Volunteering: Protect endangered sea turtles in Greece

Project description: Protecting sea turtles and their nesting beaches.
Worldwide, six out of seven species of sea turtles are threatened with extinction. The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta Caretta) is Greece's most important sea turtle species and is strictly protected by Greek law - but there is still much to be done!
Are you passionate about conservation, fascinated by these long-distance swimmers, or would you like to combine your next trip abroad with a meaningful activity? Then this project is for you! Cycle to one of the beaches at sunrise and look for new turtle tracks. In the afternoon, listen to a scientist talk about important conservation issues. Wait for and protect female turtles as they come ashore to lay their eggs during night patrols. And in your free time, cool off in the Ionian Sea.
Locations: Lixouri and Argostoli.
You can choose between two locations, or visit both in succession. Argostoli, Kefalonia's idyllic capital, sits on a hill above a small harbour. A smaller, quieter alternative is the town of Lixouri, just 30 minutes by ferry from Argostoli.
Project schedule for volunteer work in Greece
You will work five days a week and have two days off. There are three shifts a day.
Typical volunteer tasks in the turtle project:
Depending on the time of year, the focus of the work will vary as you follow the rhythm of the turtles - from the mating season (April to mid-May) to the nesting season (mid-May to end of July) to the hatching season (end of July to end of October). Depending on the season, you can expect to be involved in the following activities:
- Beach patrols looking for turtle nests and fresh turtle tracks
- Night shifts on the beach, looking for and documenting adult turtles coming ashore to nest
- Help baby turtles get safely to the sea
- Take part in beach clean-ups
- Rescue injured sea turtles
- Record light pollution on beaches at night
- Research sea turtle behaviour during port inspections
- Assess plastic pollution in turtles' natural habitats