Requirements 

Being able to speak Spanish is not necessary for participating at our projects. There will always be a bilingual field coordinator at the project to facilitate communication; and most of our staff and few members of the communities speak English, but knowing how to speak Spanish is also useful. For those that are interested, this is a great opportunity to practice a new language!

We recommend a minimum stay of 2 weeks at our projects for several reasons. First, it is much more likely for volunteers to see a turtle in this time frame, as their nesting activity levels fluctuate from week to week. Second, this allows enough time to really experience the culture and explore the surroundings of the towns where are projects are based. Finally, 2 weeks is enough time to get to know the other participants at the projects. Working in such a tight-knit, unique situation;  team members often form strong bonds, leading to friendships that last a lifetime!

We recommend for prospective volunteers to be a minimum age of 17 years old. Volunteers who are 17 years old must fill out the underage form and sends it to volunteers@turtle-trax.com. Under aged children may participate in our program if they are accompanied by an adult.

Once your application as volunteer is accepted we will send a list of required and recommended things to bring to the projects. The most important items are a red head torch and quality rain gear for night patrols. White light disorients sea turtles, so we use red light when working with the turtles at night. We walk whether it is clear or rainy, and since tropical storms can bring heavy rain, proper rain gear is a must.