Nature Seychelles is on the lookout for passionate volunteers to join the Hawksbill Turtle Nesting Season from October 2024 to April 2025 on the stunning Cousin Island Special Reserve. This is a unique opportunity to get hands-on experience in conservation while making a real difference for these critically endangered creatures.
Dr. Nirmal Jivan Shah, the CEO of Nature Seychelles, describes Cousin Island as one of the top nesting spots for hawksbill turtles in the Western Indian Ocean. However, monitoring these beautiful animals throughout the season requires more help, especially on weekends and holidays. “We need dedicated people to help collect data and monitor the turtles. The volunteer programme is crucial to ensuring that every nesting season is as successful as the last,” he explains.
The Hawksbill sea turtle is critically endangered, according to the IUCN Red List. Found mainly in tropical and subtropical waters, their populations have been devastated by human activities in the past. But thanks to Nature Seychelles’ long-running hawksbill monitoring programme, which has been going strong for years, around 87-90% of all nesting females are intercepted each season. Volunteers play a massive role in this effort, helping gather valuable data, tag turtles, and protect nests from threats like erosion.
For those considering volunteering, this is your chance to dive into conservation work and learn from the best. Volunteers start with simple tasks like walking beach patrols and gradually move up to observing nesting behaviors, counting eggs, and possibly even tagging turtles. As Shah puts it, “Our volunteers are worth their weight in gold when the beaches get busy. The more we know now, the better decisions we can make for future protection.”
Cousin Island is not just a paradise; it’s also a challenging environment. The work is tough, with long hours in the tropical heat, so Shah stresses that they need self-reliant, physically fit individuals who are ready to push themselves. “Flexibility is key,” he adds, “since turtles can show up anytime – even when you’ve just sat down for lunch!”
If you’re serious about conservation and ready for an adventure, this volunteer programme offers invaluable hands-on experience. It’s also a great stepping stone for those pursuing a career in conservation, giving you the chance to develop practical skills in turtle monitoring and self-reliance in a truly unique setting.
Edited by J.R
