Ghana Turtle Care: Advocating for Sea Turtle Conservation Efforts

The core pillars of the conservation project at this time are; Beach Patrols, Hatchery Supervision & Data Collection.

Beach Patrols – Throughout the night, you will be assigned a shift and a beach stretch where you will keep an eye out for signs of nesting. You will log your miles and the stretch of beach you patrolled during this shift. In order to enhance their chances of survival and shield them from dangers outside, we would try to carry these safely, depending on the location, from the nest to the designated hatchery. You are in charge of noting the specifics for continued monitoring, such as taking photos, confirming the species, estimating the size, noting the location, etc., after spotting sea turtles.

Hatchery Supervision – When given hatchery duties, you will be in charge of keeping the area secure and free of potential hazards like dogs or birds, as well as repairing or replacing any damaged fences. 

Data Collection – This will entail processing the information gathered by the beach patrol teams or from your previous night shift in order to communicate it with our conservation partners, both locally and abroad.

Depending on volunteer team numbers and workload, we also hope to run community awareness campaigns to emphasize the importance of sea turtles and their impact, tag adult sea turtles caught by fishermen to ensure their safe return to the ocean and give this tagging information to international organisations to aid in the tracking and monitoring of adult populations and establish a fishing exchange where fishermen who catch sea turtles as bycatch can exchange them with us for a fixed fee or item to prevent it being sold to traders for meat, etc.

Who will I be working with?

Depending on the number of volunteers at a time, we try to group volunteers into couples or small groups, especially at the start of your trip until you complete the training and feel comfortable. However, there may be times later on in the trip when this is not possible due to the amount of beach to be covered during the patrols, for example. 

Our support team will always be available near the project sites or your lodging in case you require any further help or assistance when you are in the country,

What do we expect from a volunteer?

All we request is the passion and drive to make a difference with us, one step at a time. You will be able to contribute much more to this initiative if you get involved especially on the community cleanup days, which can be strenuous in the heat and humidity. The best qualities of a volunteer are zeal, empathy, and the capacity to adapt to other cultures. By being open to new experiences and viewpoints while also bringing your own to the table, you will make the most of your trip. 

We expect volunteers to visit their placements Monday through Friday; however, we can make an exception for long weekends or other travel-related reasons.

What can you expect from us?

We will be available to help you with your placement and trip as a whole at any time of day. If you have any questions or need any assistance, from setting up and modifying your schedule to switching your placement, there will always be someone to speak to you. To help you quickly feel at home, our team members who live in the volunteer house will also provide advise on travel arrangements and the surrounding area.

What should I bring?

Make sure you have at least one pair of sturdy shoes and full-length trousers or a tracksuit for your placement. Fundraising for patrol supplies and hatchery upgrades is a terrific way to make sure you can get started right away and leave a lasting impression in our beautiful communities, which we know you will come to love upon arrival.

• Wake up to cook and have breakfast with your fellow volunteers or prepare materials for the day.
• 10:30am to 11:30am – Team meeting to review previous nights beach patrol.
• Lunch Break
• 1pm to 4pm – Daily Activities are optional depending on assignment and current workload which can include;
  • Monitoring of hatchery, replenishing sand when needed, and making any repairs to keep the structure safe.
  • Educational Outreaches, School Partnerships, and Community Sensitisation.
  • Data Processing and logging of nesting sites, successful releases, species monitored, etc.
  • Visiting neighboring communities on fishing bycatch rescue missions of adult sea turtles.
  • Community farming support
• Free time to explore the local beaches, forests, and villages as well as a chance to get to know your fellow volunteers and in house activities such as games nights, local language, and cooking lessons. 
• 12:00am to 2:30am – Night time beach patrols checking for nesting sites and data collection.
• 6:00am to 8:00am – Morning patrol checking for any missed nesting sites and hatchery check-in. Patrols are rota based with your fellow volunteers.