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Biosphere Expeditions
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Beach combing for conservation: monitoring flatback turtles along the stunning coastline of Western Australia.
Price/dates/statusThis voluntourism project will take you to the strikingly beautiful coastline of Western Australia to conduct a survey of iconic Australian flatback turtles. You will measure and tag turtles, as well as observe and record data about their nesting behaviour. You will also help to collect DNA samples. This is a very hands-on project working from a remote but very comfortable and modern beach resort with the aim of determining flatback turtle nesting numbers and how far dispersed this genetic population is along the seashore of Western Australia. With Australian flatbacks still listed as ‘Data Deficient” internationally by the IUCN Red List, the actions of this project will go a long way in assisting to fill in the information gaps for this species.
DetailsAims & objectives To conduct consecutive nights of monitoring for nesting turtles to determine species and populations, monitor nest predation, beach dynamics and hatchling success rates. This project as a whole also meets objectives outlined in Australian state and federal management and recovery plans for Australian sea turtles. Background
No known annual or consecutive recording of nesting turtles has occurred in the study site until now. Anecdotal evidence together with some past track counts by the Department of Environment and Conservation of Western Australia provided the basis for the establishment of this new annual monitoring programme. Study species Australian flatback turtle (Natator depressus). Other landmark species present: Green turtle, hawksbill turtle, loggerhead turtle, olive Ridley turtle. Terrestrial species include large sand goannas, wallabies and dingoes. Typical day Turtle monitoring takes place during the evening and night and sometimes early mornings before the heat of the day increases. When not undertaking conservation activities, team members have the opportunity to relax at the Eco Beach resort base, where you can have a drink at the bar, use the pool, or take part in resort activities such as yoga classes, bushwalking, fishing or kayaking. There will also be some turtle talks and presentations for you to attend during the day. An opportunity to visit a local Aboriginal Art Centre also exists if there is enough interest. Beach patrols will be either on foot or in a vehicle driving along the beach and everyone will be rotated between foot and vehicle patrol. Under normal circumstances there will be three patrol teams each day/night. If you are on vehicle patrol, the high tide time will determine when your patrol sets off to its survey location. Once there, you will sleep in tents or under the stars on the beach until it’s time to patrol the beach for up to three hours and then sleep again until sunrise. You will then rise with the sun and conduct a morning survey of any nests missed overnight before you return back to base for breakfast. If you are on foot patrol, you will be leaving from base and returning there afterwards to sleep. After returning from patrol and breakfast, you will then have free time to rest & relax until a late lunch around 14:30. After lunch there is more free time until your patrol leaves again for its turtle survey with a night camping in tents on the beach if you are on vehicle patrol. Dinner will be fruit and snacks, which you can take with you on your patrol. Expedition base The expedition will be based in a remote region along Western Australian coastline. Eco Beach Wilderness Retreat is the accommodation base for this project. Accommodation is in spacious and luxurious safari-style tents featuring a private bathroom & verandah, mattress bed, linen and pillow. Tents are (same sex) twin share. Note that Eco Beach Wilderness Retreat is a swish resort with lots of facilities available to its guests and day visitors, such as for example a pool & bar, massages, yoga classes, canoeing & kayaking, guided bushwalks, etc. Eco Beach also gives you the option to upgrade to single tents and/or to even more luxurious air-conditioned “villa” accommodation. Research area
Australia is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising of the mainland, which is the world's smallest continent (also largest island), the major island of Tasmania, and numerous other islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Partners Our main partner on this project is Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA), a leading Australian non-profit and non-political, practical conservation organisation operating in all States and Territories of Australia as well as New Zealand. Other partners are the Cable Beach community-based monitoring programme in Broome, the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation, the Chelonia Wildlife & Rehabilitation Centre, Environs Kimberley and Seagrass Watch. Our Eco Beach resort base also has a relationship with the traditional aboriginal owners of the land, the Yawuru Native Holders Aboriginal Corporation. Corporate support comes from Land Rover, Swarovski Optik and Snowgum, an Australian outdoor equipment retailer.
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Feedback"Almost every sea turtle monitoring programme around the world relies on volunteers to walk the many miles on nesting beaches at night with researchers gathering valuable scientific data. We welcome Biosphere Expeditions and the support they can bring to our flatback sea turtle monitoring program here in Western Australia. This type of research is all about education, active involvement and understanding that sea turtle species can move through the waters of many countries from feeding to mating to nesting areas such as this one." Glenn McFarlane, Marine Species Manager, Eco Beach programme, Australia.
"I had so much fun on the patrols. Seeing and interacting with the turtles is just an unbelievable experience and I do believe I will continue to participate in similar expeditions in the future."
"We had the best time! Everything was perfect! Beautiful weather, the team members were so nice. We saw heaps of turtles, but the highlight of the expedition was when out of nowhere this beautiful 90 kg turtle decided she wanted to nest in the middle of the day! So the four of us got to assist the scientists, I got to count her eggs and then I had got to hold her while the scientists tagged her and took a DNA sample. Not to sound corny, but it was quite a magical experience!"
"A week on the paradise beach under the Australian sun, we reached 45 degrees C on the second day of the expedition, so be prepared for the heat and enjoy. You can try to turtle talk to calm down these magnificent creatures - Finnish lullabies seemed to work fine."
"It's only just sinking in what unique moments we were privileged to experience with the turtles. Thank you for this and keep up the good work. After the Azores, Western Australia was my second expedition and I am certain it wasn't the last. You really do what you do brilliantly. You’re part of a conservation project and you're having fun and a great time, all in one - we all certainly did!"
"Thank you again for an awesome experience in Australia, which I will never forget, both because of the work & direct contact with the turtles and the people I was privileged to meet on the project."
BriefingThe briefing contains very detailed information on this project, including instructions on how to get to the assembly point, what you will be doing whilst on the project and who your expedition leader and scientists will be. Briefings are provided as pdf documents and you must provide a name, country of residence and valid e-mail address to be able to download one. You can access briefings via the Download Centre.
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