Tracking Baja's Black Sea Turtles

  Mexico

Rural Areas

Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Dates: see website for details

Description: Research Mission
Protect endangered black sea turtles by helping scientists to learn more about these fascinating reptiles at their feeding grounds in Mexico.

Situation Report
Laguna San Ignacio, Baja California Sur, Mexico -- The calm, warm waters of San Ignacio Lagoon are a magnet for wildlife. The area is known for the wintering visits of friendly grey whales, but many other marine animals, including the endangered black sea turtle, also frequent the lagoon. Little is known about where sea turtles go and what they do after they leave their hatching beaches and before they return as reproductively-active adults, so the presence of these sea turtles in San Ignacio Lagoon offers researchers the perfect opportunity to fill this gap in our knowledge of sea turtles. Drs. Volker Koch, Wallace J. Nichols, and William Megill are focusing their research on the movements, abundance, and distribution of black sea turtles in the lagoon, as well as on the oceanographic conditions of the lagoon and the nearshore Pacific.

Meals and Accommodations
Volunteers will sleep in cabañas in a breezy wilderness camp right on the shores of San Ignacio Lagoon. You'll eat tasty Mexican and Baja cuisine prepared by the project staff and served in an open thatched hut, or palapa, where volunteers and researchers can engage in evening discussions about the project. Solar showers will be available every other day due to limited fresh water supply and volunteers will have access to flush and composting latrines.

Highlights: Teams will work from small boats and sea kayaks on the blue tropical waters of a rich lagoon habitat surrounded by desert. You'll spend your days on the water, helping researchers as they search for, track, and observe the behavior of the turtles. You will also assist with capturing turtles to collect data on their size and weight, tracking turtles on the water using sonar, and seabed biodiversity sampling using a small submersible remotely-operated vehicle. In your recreational time, you can hike along the beach or in the desert, kayak through nearby mangroves, or visit the shops and artwork of the local village. The area hosts blue, orca, and humpback whales, plus dolphins, sea lions, and a variety of other marine species. Avid birdwatchers should bring along binoculars - the region is aflutter with bird life!

Qualifications: Earthwatch volunteers are enthusiastic to learn about the research topic and are willing to contribute their time and energy to support leading scientists in conducting field research. Volunteers will be trained upon arrival at the research site. Teams have a minimum age of 18, unless accompanied by parent or legal guardian, in which case the minimum age is 16.

Cost in US$: 2,546

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Earthwatch expeditions appeal to a variety of people: educators gain new knowledge and develop exciting lesson plans; students explore career options and build research skills; writers, photographers and artists contribute their skills and share their experiences through a variety of media; businessmen and women, doctors and nurses, engineers, homemakers, retirees . . . people from all walks of life choose to volunteer on research expeditions each year. Volunteers are actively engaged on a daily basis with the research project, develop global perspectives, and explore new cultures and environments.

Age Range: 18+

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Mexico Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 8 - 12

Application Process Involves:

• Phone Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Earthwatch Institute's Mission Statement: Earthwatch Institute engages people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Through a unique method of funding, the volunteers Share of Cost contributes directly to the support of the research projects. Earthwatch enables scientists to pursue research goals and members of the public to gain hands-on experience with science. Each year, over 4,000 people from 46 countries directly contribute to scientific research by working alongside scientists, local community members and other volunteers. Earthwatch volunteers can track sea turtles; join archaeological digs; observe animal behavior; collect rare plants, study dolphin behavior and more. The Earthwatch community also includes 20,000 global members, 4,000 eager volunteers each year, 50 collaborating conservation organizations, and 50 corporate partners, all of whom work together to make a difference. Below you will find out more about our leadership, employment opportunities, and contact information.

Year Founded: 1971