Volunteer in Maldives on our sea turtle and Marine conservation program which is operating from Atoll Marine Centre. Here we rescue turtles from the illegal pet trade and those who have been injured from ghost nets, rehabilitate, and reintroduce them back to the wild.
As a volunteer, you will be an integral part of our team, working with our Marine Biologists on the day to day running of the Marine Centre and turtle husbandry activities, from cleaning and feeding, to assisting with administrating medical treatment. Volunteers also have the opportunity to gain experience in coral gardening, data collection and community outreach. Volunteers will receive training in fish/coral species identification and gain first-hand practical experience in international marine conservation for a local run NGO.
This programme is perfect for budding conservationists who want to gain practical skills and field experience, or for volunteers who simply love sea turtles and want to interact with them in a sustainable way.
As a volunteer in our Marine Conservation Programme in the Maldives, you will not only get to experience true island life as it is lived in the Indian Ocean. You will also get a chance to work closely with other ocean enthusiasts, both international and local, at our Marine Centre. Every project is important to us and the community in different ways and while you are here with us, you will play an integral role contributing to the longevity of the marine programme.
Other elements of the project include teaching the local populace about the importance of turtle conservation, conducting awareness campaigns in the community and hosting sessions with tourists from nearby resorts to raise further awareness about turtle conservation.
Our marine programme and projects are extensive, and relies on volunteer support to achieve all our conservation aims. The cleaning and feeding of our turtles requires time and energy, and without the help of volunteers we would struggle to do this every day! Monitoring work is time consuming and extensive so we require all the help we can get in maintaining our coral frames and surveying local reefs.
Volunteer in Maldives Gallery
What is involved
Volunteers will work closely with our two resident marine biologists. Daily tasks are varied and may include:
▪ Hands on turtle husbandry experience including cleaning and feeding the rescued turtles
▪ Assist with administrating any medical care
▪ Conducting reef surveys on atoll islands
▪ Practical coral regeneration experience including monitoring coral frames and collecting
data
▪ Organizing and assisting with community beach cleans and marine awareness sessions.
As a Sea Turtle Conservation volunteer in Maldives, you will get to work with a team of dedicated enthusiasts who work hard to save the turtle population in this area! We run a well-established turtle centre here on Naifaru island, and have many turtles which are under our care. We receive turtles from a number of different sources. Some are rescued from people trying to sell them as pets to tourists and locals alike. Some are donated to the centre by locals who have purchased them as pets; usually as hatchlings. Some are rescued from the ocean after being discovered injured by locals or by nearby resorts.
Injuries are usually sustained from entanglement in ghost fishing net, or are suffering from buoyancy syndrome from internal problems such as ingestion of plastic, which can then result in being hit by boats. Once a turtle is brought to our Marine Centre you, as our turtle conservation volunteer, will be helping with the general care of our turtles. This includes everything from daily feeding, cleaning of turtles and tanks, swims in the ocean for rehabilitation, and our favourite part;
turtle release!
Our coral restoration efforts in the Maldives have been running for a number of years. In 2016 there was a mass bleaching event here in the Maldives as the result of an El Nino year. An El Nino is a natural phenomenon resulting in a sudden rise of sea temperatures, caused mass coral mortality. This resulted in the death of a large proportion of the coral here, around 60%. While reef systems can recover from these disturbances, recovery on the inhabited islands is hindered by certain anthropogenic factors.
Reclamation of a large piece of land to accommodate the increased population pressure on the island and construction of a new harbour has both affected coral heath directly and indirectly. Large portions of Naifaru’s reefs are battling to recover and we aim to give them a helping hand.
As a volunteer, you may be sent on small expeditions to local islands and reefs to collect naturally broken coral fragments and bring them back to Naifaru to be processed and attached to frames where they can grow into strong corals and help replenish the reefs and general biodiversity around the island. Frames require monitoring and maintenance.
Some details
2023
2023
2023
2023
2024
January
April
July
October
6, 13, 20, 27
7,14
7, 14, 21, 28
6,13, 20, 27
February
May
August
November
3, 10, 17, 24
5, 12,19, 26
4,11, 18, 25
3,10, 17, 24
March
June
September
December
3 , 10, 17, 24, 31
2, 9, 16, 23, 30
1,8,15, 22,29
1, 8, 15
What your first week looks like
Arrival day
Weekdays
Weekend
Weekend activities
Snorkelling
BBQ Parties
Private Island Visits
Boat trips
Testimonial Videos
Choose an Inspiring Volunteering Destination
Cambodia will allow you to explore the heart of Southeast Asia, a nation replete with lush natural landscapes from dense forests to rice paddy fields, bustling cities, and the majestic architectural remnants of the great Khmer empire dotting every bit of the country.
The charming city of Phnom Penh is the capital and also serves as our base of volunteer operations. Volunteering Journeys Cambodia volunteer abroad projects include Teaching English, Working with NGO’s, helping Special Needs individuals, and Medical & Nursing Internships. Whether you are a gap year student, career breaker or a family or a mature volunteer, you can apply to any of our volunteer in Cambodia projects.
Connect!
Our newsletter
Stay updated with the latest news on what we are upto. Promise we won’t spam your inbox!
Our brochure
To get an overview of all our destinations and programs you can download our latest brochure