Seychelles Sea Turtle and Lemon Shark Research & Conservation Short Term Internship
- Experiences | Vol and Intern
-
Conservation Careers
- Seychelles
- Posted
11 months ago
-
Conservation Careers
Seychelles Sea Turtle and Lemon Shark Research & Conservation Short Term Internship
- Experiences | Vol and Intern
-
Conservation Careers
- Seychelles
- Posted
11 months ago
-
Conservation Careers
Overview
Help preserve two of the most renowned marine species vulnerable to extinction while exploring the Seychelles AND get career training from Conservation Careers!
Overview
On this particular program, you will live on Curieuse Island, a tropical paradise managed by a partner in the region, the Seychelles National Parks Authority, as you work to assist in the preservation and conservation of two important native marine animals, namely the sea turtle and lemon shark.
Complete leadership training, along with others, to boost your skill set and gain practical work experience, which you can use to enhance your CV, as well as to gain a “one up” on the competition in securing interviews for jobs within the marine conservation field.
There are seven existing species of sea turtles in the world, and these all depend on conservation efforts around the world to keep them from becoming vulnerable to extinction. Similarly, lemon sharks, who possess a multitude of interesting and unique qualities, are also vulnerable in the region, and conservation efforts make a big difference in preserving both species, ensuring more stability in the marine landscape of Seychelles as a whole.
Our partner runs a very successful lemon shark catch and release program in Seychelles, which requires interns to search the surrounding waters for shark pups, in order to gain valuable data on population growth rates. Similarly, sea turtles are widely monitored on this program, including looking at the nesting habits of both hawksbill and green turtles on Curieuse island. You will learn to collect, collate, tag and measure important data pertaining to the number of eggs laid, as well as carrying out nest evacuations to measure hatching rates, and more.
Highlights
- Work with two of the most endangered species in the Indian Ocean, assisting with their longer term sustainability in the region.
- Earn your Foundations in Sustainable Development program certificate, endorsed by the University of Richmond.
- Visit an archipelago known for its incredible scenery and warm waters.
- Work directly with sea turtle and lemon shark research initiatives in order to facilitate their population growth.
- Become a global citizen, aware of some of the greater environmental dangers present in the modern world.
- Get specialised training in the marine conservation field, increasing your employability regardless of pursuing a career in the field, or elsewhere.
Our Award-winning Partner
Conservation Careers has teamed up with an award-winning, mission-driven organisation with a team of passionate experts across the globe who will make your experience a truly unforgettable one.
Founded in 1998, they run programs in 21 locations, in 13 countries around the world, each aligned to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as well as the objectives of local partners. They welcome participants from all around the world and help facilitate their development into global citizens. This is how they achieve their mission of building a global network of people united by their passion to make a difference.
Their commitment to running high-quality sustainable development and experiential education programs has earned them recognition from numerous organizations such as Panthera, the Seychelles Parks & Gardens Authority, as well as Stanford, NYU, Duke, and Ohio State.
If you register your interest below, you’ll put you in touch with our partner to take the booking and to plan your trip!
To see all our Conservation Careers Internship opportunities, please click here.
Location and life on base
Accommodation
Accommodation is in shared dorm rooms. There is cold running water available for showers and bottled water available for drinking. Bathroom facilities are shared, and participants also share base duties, including cleaning and other chores, which is all part of the experience.
Meals
Volunteers take it in turns to prepare meals for the group. Food is basic but nutritious, and primarily vegetarian with optional fish or meat available once or twice a week. Breakfast could be porridge with fresh fruit, or occasionally pancakes or cereal, and lunch and evening meals may include pasta, beans, rice, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, etc.
Communication
You will have access to long-distance communications whilst on the program, but make sure friends and family know how often they can expect to hear from you. Local SIM cards and pay-as-you-go credit can be bought in Seychelles and the signal is good in most areas.
Climate
Most of the year the climate in Seychelles is relatively agreeable for the tropics, although it can be very hot in the sun out on fieldwork. There are essentially two main seasons. The Southeast Monsoon season from around May to August is cooler with a steady breeze and little rain. The Northwest Monsoon between the end of November and March is typically windy with sometimes heavy rain, especially in December and January. Between the monsoon seasons around April and October, the weather is usually very calm, hot and dry, perfect for those boat trips and swimming in the calm water. It is rarely cold, although during the monsoon seasons it’s probably worth bringing a light jacket or cardigan for occasional use.
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.
The primary partner on this programme is the Seychelles National Parks Authority. Data collected from your efforts is passed to the Seychelles Ministry of Environment and participating NGOs to be used in creating local conservation policies and is shared worldwide with other conservation teams and efforts. To do this we work on various environmental conservation initiatives, such as safeguarding sea turtles, surveying Coco de Mer nut production, mangrove mapping, Giant Tortoise population censuses, and sicklefin lemon shark monitoring.
This is to offer support to our local partners, assist in the conservation of these islands flora and fauna, and to address many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as #14 – Life Below Water, #15 – Life On Land, #4 – Quality Education and #17 – Partnerships For Goals
Project Objectives
Curieuse Long-term Objectives:
1. Increase scientific knowledge and baseline data on the health of ecosystems on Curieuse Island,
2. Increase awareness of the Seychelles projects and the ecological value of the Curieuse Island National Parks in-country,
3. Build local capacity to support long-term conservation of biodiversity and sustainable community development in Seychelles,
4. Continue to minimise our environmental impact on Curieuse Island and raise awareness of environmental issues amongst volunteers and visitors.
Exploration
Joining a program not only allows participants to collaborate with communities or work toward preserving unique ecosystems but it also offers plenty of opportunities to explore the surrounding area or travel further to see what other parts of the region have to offer.
Long term field staff are a great source of advice, and have helped us put together the following information on local travel options. Many decide to travel before or after their experience (subject to immigration restrictions), solidifying the lifetime friendships established on program. Please note that the below suggestions are not included in the program fee, and are for the individual to organise at their own expense.
Weekend trips
La Digue Island Visit
La Digue is the picture perfect tropical island, small and intimate with quaint guest houses and arguably the most beautiful beach in the world – Anse Source d’Argent.
Praslin Island Visit
Praslin is home to the Vallee de Mai (a world heritage site) thought by early explorers to be the original “Garden of Eden”, that is home of the famous Coco de Mer palm tree. Praslin has a limited, cheap bus service and taxis are easily available. For further exploration, you may choose to hire a car on Praslin or make use of the inter-island ferry services between the other islands.
Curieuse Surrounds
Lounge on the local beaches, snorkel in the coral reefs, hike the jungles and explore, or just relax on base.
Further travels
Other African Nations
Kenya and Tanzania are also only about three hour flight away, and both feature amazing wildlife, exciting adventure activities, and unique cultural diversity to explore. If you are willing to commit to further travel you could also explore destinations like South Africa, Ghana, Malawi, or Morocco.
Madagascar
The only location in the world to spot lemurs in the wild is only a three hour flight away from the Seychelles.
Outer Island Visits
The outer coral islands like Desroche, Bird, Dennis, Farquhar, and the Amirantes group, are further away, but well worth the trip. These locations are much more remote and have been barely marked by civilisation. As such they are in a pristine condition rarely found anywhere in the world today. The opportunity to see unique marine and bird life is unprecedented.
Cultural immersion
Engaging intimately with a new context teaches not only global awareness but adaptability and critical thinking, skills highly valued in the modern marketplace. Local and cultural immersion is encouraged on all our programs around the world, and is also one of the most enjoyable aspects of your experience. Luckily, there are many activities you can get involved with in your free time, or before and after your program. On our community programs the focus is on cultural topics, while on marine or wildlife programs the emphasis is more on the environmental element. Use your evenings and weekends to explore diverse and eclectic topics like Theravada Buddhism in Laos or how plastic pollution and climate change affects Indian Ocean coral.
Curieuse Island
This island conservation program in the Seychelles is based on the island of Curieuse, which itself and its surrounding waters are a national park, managed by our principal in-country partner, Seychelles National Parks Authority. On Curieuse you can experience true island culture, as Curieuse has very few inhabitants compared to most of the other larger islands, making its natural habitat very well-preserved. This beautiful coastal area consists of unique habitats including mangroves wetlands, seagrass beds, and coral reefs.
Seychelles
The Seychelles is a tropical archipelago off the East Coast of Africa, consisting of 100 islands. The main, or so-called inner islands, are made of granite. Researchers believe that they use to form part of the Indian subcontinent. The granite attracted corals and most of the outer islands of the Seychelles are based on coral. The islands are famous for their unique biodiversity and are home to literally thousands of unique land and underwater species. The waters of the Indian Ocean are a haven for coral conservation efforts making the Seychelles a sought-after diving destination.
Festivals
There are festivals throughout the year, the most notable being the Seychelles International Carnival of Victoria in February, which celebrates the cultures that helped shape the Seychelles. There is also the La Digue Festival in mid-August and the Creole Festival in October, and for those interested in the natural world, there is the SUBIOS Underwater Festival on Mahe’s main beach in October, celebrating underwater conservation.
Languages
Seychellois Creole is spoken by the majority of the native Seychellois, roughly 95% of the populations, but as the island country was a British colony, English is the language officially used in government and business dealings. French is also spoken on the islands, by a minority.
Experiences
During your program, you’ll also have the opportunity to experience tailor-made adventure and wellness activities. These have been specially designed to further immerse you in the diversity and richness of the habitats and cultures around you.
Exclusive local experiences:
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Learn to cook Seychellois Creole cuisine
- Experience traditional moutya dancing on the beach
- Stargaze and learn the southern constellations
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Hike to the top of Mount Curieuse
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Stand up paddleboard at sunrise
- Visit Vallée de Mai in Praslin National Park
- Spend the day at a secluded beach
- Sleep under the stars on Mount Curieuse
BONUS! Conservation Career Kick-Starter online training programme (worth £295)
Do you want to spend your career helping wildlife to flourish, but are feeling a little lost, confused or disillusioned?
Start your career in wildlife conservation with a unique programme of training, support community & jobs from Conservation Careers!
The Conservation Career Kick-Starter is a proven step-by-step system to get clear, get ready, and get hired as a professional conservationist.
Whether you’re at university and planning your next steps, a graduate in the job hunt or working in an unrelated job but interested to switch into conservation, this course is designed to help you.
After going through the course, you’ll have created a personal career plan which will give you confidence in your job hunt and will make everything quicker, simpler and more fun!
All you need to do is register your interest in the project below, and if you choose to make a booking we’ll save a place for you on the Kick-Starter when you get back from your placement.
Included with the Kick-Starter is a year’s full-access to the world’s biggest conservation job board with over 15,000 jobs, plus access to our private online support community, CC Pro.
Duration, dates and cost
- 1 week – £2,345
- 2 weeks – £2,695
- 3 weeks – £3,045
- 4 weeks – £3,445
- 5 weeks – £3,795
- 6 weeks – £4,195
- 7 weeks – £4,895
- 8 weeks – £5,245
- 9 weeks – £5,595
- 10 weeks – £5,945
- 11 weeks – £5,945
- 12 weeks – £6,295
What’s included
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)
OPTIONAL: MARINE CONSERVATION COURSE (10 – 15 hours)
In order to obtain a certificate for the Marine Conservation course which is 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.
