Overview

Marine Turtle Conservation Project is a collaboration between the University of Exeter’s Marine Turtle Research group (MTRG) and Society for the Protection of Turtles. The project focuses on research and conservation of Mediterranean Green and Loggerhead turtles, their foraging ecology, breeding and nesting in and around Cyprus and the wider Mediterranean. We have 3 bases from which we run our project, which lets us monitor over 80 nesting beaches. We collect data whilst working with nesting females at night and hatchlings during the day. Both working with adults and hatchlings are amazing and incredibly rewarding. Our volunteers gain a lot from the hands-on experience, communicating with tourists and locals, travelling across the island and living with a huge family of volunteers for weeks.
Come help save the turtles of North Cyprus!

Applications for the 2020 season are now open. The deadline is 13th December 2019. Successful applicants will be contacted by end of January 2020.

Applications for the 2020 nesting season are open to volunteers from overseas!!

Each year over 100 international and Turkish Cypriot volunteers work together to protect, monitor and research endangered green turtles and loggerhead turtles nesting in North Cyprus. This is a great way to experience working in a grass-roots conservation project.Established in 1992, the project operates in collaboration with world-leading research institute, University of Exeter, to deliver high-impact research outputs, and with the North Cyprus Department for Environmental Protection, to secure lasting conservation through local legislation.Not only does the MTCP contribute to the conservation of marine turtles through nest protection on the beautiful beaches of North Cyprus, but in the African foraging grounds where most of our study turtles migrate to, and worldwide through improved knowledge on the global threats facing these species.Please share our short video with any budding scientists/conservationists who might be interested in this career kick starter.The deadline for applications is December 13 2019. Late applications will not be considered. Details and online applications at our website:http://cyprusturtles.org/home/volunteering/**********Yurt dışından başvuru yapacak gönüllüler için başvuru süreci başlamıştır!. Her yıl 100’den fazla yerli ve yabancı gönüllü Kuzey Kıbrıs’ta yuva yapan tehlike altındaki deniz kaplumbağalarını korumak, gözlemlemek ve araştırmak için beraber ve birlik içinde çalışıyor. Bölge halkı tarafından benimsenen ve emek verilen bir yaban hayat koruma projesinde çalışmayı deneyimlemek için “Kuzey Kıbrıs Deniz Kaplumbağalarını Koruma Projesi” harika bir fırsattır.1992’de kurulan cemiyetimiz tarafından yürütmeye başladığımız projemiz dünyanın önde gelen araştırma enstitülerinden Exeter Üniversitesi ortaklığında önemli araştırmalar gerçekleştiriyor ve yayınlar üretiyor. Aynı zamanda, KKTC Çevre Koruma Dairesi ile işbirliği içinde bu canlıların uzun süreli korumasına yönelik yasaların elde edilen veriler ışığında geliştirilmesi için çalışıyor. Projemiz sadece Kuzey Kıbrıs’ın güzel sahillerindeki deniz kaplumbağası yuvalarını korumakla kalmıyor; sahillerimizde yumurtlayan pek çok kaplumbağanın beslenmek üzere göçtüğü Afrika’daki populasyonların da korunmasına katkı sağlıyor ve hatta elde edilen bilimsel bilgiler ışığında dünyanın pek çok yerindeki deniz kaplumbağalarının korunmasına vesile oluyor.KKTC Turizm ve Çevre BakanlığıExeterMarine

Gepostet von SPOT – Kuzey Kıbrıs Kaplumbağaları Koruma Cemiyeti am Donnerstag, 7. November 2019

Details

The project runs from April 25th until October 5th and we have 70 positions available for 2020 season.

The work is varied, volunteers will rotate around different roles during their time in Cyprus. Volunteers patrol the main study beaches at Alagadi throughout each night, every 10 minutes, from late May through mid-September collecting data every encounter they have with adult females. Volunteers in other bases patrol the beaches during day-time locating nests starting at sunrise. The nests are then caged in order to stop predators from digging the eggs up. Hatching nests are excavated later in the season. Excavation provides data that allows us to gauge the success of the nest and often to unearth some hatchlings that may not have survived otherwise. Excavations are undertaken during early morning or late afternoon. The hatchlings are then released the same night. A release is an educational public event where a number of members of the public can release hatchling turtles under the supervision of the volunteers, on the beach, shortly after dark.

We are looking for fit and healthy volunteers that do not mind sleeping in basic accommodation. You must be able to get on well with other people and also be prepared to cook and clean. You do not have to be a science student, however, all volunteers should have a basic knowledge of marine turtle biology and the research findings of the project by the time they come out to Cyprus. It is important to stress that you must be fit to partake in this work. You should expect to be walking up to 10km a day/night in temperatures of 30-40 °C. All volunteers must be happy to look after themselves and each other, working as a team to ensure efficient work and maintain high standards not just in science and conservation, but domestically too!

Accomodation

Our accommodation at Alagadi consists of a field base, (two small houses, toilet blocks, an information room and a separate office, lab and storage space) 250m from our main nesting beach, and has running water and electricity. You must be prepared to share a mixed sex dorm with up to 10 others. In addition, we have a base on the west coast of the island where 4 to 6 personnel are rotated. Here volunteers use three porta-cabin buildings. In the Karpaz Peninsula our base is provided by the North Cyprus Department for Environmental Protection and is a wooden bungalow with a sleeping area, tents, shower block and toilet block. It overlooks one of the most important and untouched nesting beaches in the Mediterranean.

Costs

Volunteers are asked to contribute £750. This covers all costs for a 6-8 week stay; food, accommodation and transport in Cyprus including airport transfer. In addition, this money helps to finance the involvement of local students. This does NOT include travel to Cyprus or travel insurance, which must be arranged by each individual. Copies of insurance documents must be provided before arrival. You are welcome to attempt to raise your personal contribution from fund-raising events or sponsorship. It is also worth contacting your University to explore the possibility of Erasmus funding. Turkish Cypriot citizens will not be asked to contribute financially for their placement, but are welcome to make a contribution.

You can find more details and apply through our website:
https://cyprusturtles.org/home/volunteering/