Watamu Turtle Programme, Kenya
Aim of the Volunteer Project
Volunteers can join this programme and take part in marine and turtle conservation work involving research and monitoring of nesting turtles, education and outreach.
The Watamu Marine Park is part of a United Nations Biosphere Reserve and has been designated as a place of great natural beauty with miles of beautiful beaches and corals rich in marine flora and fauna.
Watamu
Watamu / Malindi Marine Parks and Reserve (WMMPR) covers an area of 229 km2 and is part of a United Nations Biosphere Reserve, that also includes the Arabuko Sokoke Coastal forest. The WMMPR protected areas consist of two Marine Parks: Malindi in the North, and Watamu in the South. This amounts to approximately 30kms of coastline, with a fringing reef along its entirety, as well as numerous patch reefs. The fringing reef forms several lagoons, some of which are still rich in coral and fish species. The Parks and Reserves provide an important residing and feeding habitat for sea turtles, while the 5km beach within Watamu Marine Park is a key turtle nesting ground in the country.
Local Ocean Trust/Watamu Turtle WatchLocal Ocean Trust (LOT) began its existence as a local turtle conservation project called Watamu Turtle Watch (WTW). WTW was formed in 1997 to continue and further develop the marine turtle conservation efforts of a local naturalist Barbara Simpson, which she had been undertaking in the area since the 1970's. Very quickly WTW came to realise that the survival of the marine turtles in Watamu was intrinsically linked to the well being of the surrounding marine environment and to the protection of turtles across their migratory range.
Concerned by the widespread degradation of the Kenyan marine environment, and national exploitation of marine turtles, WTW broadened its conservation efforts to encompass these issues while maintaining a focus of its turtle activities in the Watamu / Malindi area. To reflect this growth in the project WTW spawned a “big brother”, the Local Ocean Trust, in October 2002. LOT now undertakes the general marine conservation work of WTW both locally and nationally. WTW is retained as the LOT flagship program, focusing specifically on sea turtle conservation.
Concerned by the widespread degradation of the Kenyan marine environment, and national exploitation of marine turtles, WTW broadened its conservation efforts to encompass these issues while maintaining a focus of its turtle activities in the Watamu / Malindi area. To reflect this growth in the project WTW spawned a “big brother”, the Local Ocean Trust, in October 2002. LOT now undertakes the general marine conservation work of WTW both locally and nationally. WTW is retained as the LOT flagship program, focusing specifically on sea turtle conservation. LOT is a registered Charitable Trust, which works in close co-operation with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Fisheries Department, Kenya Marine Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) and the Kenya Sea Turtle Conservation Committee (KESCOM), of which it is a member.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are needed to help for 4-6 week durations (can be longer) on the following projects listed below. We are happy to discuss each area of work with you and are also open to your suggestions and welcome students with research ideas.
1. Conservation & Research Beach patrols
-
Turtle patrols are undertaken each night at varying hours to monitor and help protect nesting/hatching activity. These patrols can involve walks of up to 8km per night. The nesting population is small and has an irregular season at Watamu, so seeing nesting events are by no means guaranteed.
-
Marine patrols to collect information on illegal/destructive fishing activities and turtle mortality.
Volunteers are not expected to conduct these patrols on their own. A community / LOT field officer undertakes most of these patrols and the volunteers provide him with very useful assistance.
Nest excavations After a turtle nest hatches it is excavated to see what proportion of eggs have hatched successfully.
Assisting with turtle net releases and research
Participating in turtle releases and related research is a popular activity with volunteers, and is something that you are sure to be involved in during your time with us.
Turtle rehabilitation
There is the possibility that during your stay with us we may have a turtle in rehabilitation at the office. Volunteer assistance is required in feeding, keeping the tank clean and taking turtles for sea baths/swims.
Participating in turtle releases and related research is a popular activity with volunteers, and is something that you are sure to be involved in during your time with us.
Turtle rehabilitation
There is the possibility that during your stay with us we may have a turtle in rehabilitation at the office. Volunteer assistance is required in feeding, keeping the tank clean and taking turtles for sea baths/swims.
Other conservation/research work:-
Light pollution surveys
-
GPS mapping
-
Marine park lagoon turtle counts
-
Mida creek survey
-
Local movement patterns of juvenile foraging turtles
-
Mangrove replanting
-
Evaluation of the potentials of community driven ecotourism in Watamu and Mida creek
-
Research data analysis
2. Education & awareness-
Signage - Producing and distributing conservation related signs in Park & Reserve areas is an ongoing activity.
-
Assisting the development and running of the Local Ocean Marine Centre - helping with designing displays, games for children, guiding visitors, group visits etc.
-
Displays in our marine centre are periodically changed and we would love your input in designing these. The artistic and creative are Educational materials and activities
-
Awareness Days
-
Further development and implementation of the LOT field education programme in local schools and fish landing sites
3. Community development
-
Alternative income generation
-
Developing ideas for fishing community members to generate alternative incomes to current unsustainable marine resource exploitation. -
Local crafts activity and community development work.
-
Improved awareness and practice in recycling and composting.
4. General
-
Fundraising events, links with international schools, local craft designs etc.... L
-
Languages and help with translations
Project Details:
Volunteers can join from 4 weeks minimum up to 12 weeks maximum - 6 places available per group.2010 Dates:
|
4th January to 1st February 2010 |
18th January to 15th February 2010 |
|
|
1st February to 1st March 2010 |
15th February to 15th March 2010 |
1st March to 29th March 2010 |
|
15th March to 12th April 2010 |
5th April to 3rd May 2010 |
19th April to 17th May 2010 |
|
3rd May to 31st May 2010 |
17th May to 14th June 2010 |
7th June to 5th July 2010 |
|
21st June to 19th July 2010 |
5th July to 2nd August 2010 |
19th July to 16th August 2010 |
|
2nd August to 30th August 2010 |
16th August to 13th September 2010 |
6th September to 4th October 2010 |
|
20th September to 18th October 2010 |
4th October to 1st November 2010 |
18th October to 15th November 2010 |
|
1st November to 29th November 2010 |
|
|
Please email: Victoria.McNeil@workingabroad.com for further dates or questions.
You can take part in turtle related activities all year round as the catch programme runs throughout the year with anywhere between 20 -90 turtles being released from nests per month. There is a peak nesting season from May- August. But we do also have numbers of turtles nesting throughout the year (nest patrols also operate every night of the year) and our rehabilitation centre and education programme also operates all year round.
As volunteers, you will be supervised on all of the projects by a resident volunteer co-ordinator who will be there to train and guide you throughout your time on the project. You will also receive orientation and proper training at the beginning of the project.
Food and accommodation:You will be living in a very nice new and clean building (only a few months old), which is called Lallies House. It has a capacity of eight and volunteers share two to a room with each room having an ensuite (toilet, sink and shower). (If there are only 4 volunteers, then you have a room to yourself.) There are also two large outdoor covered living areas and a communal dining area and a large communal kitchen (including fridge and microwave). The house is located on the same plot as the main office and turtle rehabilitation centre and has good security, a small plunge swimming pool and is about a 5 minute walk to the beach. There is also electricity and running water.
Type of volunteers needed:
You should be 20 years old and over, fit, healthy and capable of carrying out manual work in all conditions in a hot climate. No specific skills are needed, but those with previous experience of sea turtle monitoring, conservation work, community development projects etc. would be particularly useful, as well as those who are self-motivated, as you will get more out of the project if you are. We are also looking for volunteers who can take their own initiative, and who don't always need to be told what to do, and who work well in a team. The project will especially appeal to those with an interest in marine biology. Anyone with additional skills, such as arts and creativity, languages and education are especially welcome.
Costs:The cost for 4 weeks is £980 (please ask price for other durations of 8 and 12 weeks - Victoria.McNeil@workingabroad.com) , which covers all project costs, including 3 meals a day, quality accommodation in the Lallies House, airport transfers from Malindi, all training and supervision by Project Manager and Volunteer Co-ordinator, WorkingAbroad Projects backup and placement support, and so on. In addition, you will get the use of mountain bikes to use whilst you are there. Cleaning is also included in the price and laundry can be done at minimal extra cost paid in local currency.
The airfare to Malindi (local airport), travel/medical insurance and personal expenses are not included within this price. It is mandatory for you to take out travel and medical insurance for the duration of the project. Currently the best and cheapest way to get to Watamu is to fly to Nairobi and then take an internal flight from Nairobi to Malindi. You can book internal flights with Air Kenya through most international travel agents. You will then be collected from Malindi airport. Flying directly to Mombasa international airport is another option but it can be more expensive with the additional hassle of a 2hr taxi drive from Mombasa to Watamu. Details of other transport options (Bus, train, Matatu and car hire) between Nairobi and Mombasa (overnight train, bus, luxury mini-bus), and Mombasa and Watamu (bus, matatu, taxi) can be found in guide books such as the Lonely Planet Guide to Kenya, and Kenya on a Shoestring.
