Working with the turtles of Costa Rica is an unforgettable experience, and our local partner desperately needs volunteer help. These beautiful sea turtles may become extinct within the next 20 years if their rate of decline is not stopped. Conservation volunteers will work on a project intended to protect the Lora turtle's nesting population on the Ostional Beach. The program is designed to protect the nests from human poachers and, more recently, from the erosion of the beach. Volunteers may also work with the local community association to implement management strategies according to regulations proposed by Costa Rica's Environment Ministry. The nesting season of the Lora turtle runs primarily from May to December, peaking in December with well over 1 million turtles arriving on the beach to nest.

Each season, the Volunteer Costa Rica turtle conservation project recruits volunteers to help in the research and conservation work, such as night patrolling, working in the hatcheries, collecting eggs, and rescuing turtles. During this time, the volunteer will have the opportunity to work directly with turtles, taking carapace and nest-dimension measurements, collecting eggs, and tagging the rear flippers of the turtles.

This project is available year-round, but it is best during Costa Rica's high season, from May to December