Sea Turtle Conservation in Sri Lanka

Help with the protection and survival of endangered sea turtles and preserve the local ecosystem

Destination

Age

16+ y/o

Minimum Stay

1 week

Start Date

Anytime

Accommodation

Homestay

What’s included

Meals

All breakfast, lunch, and dinners, and always fresh drinking water.

Accommodation & Amenities

Clean, safe, and welcoming accommodation. A home away from home with comfortable amenities.

24/7 Support

Round-the-clock support on the ground and 24/7 back up from our global teams.
Bus

Transportation

To and from the airport, plus everything in between. Daily transport to your placement and back.

Trip Overview

What you need to know

Overview

This project is perfect if you are passionate about nature, the environment, and the ocean. You’ll get the chance to work outdoors, protecting sea turtles and helping with important conservation.

It’s also great if you’re interested in pursuing a career in marine conservation. You’ll gain fantastic hands-on experience.

You’ll spend your volunteering trip with passionate conservation staff, who actively protect and help the local environment through different types of programmes. The best part? You get to tap into their knowledge and experience, using it to learn more about different types of conservation initiatives in Sri Lanka.

You don’t need experience for this project. A willingness to help, learn and explore is all we ask of you! On the first day our centre supervisor will guide you through the whole process and throughout your time at the project our staff will be there to help you.

The project is available all year round, so you can choose the perfect time to travel, fitting your schedule.

So why not travel to a beautiful part of the world this year, make new friends, learn about sea turtles and help protect our oceans?

A Day in the Life

You’ll wake up in the home of your host family and enjoy a delicious Sri Lankan style breakfast which will fuel you for the day ahead. We’ll then pick you up and take you to the nearby conservation centre.

Each day is different on the project, with the work changing depending on the season. However, your supervisor will design a schedule each week to make the most of your time.

A typical day will start early, with volunteers and staff gathering at the centre to agree on the plan for the day.

You might start your morning with a beach patrol. You’ll walk together across the sandy local beaches, collecting any litter that could be dangerous for animals.

After lunch at the centre, you’ll spend time tending to the turtle hatchlings. This could include cleaning out their tanks or even feeding them.

You may also need to rest up ahead of a nighttime beach patrol. Here you’ll all go together, looking for nests of newly-laid turtle eggs. You’ll transport them safely back to the centre, where you can prepare them for eventual release back into the ocean.

Once you’re done for the day, you’re free to relax and explore. We run regular social events for our volunteers, which is a wonderful way to make new friends and get to know the local staff.

You can find out more about the local way of life, spending the evening with your host family. Try out the nearby restaurants, spend some time on the beach, or check out the tourist sites and local landmarks.

Activities

You’ll pack in a huge number of activities during your stay in Sri Lanka. Expect to do all of the following:

Here is a breakdown of the work you will do:

Work with turtle hatchlings

Your main role will be to help with the protection of turtle hatchlings.  You’ll do all of the following:

  • Help bury the sea turtle eggs in a safe, dedicated area to rescue them from poachers.
  • Conduct daily checks on the eggs to check their hatching time and help the emerging baby turtles.
  • Wash the sea turtle tanks and refill them with seawater.
  • Prepare food to feed the turtles.
  • Take care of cleaning, feeding and helping turtle hatchlings.
  • Hand feed any injured turtles.

We work with a variety of species in Sri Lanka, including Green, Leatherback, Olive Ridley, Loggerhead & Hawksbill Sea Turtles.

Beach Conservation and night patrols

You’ll patrol the beach during the day to look for any pieces of fishing nets, which cause a large number of deaths in sea turtles.

However, it’s at night where the real fun begins! You’ll take part in an unforgettable hands-on experience – joining a sea turtle patrol. On this tour you will go for a night time walk on the beach of Galbokka to look for endangered sea turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs.

It’s crucial to get to the eggs during the night, before poachers and predators.  That way, we can ensure their survival.

Community awareness and education

A big part of the work we do involves educational work in the local community.  This is very important, because everyone has to play their part if we’re going to preserve the local ecosystem.

You’ll work together with our local experts to make creative presentations for people of all ages.  This will cover why coastal conservation is so important and why we need to secure turtle eggs from poachers.

Aims & Impact

The main goal of this project is to ensure the protection and survival of endangered sea turtles and preserve the local ecosystem.

All species of sea turtles are listed as threatened or endangered in Sri Lanka. We aim to provide data and insights that help with the protection of these incredible creatures.

Here’s just one example of why this work is crucial: different populations of Green turtles around the world are likely to have different migratory paths. If Green turtles in one geographic area go extinct, it may be impossible to replace them with turtles from another area. This is because the new arrivals will lack the inherited instructions needed to navigate within and from their new homes.

The work you do – such as protecting the sea turtle eggs and helping the emerging baby turtles – contributes directly to preventing these problems.

Map & Location
Ayubowan! That’s “may you live long” in Sinhala, the language of Sri Lanka, a beautiful island nation in the Indian Ocean. Experience a culture and tradition dating back thousands of years and try the exotic flavours of Sri Lankan cuisine.

Did you know Sri Lanka is thought to have world’s oldest wildlife sanctuary? While exploring, you’ll find ancient cities with distinct architectural styles, vast tea plantations in mist-covered hills, and the warm hospitality of its people.

Balapitiya

A charming coastal town in southwestern Sri Lanka, Balapitiya offers a tranquil escape with its beautiful beaches and serene lagoon. It is two hours south of the capital, Colombo, and home to about 15,000 people, enjoying a tropical climate with warm temperatures all year.

Set beside the Maduganga Lake and River, lined with mangrove trees, Balapitiya is home to some incredible wildlife. Relax on the stunning sandy beaches and immerse in local spiritual heritage at nearby temples.

Food & Accommodation

Experience the warmth of Sri Lankan hospitality and settle into your home away from home. We provide everything you need for a comfortable and enriching stay, including a cosy bed, three delicious meals a day filled with local flavors, and access to clean drinking water.

You’ll be welcomed into the home of a carefully vetted Sri Lankan family, offering a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the local culture. We’ll take care of your daily transport to and from your placement, making your experience even smoother.

Your host family home will be a safe and comfortable space, and if you share a room, it will be with someone of the same gender and similar age. This allows you to connect with fellow travellers, share your experiences, and create lasting memories.

Your Arrival Made Easy

When you arrive at your respective airport, a member of Projects Abroad staff will be there to meet you. You can find more detailed information on arrival airports, orientation, and visas on our Sri Lanka Arrival Procedures page.

Book your adventure

Call +353 (0)1 571 5080 to discuss special discounts or group bookings.

Still got questions? We’re happy to help!

Our trusted accreditations

British Youth Travel Awards Customer Service
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SDG Contribution finalist
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GoOverseas community choice award
Sustainable tour operator finalist
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Volunteer Forever award