Protecting sea turtles in Greece

Volunteer tasks include:

• daily early-morning patrols to locate and protect new nests
• turtle identification
• behavioral studies in areas where sea turtles swim
• informing the local population and visitors on the island

The focus is on hands-on learning throughout the project, so that volunteers gain practical experience in a wide range of wildlife research and conservation practices, including their legal and social aspects.

Most mornings start either with a bike ride to the nesting beaches at sunrise to identify and record turtle tracks and nests, or by observing the behavior of sea turtles swimming in the bay. Some afternoons, you will be on the beach measuring the width and slope of the beach, which change over the course of the season.

During your free time, you can enjoy the beach near the accommodation and make the most of the sea.

You will spend evenings and late nights on the beach measuring light pollution, marking nests, or rescuing hatchlings in danger.

Volunteers will gain valuable research experience to deepen their knowledge of wildlife conservation and will develop their interpersonal skills while exploring new places, discovering a new culture, and making friends for life.

At either of our two field stations, you will stay in a shared apartment. You will share a bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom with your teammates.

A spacious balcony will serve as a gathering place for group meetings and our evening meals. The shared bathrooms have hot water heated by solar energy, and the shared kitchens are equipped with cooking utensils and a communal refrigerator. You can shop at local grocery stores and use the project’s facilities to prepare your own meals. The Argostoli location, near the airport, is just a short walk from the beaches. A convenience store, located about a 15-minute walk away, offers basic food items. You can also do your shopping in the town of Argostoli. We also offer a pre-order option so that a “basic kit” of food items is available upon your arrival.

If you choose the Lixouri site, there is a grocery store just 200 m from the field station. The town square is 600 m away, where you’ll find several restaurants, bakeries, and cafes. The team sometimes goes out to this picturesque square, where you can taste local cuisine and, on occasion, enjoy Greek music and dance.

All volunteers receive training on protocols and techniques to ensure data collection quality and turtle welfare.

Volunteers should be able to ride bicycles to nesting beaches with their team and walk along the beach for field surveys.

Volunteers should be comfortable in a communal living environment with shared responsibilities.