Protect the Sea Turtles in South Tanzania with Volunteering Solutions

Protect the Sea Turtles in South Tanzania

Volunteers work in Mikindani in South Tanzania and help out in different activities performed to protect the sea turtles.

Overview

Sea Turtles are keystone species in the preservation of marine biodiversity and yet they should be extinct by 2050 due to human activities. Due to their involvement in many different ecosystems, their disappearance would create a domino effect on all marine life.

The south of Tanzania is one of the poorest and least developed parts of the county. Due to the lack of income and education, people are fishing destructively (bomb fishing only stopped recently) and catch anything, even endangered and illegal species. The recent and high increase in population has raised the pressure on the local Sea Turtles (green, hawksbill, leatherback), which are already highly threatened.
Education and awareness are the only ways to change these behaviors.

Join us to reverse the trend!

Volunteer roles and responsibilities

Volunteers are involved in all activities performed to protect the Sea Turtles. Sea Turtle conservation needs to adapt to the local conditions to be effective. Any new ideas on how to reach awareness or reach the local communities to improve the situation are welcome. Our volunteers help to create, develop and expand our actions, on land and in-water.

Our Sea Turtle welfare center provides a safe place for endangered Sea Turtles. Our volunteers participate in activities such as relocation of eggs to remove them from poachers’ threat, education of local population about marine conservation during community meetings or school classes, beach patrols to protect the Sea Turtles, snorkeling for underwater mapping and Sea Turtle identification, and much more.

We expect our volunteers to show great respect to the Tanzanian communities welcoming us in their beautiful country. In addition to the normal courtesy and tolerance, we require our gentlemen volunteers to avoid walking in the street shirtless; for our lady volunteers we require them to follow a simple rule: either shoulders or knees are visible, but never both at the same time. Mini-skirts / shorts and other revealing clothes are to be avoided.