteers will head to the beach to look for the presence of the magnificent Scarlet Macaws. You will record when, where, and how many macaws are seen, if they are nesting or just visiting the area for food, and which trees the birds are using to learn what their diet consists of.

Butterfly Garden Project:

When you join Costa Rica wildlife volunteering program , you help maintain a fascinating butterfly garden designed for educational purposes. A variety of butterfly species, including the famous Blue Morpho, are bred and studied. You will work in keeping up the garden, collecting and identifying butterflies, transplanting host plants, pupae, and larvae, and collecting data in the laboratory.

You may also have the chance to work with visiting children and teach them all about the butterflies, their life cycle, the ecological role they play in nature, and their biological and cultural relationships.

Mammal Inventory Project:

Many mammals make their home in the reserve, including coatimundis, sloths, river otters, tayras, anteaters, capuchin and howler monkeys, possums, raccoons, kinkajous, weasels, and even an ocelot!

Through the use of camera traps and observation, volunteers at IFRE’s Costa Rica Sea Turtle and Wildlife Research Volunteering Opportunity help gather data on these mammal species including behavior, diet, and local movement. This research is very important and is being used in reforestation plans along the coast of Costa Rica to establish much needed biological corridors.

Tree Boa Population Study:

Join experienced staff members on fascinating night walks in the forest to carry out this study. You will spot and catch tree boas, measure them, and use pit tags to identify individuals.

Environmental Educational Outreach:

The children in the area surrounding the reserve are the heirs to the ecological wealth of this rainforest region, and you will help educate them in how to protect their natural environment and how to live in sustainable ways.

Through educational programs hosted at the reserve or visits to local schools, volunteers at this wildlife conservation project in Costa Rica will help teach the next generation of children to respect and protect the beautiful place in the world they were born into.

Beach Clean-up:

Pitch in to help keep the beach clean and free of trash, making it a more pleasant place to spend time, as well as protecting wildlife from the dangers of ingesting plastic or becoming entangled in debris such as discarded fishing line.

Volunteer Responsibilities & Impact

When you join wildlife volunteer program in Costa Rica, you will be volunteering 6 days per week, Monday-Saturday, for an average of 6 hours per day. The activities at this unique project will vary greatly from day to day, and you can expect to participate in the full range of research projects being carried out at the reserve.

A weekly schedule is prepared Sunday or Monday, and this varies from week to week. One day you might be busy in the butterfly garden, the next surveying troops of monkeys, and the next out on the beach observing a mother sea turtle laying her eggs.

If you are out late at night working on the crocodilian monitoring project, patrolling for sea turtles, or tagging tree boas for the population study, your volunteer work the next day will not begin until the afternoon to allow you time to rest.

Your hard work will have a big impact as you contribute to important scientific research and conservation efforts. You can feel great knowing your time volunteering abroad is making a real and lasting difference. You will work under the close supervision of experienced conservation professionals, and gain experience doing scientific research in a variety of ways and implementing many different techniques.

Skills and Qualifications:

Anyone who is over the age of 18 and wants to engage in research being done to help protect the rainforest and sea turtles is welcome to join us. You will need to be in good physical shape and prepared to work both day and nighttime hours. You should have a deep love and passion for animals and research, as well as a willingness to go outside your comfort zone.

Although you don’t need a background in conservation or wildlife to join this exciting Costa Rica conservation volunteer project, we welcome you to come and share your passion with us if you do. Longer term internships are available for students and people pursuing careers in a related field.