Marine Turtle Nesting Beach Monitoring & Conservation Project (VOLUNTEER)

Marine Turtle Nesting Beach Monitoring and Conservation Project: An Overview

About Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines (LAMAVE) Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines (LAMAVE) is a Filipino non-stock, non-profit, non-government organization dedicated to the conservation of marine megafauna and their habitats in the country. LAMAVE strives to ensure a secure and prosperous ocean for marine life and people by applying science-based solutions to conservation challenges, investing in the transfer of skills for long-term impact at the grassroots level, and advancing the knowledge to enable people and governments to protect their natural resources.

About the Project

The west coast of Palawan is home to some of the largest remaining nesting beaches for Olive Ridley turtles in Asia, where hundreds of nests are laid each season. Over the past five years, there has been a significant increase in community efforts to conserve these beaches. However, the practices used in the area vary greatly in their success and impact on the turtle population, both in the short and long term. Challenges such as beach development, coastal erosion, sea level rise, climate change, poaching of turtle eggs, and nest destruction by stray dogs are posing a serious threat to the survival of these nesting populations. The Project will focus on the municipalities in the northwest of Palawan, with its main base in San Vicente. This picturesque town is surrounded by 284 km of white beaches and small coves. Each year, from mid-November to March, olive ridley turtles lay hundreds of nests along these beaches during the night. Building on a successful season, LAMAVE will continue to closely monitor the area in collaboration with local stakeholders for the ongoing conservation and management of these endangered species, starting on the 7th of November this year.

As a volunteer, you will have the incredible opportunity to work with a core team consisting of two project leaders, two research assistants, and four to five volunteers. You will also interact with the larger LAMAVE team of researchers and experts. The team will support the work of local communities in several villages along the coastline. During the night, the team will assist the local community in beach patrols, relocate nests if they are laid in unsuitable areas, and manage and maintain hatcheries. During the day, the team will engage in educational activities in local schools, support the training of local patrollers and tourism stakeholders, and implement an awareness program targeted at residents and tourists alike. Data collection, compilation, and analysis will also be part of the daily tasks, based on scheduled patrols and other activities. Whenever possible, workshops and focus group discussions will be organized with the local communities to gain a better understanding of the threats and opportunities for the conservation of these species, with a particular focus on illegal wildlife trade and consumption. Throughout the season, the team will also have the opportunity to observe and support in other activities like satellite tagging of the olive ridley turtles, collect genetic material, and conduct surveys both in the water and on the beach to assess the habitat and identify threats and priority areas. The team will be based in a shared project house located in San Vicente, specifically in Barangay Sto. Nino and Barangay New Canipo. The house will have a kitchen, working area, shared bedrooms and bathrooms. House chores will be divided among the team members based on their daily schedules and night patrol shifts. The two teams will be located in different villages to allow larger area covered and impact. Electricity availability and mobile phone signal quality varies across the villages and weather conditions, with large gaps with no services availables.

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