Pacuare is an important nesting site for endangered leatherback; green and hawksbill sea turtles. The main threats to these animals at Pacuare are illegal egg poaching and hunting of nesting females. The project addresses these threats through nightly beach patrols and the construction and maintenance of a hatchery for egg incubation. Volunteers will assist with night patrols; hatchery shift; beach cleaning; general maintenance work and other tasks as needed. The presence of volunteers and staff and educational activities regularly deters poachers. Our project is located in a rather remote location – in the middle of a Costa Rican rainforest which is only accessible by boat.
Station runs on solar power only. Electricity can sometimes be disrupted due to bad weather. Drinking water is safe and filtered from a well. Food supplied is mainly vegetarian.Accommodation supplied is basic and shared facilities.We also recruit Research Assistants for 3 month periods at this project. Food and lodging will be covered during the three month stay for applicants that fulfill all the requirements – please contact us for more information.
Pacuare Beach
March to October
1 week minimum
Adults of both sexes 18+ (minors can participate if accompanied by an adult or with a waiver)
No special qualifications or skills are required. Spanish a plus. Volunteers must be in good health; capable of walking long distances on the beach at night often in extreme conditions; and be open-minded with flexible attitude.
US$35 per day which includes lodging in shared rooms and three meals a day plus US$40 for ground and boat transportation from the town of Bataan to the project site (round trip; Mondays and Thursdays only). Please note this is a special price for VLA volunteers exclusively in Pacuare (nontransferable to other projects we run).
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