Conservation in Mexico - Turtles, Crocodiles and Lagoon Bio-diversity Projects

"During my overseas voluntary work placement in Mexico I patrolled the beach, released turtles and collected thousands of turtle eggs so they could hatch. I was completely in charge of writing up the collection sheets into the record book. For me, the most memorable experience was seeing the baby turtles emerge from the sand and arrive safely in the ocean. This meant our hard work volunteering overseas had been a success." Helena Carey,
Conservation in Mexico.

Our Conservation Project in Mexico is based on the Pacific Coast at Campemento Tecoman in the state of Colima. This is our camp and research centre just three hours drive from our main office in Guadalajara. The camp is a unique location in which to volunteer abroad and offers the chance to work alongside a group of Teaching Abroad volunteers and staff, as well as local experts on a variety of conservation projects. We have three main conservation projects which make up our Conservation in Mexico programme. These three projects all run throughout the year at the camp and focus on turtle conservation, crocodile conservation and a study of the rich variety of wildlife in a spectacular coastal lagoon nearby.

Turtle Conservation

The Olive Ridley sea-turtle breeds on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. It has become an endangered species due to human activities such as trawler-fishing, poaching and coastal development. All this coupled with the fact that in Mexico turtle eggs are still considered an aphrodisiac and a delicacy, creates a very hostile environment for the Olive Ridley Turtle.

Volunteers are involved in patrolling a thirty kilometre stretch of beach on foot and by quad- bike. You will work mainly by night - when the turtles lay their eggs - alongside a member of our local staff and will be looking out for any adult turtles laying their eggs on the beach, or any distinctive recent turtle tracks which indicate that eggs have just been laid. We then collect the eggs and return with them to a safe area near our camp called a "corral". Here you re-bury the eggs at exactly the same depth as the turtle would bury them.

Some nights you will be on shift at the corral, watching the nests that were buried about six weeks earlier. The experience of then watching the tiny hatchlings as they crawl out of the nest and protecting them as they head for the ocean is incredible.

There are turtles all year round, but the high season is from May to December. However, we are finding increasing numbers of rarer turtle species, such as Green Turtles and the gigantic Leatherback Turtle nesting on the beach in all seasons. The camp is also home to a small number of turtles kept in tanks. These turtles have either been injured or are used for research and education. Volunteers help to clean the tanks and feed and look after the turtles.

Crocodile Conservation

The newest element of our conservation work in Mexico focuses on crocodile conservation. We work with two endangered species of crocodile, the American Crocodile (Crocodylus Acutus) and the smaller Morelet's Crocodile (Crocodylus Moreletii). Our aim is to create a crocodile release programme which would re-introduce these endangered species to the local area. The Crocodile Park is located about ten minutes from our main camp, and is currently home to several pools of baby crocodiles. Volunteers are involved in a variety of work including helping to prepare the food to feed the crocodiles and conducting a population census of the number of wild crocodiles that inhabit the lagoon next to the crocodile park. Volunteers also help to improve the current Crocodile Park site, assisting with painting and maintenance work. Research is also undertaken into the location of crocodile nesting sites. Please note that we work with local crocodile experts and a vet, and volunteers would not be in direct contact with the crocodiles themselves!

Lagoon Bio-diversity Project

Directly inland from the beach and our camp is a large lagoon and wilderness area home to diverse wildlife, including mammals, reptiles and birds. We are conducting a bio-diversity study into the lagoon ecosystem, recording and monitoring the wildlife in this area. The aim is to discover the ecological value of the lagoon for future preservation and more advanced wildlife behaviour studies.

Volunteers are taught how to identify birds, reptiles and mammals, and regularly go out on the lagoon by boat to gather data and conduct studies of the local wildlife. Information is recorded on simple data sheets and then entered into a computer database back at the camp. This initial information will provide evidence of exactly what is to be found within the eco-system and what seasonality is involved. Once this information has been collected and processed we can move on to more detailed studies in conjunction with local biologists and zoologists.

We also run Conservation Awareness Projects to inform the local community and give the school children in the area some education about coastal conservation issues. Volunteers even take part in puppet shows featuring turtles, poachers and conservationists! The children are also shown around our camp including workshops by the turtle tanks, where they can see a variety of species of live turtles, which makes the whole experience really memorable for everyone involved.

Accommodation

As a conservation volunteer in Mexico you will live in a tented camp on the edge of the beach with other volunteers and our local staff. The camp has a central concrete building with clean toilets and showers, a kitchen, a work area and a simple shelter over the tents. It will soon feel like home!

Food is provided by a local cook with a late lunch being the main meal of the day; it's a great time to discuss the previous night's work. There is a weekly work roster and this includes taking your turn at doing the washing up and sweeping the camp. You'll also have time to relax or read, and many volunteers invest in one of Mexico's best inventions - the hammock!

If you want to find out more about the project have a look at the
Turtle Conservation Project in Mexico Website.

All volunteers on Teaching, Care & Community, Medicine, Journalism, Animal Care or Spanish placements in Mexico now have the opportunity to add a 7-Day Conservation Project to the end of their main placement.
Click here for more information.

To read some stories from volunteers who have joined us on a Conservation Project click here.

Volunteers who take part in the Volunteer Conservation & Environment placement may also like to combine this with some time on the Animal Care project in Mexico. Here you will work in an animal rescue centre in Guadalajara. We simply ask that you work a minimum of one month on each project. Click here for more information.

The rare Leatherback turtle

Baby crocodile

Ready for first swim!

Group of volunteers releasing the hatchlings

Sunset at the camp

Campemento Tecoman

Volunteer group by the corral

The lagoon at sunset

Turtles in the tanks

Download videos of our Conservation Project work

	Jim collecting the hatchlings		iPod Version
	Volunteers collecting the hatchlings		iPod Version
	Getting ready to release the turtles		iPod Version
	Releasing the turtles		iPod Version