A Day In The Life Of A Great Turtle Project Volunteer

A Day In The Life Of A Great Turtle Project Volunteer

Posted by Michael Starbuck on 23rd Sep 2016

Back in 2014, one of the team here at The Great Projects ventured over to explore the Great Turtle Project in Sri Lanka. Nikita thoroughly enjoyed her time on the project, so we got her to break down the average day for a volunteer on The Great Turtle Project!

Sea Turtle

7.30am – Breakfast is available from 7.30 in the morning and you will be greeted with the welcome sight of fresh fruit such as mangos, papaya, and bananas as well as bread and various jams!

8.30am – Volunteers need to have arrived at the sanctuary site by 8.30am at the latest. The first job of the day is to collect any baby turtles that may have hatched overnight. Volunteers need to take the babies from the hot sands into the cooling waters of the baby pool, where the turtles will remain for 3-5 days. If any turtle eggs have been brought into the sanctuary by local fisherman, then these must also be buried in the sand and the nest marked for the sanctuary records.

10.30am – It’s time for a well-earned morning tea break! After this you will be helping to clean and tidy the sanctuary, and take part in a beach walk to pick up any rubbish.

Beach Clean Up

12.30pm – After a hard morning’s work you will be happy to hear that it is lunchtime and you will be given a wide choice of foods to pick from, from cheese toasties through to more traditional Sri Lankan dishes!

2pm – You will now be heading out to teach at a local temple, so please remember to wear respectful clothes (covering knees and shoulders.) Your group will take a bus to the temple site, and you will spend an hour teaching before heading back to the project site.

Teaching

6pm – When you arrive back at the sanctuary you will assist with releasing the baby turtles when needed, as there are fewer birds around at this time and the young turtles have a much lower chance of being picked off as they make their way to the sea.

6.30pm – Once the turtles have been released, you will all head back to the house to enjoy dinner!

9pm – At 9pm, the house is locked by the housekeeper and volunteers are free to stay up and socialise until they fall asleep, although many do so almost immediately due to the exertions of the day!

There you have it! Please bear in mind that this is a rough guide of a day in the life of a volunteer so your activities may vary! One thing we can guarantee though is that you will have an amazing time volunteering with the turtles!


Share this Article...

Share this article with your friends and followers by using the social media buttons below.


Leave a Comment...

Wanting to add something to this story or just let us know your thoughts? Just leave your comments below. Please be aware that all comments will be moderated: abusive behaviour or self-promotion will not be allowed.

500 characters remaining

Has this blog inspired you to volunteer? If so, why not enquire today? Simply fill out an enquiry form, and allow a member of our travel team to assist with your query! Please note that blog comments are not monitored by the travel team, so any questions related to bookings may be missed.


Featured Blog Arcticles


Featured Videos


Experience The Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary

See what you could get up to as a volunteer at the Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary! This volunteer project offers you the chance to get up close and personal with some of the country's most iconic species.

Discover The Great White Shark Project

Come face to face with one of the world’s most misunderstood predators whilst aiding great white shark conservation. As a volunteer, not only will you get the incredible opportunity to dive with sharks, but you will also assist the team in raising awareness of the great white as you work alongside tourists and local school children to provide them with knowledge of the local environment and the importance of living in harmony with South Africa’s marine life.

Volunteers Review Their Experience at the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Sanctuary

Volunteers talk about their recent experience at the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Sanctuary in Borneo.

Latest Blog Arcticles


International Women's Day - The Most Inspirational Women In Conservation

International Women's Day - The Most Inspirational Women In Conservation

Join us in celebrating International Women's Day, as we...

The Celebration Of World Wildlife Day 2023

The Celebration Of World Wildlife Day 2023

The 3rd of March is an opportunity to celebrate the...

New Arrival at the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Sanctuary

New Arrival at the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Sanctuary

1-year-old baby orangutan, Iqo, has been freed from illegal...

Achievements at the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Project in 2022

Achievements at the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Project in 2022

After 2 difficult years, we finally welcomed volunteers...

Merle’s Orangutan Experience at Samboja

Merle’s Orangutan Experience at Samboja

Merle shares her experiences from her time spent...

An Invasive Species: The Lionfish

An Invasive Species: The Lionfish

Many invasive species have made their way to all corners of...

Sun Bear Update From Samboja Lestari

Sun Bear Update From Samboja Lestari

After a lot of hard work by the June 2022 volunteer group,...

The Latest From The Great Orangutan Project!

The Latest From The Great Orangutan Project!

The Great Projects volunteer coordinator, Jess, is...


Where you can go
Contact Info
UK Office
The Great Traveller Ltd,
3 Dairy Yard
Star Street
Ware, Hertfordshire
SG12 7DX
United Kingdom

Opening hours:
   Mon-Fri 8:30am–5:30pm
   Sat 10am-4pm

T: +44(0) 208 885 4987