Our base is located on Nosy Be island, which, like the rest of Madagascar, is known for its abundant and unique biodiversity that can be found only here. Nosy Be means “big island” in the Malagasy language and is located off the northeastern coast of Madagascar.

Fieldwork on the conservation project may include trekking through the Lokobe Strict Reserve looking for signs of critically endangered lemurs or the great variety of bird, reptile, amphibian and butterfly species that call this rainforest habitat home. Some forest surveys are conducted in the morning or at night, which means you could catch a glimpse of spectacular sunsets and sunrises over the Indian Ocean. There are bound to be many photo opportunities during the course of your program.

Participants specialising in community development might support English language learning for young students in the morning and Lokobe park rangers and other adults in the evening.

The base is basic but comfortable with lots of space in which to take part in training workshops, carry out research or just relax after a busy day. We’re much like a big family on base and cooking and tidying duties are shared on a rotation basis among staff and participants. Evenings include debriefs on the day’s activities and enjoying a meal together.

Increasing Employability: Pre Departure Program Training

Our programs are not only life-changing experiences but are also designed to help participants increase their employability. We have developed a curriculum to be completed prior to arrival in the country in order to ensure that more time is dedicated to program work once you commence your volunteer program.

Eight weeks prior to your start date, you will complete the following online courses in preparation for your in-country program:

PRE-DEPARTURE ORIENTATION (1 hour)

PROGRAM SPECIFIC TRAINING (1 – 5 hours)

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COURSE (10 – 15 hours)

LEADERSHIP COURSE (10 – 15 hours)

CAREERS COURSE (10 – 15 hours)

In order to obtain a certificate for the Wildlife Conservation, Leadership and Careers courses which are endorsed by the University of Richmond and UNC Charlotte, you will need to complete quizzes & assignments and will be given 4 weeks post program to submit your work.

If you are looking to travel in less than 8 weeks from now, you will still complete the course however this will be done in country and all content will need to be downloaded before arrival.

Health & Hygiene

The work we contribute to across the globe remains important and new measures allow our participants to continue to join our programs and continue impacting positively on their world and the communities we work with. Changes to our existing protocols have been made by our health and hygiene team to strengthen our health and hygiene protocols and ensure that international standard safeguards are in place to protect our participants, staff and host communities. Please inquire for more information on the protocols.

Your impact

All of our programs have short, mid and long-term objectives that fit with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals or UN SDGs. This enables us to report on our collaborative impact across the world in a streamlined manner, measuring which UN SDGs we are making a substantial contribution to. Furthermore, this will help our local partners and communities measure and visualise their contribution to the UN SDGs.

Upon arrival to base, you will be educated about the history of the UN SDGs. You will learn about the specific goals of your location, the long-, mid- and short-term objectives, and also clarification of how your personal, shorter-term involvement contributes to these goals on a global level.

Our aim is to educate you on local and global issues, so that you continue to act as active global citizens after your program, helping to fulfil our mission of building a global network of people united by their passion to make a difference.

Lokobe is the only remaining primary forest on the island of Nosy Be. It’s also a rainforest, recognised as a nationally protected area by the government of Madagascar and defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a Strict Nature Reserve.

Critically endangered species

The area is home to one species of endangered lemur, the black lemur, and two species of critically endangered lemur, the Nosy Be sportive lemur, also known as the Hawks’ Lemur, and the Nosy Be mouse lemur, also known as the Claire’s mouse lemur. We track these lemurs and carry out behavioural surveys. We also set up and monitor camera traps.

Biodiversity data

We also carry out tracking, camera trapping and surveys of other animals in the park, including insects, amphibians and reptiles, both in the day and at night. This helps us determine the bioindicators of the park. The park has not been rigorously surveyed since the 1990s and knowing the health of the park can help local conservationists, governments and international organisations make better decisions.

Preventing poaching and the illegal wildlife trade

While the panther chameleon is considered of least concern, it is a highly poached and trafficked species as part of the illegal pet trade. We monitor panther chameleon numbers in the forests to keep track of what naturally occurring numbers in the forest look like and ensure that the population remains sustainable.

Preventing deforestation and illegal logging

Habitat loss poses one of the greatest threats to all species. This is no exception in Madagascar, which has lost significant swathes of forest. We assist local park rangers and other organisations with maintaining endemic plant nurseries that will later be planted out into the forest. We also support other activities related to sustainable agroforestry and protections against deforestation and illegal logging, where possible.

The main United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) that Nosy Be contributes towards is Goal 15, Life On Land.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Book a recreational dive to experience the variety of Indian Ocean marine life up close. Among the vibrant corals, you can spot a variety of tropical fish. Some of the species that call this location home include stingrays and manta rays.

Beaches

Visit one of Nosy Be’s many palm-lined stretches of golden beach, such as Andilana, Ambondrona, Madirokely and Ambatoloaka, to enjoy a relaxing day swimming in the warm waters or simply soaking up the sun.

The Sacred Tree

Go see the Sacred Tree, located close to Mahatsinjo village, on the western side of Nosy Be island. This huge banyan tree was planted by the queen of the Sakalava people in 1836 and is a favoured spot of the local black lemurs who can sometimes be seen in its high branches.

Lokobe National Park

We’re based right on the edge of Lokobe National Park which holds the last remaining preserved primitive forest on the island of Nosy Be. The forest is bordered by a beach and is home to three species of lemur, including one of the smallest primates on Earth.

Further Travels

South Africa

South Africa is a mere three-and-a-half-hour flight away from Madagascar. Fly to Johannesburg and book a safari tour through the famous Kruger National Park and experience the beauty of the coast by planning a trip to Cape Town or Durban.

Seychelles

Visit the many islands of Seychelles. From the main island of Mahe, you can catch a boat to many of the other islands. Visit Curieuse, Praslin, La Digue, Silhouette, Felicity, and Sister islands.

Mainland Madagascar

Visit the mainland to see a greater variety of species and experience other distinct cultures of Madagascar08 Jul; 22 Jul; 05 Aug; 19 Aug; 02 Sep; 16 Sep; 30 Sep; 14 Oct; 28 Oct; 11 Nov; 25 Nov; 09 Dec; 23 Dec