The Splendors of the Sea

Sea Turtle and Lemon Shark Conservation Internship in Seychelles

Investigate and study two of the most renowned marine species in the world, while on Curieuse Island, in Seychelles.

Durations: 4 - 12 weeks
Critical science

Critical science

You'll contribute to vital conservation research targeted at protecting the earth's most valuable ecosystems.
Ethical engagement

Ethical engagement

Using the UN's SDGs as a framework, we've made a commitment to positive, constructive and sustainable impact.
Beautiful adventures

Beautiful adventures

You'll spend your days exploring some of the world's most breathtaking, exhilarating and remote wildernesses.

Program information

Snorkel, discover and explore Seychelles while working alongside a team of fellow interns from all over the world, in an effort to develop professionally, as well as to preserve two of the most renowned marine species vulnerable to extinction.

Get here for realz with up to 25% off!

Book before 30 June
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Travel flexibility. Transfer for free up to 45 days before travel. Because life happens. Terms and conditions apply.
Overview
Dates & Prices
Itinerary
What's Included
Life On Base
Experiences
New
Free time
Cultural Immersion
Speak to alumni
MEET THE TEAM
Parent Info
Arrivals
Flights
Your Impact
Our Ethics
Program ethics
Qualifications & Training
Careers
Support & Safety
Covid-19 Response
Live Updates

Program overview

On this particular program, you will live on Curieuse Island, a tropical paradise managed by one of GVI’s partners in the region, the Seychelles National Parks Authority, as you work to assist in the preservation and conservation of two important native marine animals, namely the sea turtle and lemon shark.

Complete leadership training, along with others, to boost your skill set and gain practical work experience, which you can use to enhance your CV, as well as to gain a “one up” on the competition in securing interviews for jobs within the marine conservation field.

There are seven existing species of sea turtles in the world, and these all depend on conservation efforts around the world to keep them from becoming vulnerable to extinction. Similarly, lemon sharks, who possess a multitude of interesting and unique qualities, are also vulnerable in the region, and conservation efforts make a big difference in preserving both species, ensuring more stability in the marine landscape of Seychelles as a whole.

GVI runs a very successful lemon shark catch and release program in Seychelles, which requires interns to search the surrounding waters for shark pups, in order to gain valuable data on population growth rates. Similarly, sea turtles are widely monitored on this program, including looking at the nesting habits of both hawksbill and green turtles on Curieuse island. You will learn to collect, collate, tag and measure important data pertaining to the number of eggs laid, as well as carrying out nest evacuations to measure hatching rates, and more.

Highlights

  • Work with two of the most endangered species in the Indian Ocean, assisting with their longer term sustainability in the region.
  • Visit an archipelago known for its incredible scenery and warm waters.
  • Work directly with sea turtle and lemon shark research initiatives in order to facilitate their population growth.
  • Become a global citizen, aware of some of the greater environmental dangers present in the modern world.
  • Get specialised training in the marine conservation field, increasing your employability regardless of pursuing a career in the field, or elsewhere.

Is this program for me?

This internship is specifically useful for someone who has or is actively studying the below subject areas at school, university or college, or has an interest in these subject areas.

  • Ecology
  • Population biology
  • Epidemiology
  • Biology
  • Environmental science
  • Wildlife management
  • Zoology
  • Animal husbandry
  • Botany
  • Ecology and evolution
  • Geology
  • Wildlife biology and conservation

Skills

  • Leadership
  • Project management
  • Critical thinking
  • Creativity
  • Resiliency
  • Time management

Program details

Dates and prices

Select a start date:

Special offer!

Get up to 25% off!

Book before the end of June 2023 and receive up to 25% off this program.
COVID-19 flexibility. If COVID-19 prevents you from travelling, change your location and dates free of charge.
Payment plans. Flexible payment plans allow you to pay in instalments.

What happens next?

Once you apply, a personal Enrollment Manager will be assigned to walk you through the rest of the process.

Itinerary

The following itinerary is an example of the activities and project work that participants might get involved in on this program. More specific details of the program are finalised several months before each start date.

03:45

Those of you working on lemon shark conservation start the day nice and early – with a hearty breakfast!

04:15

Set up nets in the mangroves in search of lemon shark pups. Check their tags and record biometric data before releasing them.

07:30

For those not working with lemon sharks, breakfast is enjoyed while listening to the sound of the ocean.

09:00

Catch up on base duties, go for a morning snorkel, or meet with your mentor and work on your research project.

13:00

Hike to one of 6 beach sites to record data on nesting hawksbill turtles, tagging females and monitoring nesting activity.

17:00

Free time. Take the chance to freshen up, chat with loved ones back home, or enjoy some time on the beach.

18:00

Team dinner. Enjoy good food and good company, and spend some time talking about your learnings from the day.

19:00

Enjoy some solo time, socialise with your new friends, or call it a day and get some rest before tomorrow’s early start!

What’s included?

What's Included
General
Volunteer
Intern
24-hour emergency desk
24-hour in-country support
Airport pick-up (unless otherwise stated)
All project equipment
Food (except on long-term internship placements
Safe and basic accommodation (usually shared)
Pre-program training
Volunteer
Intern
Group introductory call
Welcome presentation
Endorsed GVI Specialisation Course
Endorsed Leadership Course
Project work
Volunteer
Intern
Sustainable project work
Leadership responsibilities
Data collection and research
Real projects with partners
Remote support
Volunteer
Intern
Program training
Weekly group check ins
Remote Academic Internship Supervisor
Remote Career Internship Supervisor
Post-program
Volunteer
Intern
Preferential recruitment on GVI positions
Job portal access
Endorsed Careers Course
Career coaching sessions
Certificates and achievements
Volunteer
Intern
PDF reference - upon request
Linkedin reference and skills endorsement
What's Excluded
General
Volunteer
Intern
Additional drinks and gratuities
Extra local excursions
Flights
International and domestic airport taxes
Medical and travel insurance
Personal items and toiletries
Police or background check
Visa costs

Life On Base

The tropical paradise of Curieuse Island and its surrounding waters is a national park, managed by our local partner, the Seychelles Parks and Garden Authority (SPGA). Our beachfront camp is located on the white sand beach of Anse St Jose and overlooks Praslin (the Seychelles’ second-largest island), a short boat ride away. With turquoise waters, lush jungle, and granite boulders all over, this remote private island has no roads, no infrastructure, and no shops.

Curieuse is home to around 150 Aldabra giant tortoises and many endemic and rare species, including the Coco de Mer palm, which is only grown in two locations in the world. While all of the tortoises roam freely, Obama the wild giant tortoise is a regular visitor to our base.

Accommodation

At this eco-friendly base, accommodation is in shared dorm rooms, and bathroom facilities are shared. There is cold running water available for s...

Communication

You’ll have access to long-distance communications whilst on the program. Make sure friends and family know how often they can expect to hear fro...

Meals

Volunteers take it in turns to prepare meals for the group. Food is basic but nutritious.  Primarily vegetarian, optional fish or meat available ...

Climate

Most of the year, the climate in the Seychelles is relatively agreeable for the tropics, although it can be very hot in the sun when out on field...

COVID-19 Safety

Enhanced cleaning and social-distancing measures in place.

Learn more

Download our Travel Smart Checklist

Essential information you need to travel safely during the COVID-19 pandemic - including destination ratings, flight bookings and tests.

GVI experiences included in your program, at no extra cost included in your program, at no extra cost.

Offered once a month, expand your adventure with GVI Experiences. These are just some of the activities offered on your program!

We want you to make the most of the chance to live in – and contribute towards –  the most diverse and unique wildernesses and communities on earth. Introducing GVI Experiences – immersive adventure, cultural and wellness activities exclusive to GVI that have been specially designed in collaboration with our local partners to support and stimulate sustainable economic development. 

Enhance your impact. Expand your adventure. Explore your world.

Exclusive local GVI experiences
Learn to cook Seychellois Creole cuisine
Taste the islands
Experience traditional moutya dancing on the beach
Night beats
Stargaze and learn the southern constellations
A beach full of stars
Hike to the top of Mount Curieuse
Curieuse from the top
Stand up paddleboard at sunrise
Daybreak on the water
Visit Vallée de Mai in Praslin National Park
The Garden of Eden
Spend the day at a secluded beach
Secret shoreline
Sleep under the stars on Mount Curieuse
Dream of the mountain

Free time

Joining a GVI program not only allows you to collaborate with communities or work toward preserving unique ecosystems – but it also offers plenty of opportunities to explore the surrounding area or travel further to see what other parts of the region have to offer over weekends.

Field staff are a great source of advice and have helped us put together the following information on local travel options. You can choose to travel before or after your experience with GVI (subject to immigration restrictions), solidifying the lifetime friendships you’ve established on the program. Please note that the below options are not included in the program fee, and would be up to you to arrange at your own expense.

Weekend Trips

Professional diving

Over a long weekend, you may want to get your Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) Open Water diving certification. You can do t...

Praslin island swimming and snorkeling

As well as the beaches on Curieuse, there are also some fantastic spots on nearby Praslin island where you can swim and snorkel, in particular th...

Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve

Visit the Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve, which is also a UNESCO world heritage site. There are two clearly marked hiking trails within the reserve...

Local Creole cuisine and Wi-Fi

On the weekends, why not take a quick boat ride from Curieuse to the neighbouring island of Praslin, and visit the town of Cote d’Or? You’ll find...

La Digue island hike, viewpoint and cycling

Take a 20-minute boat ride to La Digue island. Here, you can take a 45-minute hike along a well-marked trail up to Belle Vue (“beautiful view” in...

Local Adventures

Opportunities on base

  • Snorkeling – we live on the beach and can often see turtles and rays from the base. You’ll have pl...

Doctor’s house

The Doctor’s House is home to a small museum which recounts the story of the island. Now a national monument, the building once housed leprosy pa...

Hiking trails and scenic viewpoints

There are five hiking trails on the island. Being the highest point on the island, the hike to the peak of Mount Curieuse offers the most scenic ...

Six nearby beach spots

Enjoy a stroll around Curieuse and take in one of the six different beach spots on the island. Boasting golden sands, massive granite boulders an...

Movie nights

Spend a laid-back evening watching movies and documentaries on the big screen projector at our base. On Monday evenings, there are a selection of...

Hammocks with ocean views

We have three hammocks set up around base, all of which have views out across the ocean. Relax in a hammock, listen to the waves, enjoy a book, a...

Further Travels

Other African nations

Kenya and Tanzania are only about a 3-hour flight  away. Both feature amazing wildlife, exciting adventure activities, and unique cultural divers...

Outer island visits

The outer coral islands (like Desroche, Bird, Dennis, Farquhar, and the Amirantes group) are further away but well worth the trip. These location...

Cultural Immersion

Engaging intimately with a new context teaches global awareness, adaptability and critical thinking – skills highly valued in the modern marketplace. Local and cultural immersion is encouraged on all our programs around the world, and will also be one of the most enjoyable aspects of your experience. Luckily, there are many different activities that you can get involved in during your free time, or before and after your program.

On our community programs, the focus is on cultural topics, while on marine or wildlife programs the emphasis is more on the environmental element. Use your evenings and weekends to explore topics like local cuisine and religion, or how sustainable development challenges are affecting local contexts.

Curieuse Island

GVI’s island conservation program in the Seychelles is based on the island of Curieuse. Both the island and its surrounding waters are a national...

Seychelles

The Seychelles is a tropical archipelago off the east coast of Africa, consisting of 100 islands. The main, or so-called inner islands, are made ...

Festivals

There are festivals throughout the year, the most notable being the Seychelles International Carnival of Victoria in February, which celebrates t...

Languages

Seychellois Creole is spoken by the majority of the native Seychellois ( 95% of the population). Because the island country was once a British co...

Speak to alumni

If you’d like to find out what the experience of joining a GVI project is really like, simply contact us and we’ll put you in touch with one of our many Alumni.

We’ll try to match you to an Alum based on your location, nationality, age, stage of academic career, gender, and program interests. This allows you to gain insights into the experience that is most relevant to you.

Depending on your location you might be able to speak to an Alum over the phone or online, or meet up with them face-to-face at a coffee shop nearby. We also run a series of small events around the world where you can speak to GVI Alumni, Ambassadors and staff members.

Get a first-hand perspective

Meet us

Meet the team

Get acquainted with the GVI Africa, Seychelles, Curieuse family

Jasmine Taberer

Program Manager

This is Jasmine, also known as Jazzy, our wonderful Program Manager at the GVI base on Curieuse Island, Seychelles. Jazzy grew up with a keen interest in conservation which lead ...

Parent Info

‘If only every student could do this. It changes your life in all the right ways,’ says Chris Heritage, parent of Luke Heritage, one of our teen volunteers who has participated on two GVI programs, one in Costa Rica and another in South Africa.

We are a parent-run organisation that is incredibly serious about health and safety, and increasing the impact, as well as the long-term career benefits of our programs. Our programs help young people develop the skills to select a career path that is personally fulfilling, and live a life aligned to the well-being of our planet and the global community.

GVI is a proud member of the Gap Year Association.

Ken and Linda Jeffrey, whose son Sam volunteered with GVI in Thailand, talk about how the experience affected Sam. He also went on to volunteer with GVI again in South Africa. ‘I know it sounds like a cliche but in a sense, he did go away as a boy and he came back as a young man. Both of us could recommend GVI without any hesitation to any other parent thinking about exploring an opportunity for their children to explore the world and to see different parts of it.’

Parent Info Pack

Download the Parent Pack and learn more about:

Our staff: All our projects are run by staff, selected, vetted, trained, and managed by our central office.
Health and safety: Our safety practices include a child and vulnerable adult protection policy and high participant ratios.
Staying in touch: See what’s happening on base, by following a hub’s dedicated Facebook page.
Free parent consultations: We would love to talk to you about exciting opportunities available for your child.

Arrivals

When it comes to support, we ensure that each participant is provided with unparalleled, 360 degree support, from your initial contact with the GVI Family, all the way through your program, and even after, as you become part of the GVI Alumni Team.

As part of this promise, we will ensure, whenever possible, that one of our dedicated staff will be available to meet you at the airport. In most locations, we also set up a Whatsapp group to help with managing airport arrivals. We will arrange with you prior to your departure that, should you arrive in the agreed upon pick up window, a member of our staff will be there to welcome you, easily identifiable in a GVI t-shirt or holding a GVI sign and wearing a friendly smile. This means there will be someone there to greet you as you land, and from there you will be transported to your GVI base to start your adventure and meet the rest of your team.

COVID-19 safety

Enhanced cleaning and social-distancing measures in place.

Learn more

Flights

Download our Travel Smart Checklist

Essential information you need to travel safely during the COVID-19 pandemic - including destination ratings, flight bookings and tests.

Your Impact

All of our programs have short-, mid- and long-term objectives that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). This enables us to report on our collaborative impact across the world in a streamlined manner, measuring which UN SDGs we are making a substantial contribution to. Furthermore, this will help our local partners and communities measure and visualise their contribution to the UN SDGs.

Prior to your arrival on base, you will be educated about the UN SDGs. Then once you arrive on base, you’ll learn about the specific goals we have in this particular location, our various objectives, and also clarification of how your personal, shorter-term involvement contributes to these.

Our aim is to educate you on local and global issues, so that you continue to be an active global citizen after your program, helping to fulfil our mission of building a global network of people united by their passion to make a difference.

GVI’s primary partner on this programme is the Seychelles Parks and Garden Authority (SPGA). Data collected from your efforts is passed to the Seychelles Ministry of Environment as well as participating NGOs, to be used in creating local conservation policies. It’s also shared worldwide with other conservation teams and efforts. We work on various environmental conservation initiatives, such as safeguarding sea turtles, mangrove mapping, giant tortoise population censuses, and sicklefin lemon shark monitoring. 

In collaboration with SPGA and University of Seychelles, we track neonate sharks around Curieuse island. Through this research we can see if the boundaries of the Marine National Park are adequate, and get a better understanding of their activity, space and habits. 

The UN Sustainable Development Goals

All of our programs have short-, mid- and long-term objectives that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals or UN SDGs. We want to be able to measure our collaborative impact across the world in a streamlined manner. Staff and volunteers know which UN SDGs they’re making a substantial contribution to. This also helps our local partners and communities measure and visualise their contribution to the UN SDGs.

Prior to your arrival on base, you’ll be educated about the history of the UN SDGs. Then, once on base you’ll learn about the specific goals of your location, the long-, mid- and short-term objectives, and also insight into how your personal, shorter-term involvement contributes to these goals on a global level.

Our aim is to educate you on local and global issues, so that you continue to act as active global citizens after your program, helping to fulfil our mission of building a global network of people united by their passion to make a difference.

The support we offer our local partners assists in the conservation of the island’s flora and fauna, and addresses many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as Goal 14: Life Below Water, Goal 15: Life On Land, Goal 4: Quality Education, and Goal 17: Partnerships For Goals.

Our partners

Project objectives

 

GVI Curieuse Long-term Objectives:  

1. Increase scientific knowledge and baseline data on the health of ecosystems on Curieuse Island.

2. Increase awareness of GVI Seychelles projects and the ecological value of the Curieuse Island National Parks within the country.

3. Build local capacity to support long-term conservation of biodiversity and sustainable community development in the Seychelles.

4. Continue to minimise our environmental impact on Curieuse Island and raise awareness of environmental issues amongst participants and visitors.

Our Ethics

Below is a list of core ethics and best practices we believe are essential to the operation of high quality, ethical volunteer and sustainable development programs. We believe that all responsible volunteer and sustainable development operations should focus upon these principles. If you are considering volunteering, these are some of the key considerations you should question, to ensure that your time and money contributes towards positive change.

 

We want to constantly develop our own understanding of ethical best practice. In so doing, we aim to provide an exemplary industry standard for other education institutions, international development organisations, and social enterprises. Our Badge of Ethics stands for the drive to always do good, better. Find out more, click on the Badge below.

Our 10 ethical commitments

01

Locally Driven, Collaborative Projects

We aim to design all our projects in collaboration with local organizations and communities and ensure that they are locally driven.

02

Clear Objectives & Sustainable Outcomes

We aim to clearly define short-, mid-, and long-term objectives with sustainable outcomes for all our projects.

03

Impact Reporting

We aim to track, record, and publish the impact of each of our projects.

04

Working Against Dependency

We aim to build in-country capacity by assisting local organizations in becoming self-sustaining.

05

Responsible Exit Strategies

For each local organization we work with, we aim to have a plan in place for withdrawing support responsibly.

06

Clear Roles & Specialized Training

We aim to ensure that every participant is assigned a clear role and that they are fully trained and supported to carry out their work by specialized staff.

07

Respect for all

In all our actions we aim to respect the skills and efforts of all and seek to protect the rights, culture and dignity of everyone who engages with GVI.

08

Local Ownership

We work to ensure that credit for the results of any project, along with any data collected, research conducted, or Intellectual Property developed, remains the property of local organizations.

09

Transitioning from the Orphanage Model

We do not condone and aim to withdraw support of orphanages and residential care centers.

10

Child and Vulnerable adult policies

We will live by our Child Protection and Vulnerable Adult policies.

Continual Development

As an organization, GVI is committed to striving toward best practice, and to educating both our potential participants, our partners, and the world at large about them. Both the volunteering and sustainable development sectors are increasingly, and rightly, under scrutiny. Many recent local and global articles highlight poor practices and questionable ethics. GVI is widely recognized for striving to apply global best practice in the volunteering, education and sustainable development sectors throughout our operations by reputable organizations such as ChildSafe.

However, global best practice is always evolving and we dedicate both time and resources to engage with internationally respected experts and learn from the latest research to ensure our programs both fulfil their potential to create maximum positive impact, and minimise their potential to create unintentional negative impact. Along with and as part of the sustainable development and volunteering community, we are constantly learning and applying this learning to practice. We do not always get everything right, but we seek feedback from our community members, partners, participants and our staff, and react accordingly. We know are already doing a great job, and feedback we have received confirms this, but we aim to do even better and are continuously refining our operations to improve upon our already excellent reputation.

Program ethics

No orphanage programs

We don’t support or allow participants to work in institutional residential care facilities, also known as orphanages. We partner with ReThink Orphanages and Freedom United.

Learn more
Child and vulnerable adult protection policy

Our Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy requires all our staff and participants to complete a criminal background check and to learn why you shouldn’t reveal a child’s identifying factors in photographs. We support the ChildSafe Movement.

Learn more
No medical volunteering

We don’t offer any programs where our participants engage in medical treatment. This is because our participants aren’t typically qualified to do this work and would therefore not be able to do this work in their home country. Our participants only assist with public health programs.

Learn more
No disability support programs

We don’t offer any programs where our participants work directly with people with disabilities. This is because our participants aren’t typically qualified to do this work and would therefore not be able to do this work in their home country.

Learn more
Aligned to local objectives

Each one of our initiatives is aligned to objectives set by a local organisation or professional. Our staff and participants work to support these local actors in achieving their specific goals.

Local employees remain employed

Our participants don’t replace the staff employed by local organisations. Rather, they support currently employed staff with achieving their objectives. Our goal is always to increase local capacity to address local problems.

Local employees remain focused

Participants require training and support to ensure that they carry out tasks correctly. Our staff provide this training and support so that local staff can focus on what is truly important to their organisation at the time.

No entertainment-based activities

We don’t support the use of wild animals for entertainment purposes. This includes riding animals, having them perform tricks, feeding or bathing them or getting close to them to take photos

No orphaned animal sanctuaries

We don’t encourage, support or allow the rearing of “orphaned” wild baby animals kept at a “sanctuary”. The conservation value of these types of programs is negligent and would only ethically be used in extremely rare cases

Guidelines for touching or movement restriction

When wild animals are restricted for conservation purposes we follow the guidelines of Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA), approved by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Animal welfare guidelines

We ensure that the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare are followed. These include the freedom to express normal behaviour and freedom from distress, discomfort, hunger, thirst, fear, pain, injury or disease.

Local community empowerment

We ensure that conservation efforts are also always locally led, that community needs are front-and centre of any conservation effort and that our participants, projects and partners work to increase local community engagement in local conservation efforts.

Learn more
No veterinary programs

We don’t offer any veterinary programs or animal rescue and rehabilitation programs. We don’t allow participants to do any work they would not be able to do in their home country.

Learn more

Training

A GVI program is an investment in your career. No matter which you choose, you will be working toward improving your employability by mastering new social skills, gaining further technical expertise and earning qualifications in many cases. Most of our staff are, in fact, GVI Alumni, and we have helped many of our Alumni discover, move toward, and earn their own personal dream jobs. Each program includes introductory workshops, ongoing presentations, as well as on-the-ground professional support provided by our very own trained staff members. In addition, our training programs are critical for helping us to ensure the long-term impact of our sustainable development projects around the world.

For all GVI participants

Orientation: Your Health, Safety and Wellbeing

Learn about COVID-19 pre-departure guidelines, base expectations, personal and area hygiene practices and what we are doing to keep you safe.

Orientation: Travelling Responsibly and Ethically

Learn about the importance of child and vulnerable adult protection best practices and how to apply them while on project.

Orientation: UN Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction to the history and evolution of sustainable development, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and how these related to your project work.

Orientation: Further Opportunities for Impact

Learn about our country locations and further opportunities available to you during or after your program.

For all participants at Curieuse

Community: Human Empowerment

Learn about our empowerment principles.

Conservation: Survey Techniques and Logistics

An introduction to different survey techniques and best practice guidelines for surveys; introduction to different types of data and how to record information via a datasheet.

Conservation: Biodiversity & Target Species Identification

Learn about biodiversity and how biodiversity is measured, and classifying different species and how to identify species that indicate the health of the habitat.

Marine Conservation: Pollution and Plastics

Learn about issues with plastic and measures that can be taken to help reduce plastic consumption.

Marine Conservation: Coral Reefs

Learn about what a coral reef is, its importance, how it is formed, how this ecosystem works.

Invasive Species Eradication

Learn about how species like cinnamon, cocoplum, and rats cause damage to island flora and fauna and what is being done to remove these species.

Baited Remote Underwater Video Surveys (seasonal)

Participants are shown how to correctly set up a Baited Remote Underwater Video Surveys (BRUVs) with rigging, bait, camera, etc. Correct handling techniques are also taught for safe deployments and retrievals of the frames, and participants may be trained in fish identification to assist with video analysis. Please note that this is a seasonal activity, so participation depends on the time of year and need for this data.

Beach Profiling

Record the rate of coastal erosion with our beach profiling surveys.

Sicklefin Lemon Shark Monitoring

Help us track down sicklefin lemon shark pups for our catch-and-release project, gathering population and growth rate information on this understudied species.

Tortoise Population Census

Assist in our annual census of the island’s Aldabra Giant tortoise population and keep tabs on the growth rates of hatchlings and juvenile tortoises in the nursery

Mangrove Mapping (seasonal)

Investigating seedling recruitment and mortality, and further determining species distribution across the mangrove forests. Please note that this is a seasonal activity, so participation depends on the time of year and need for this data.

Sea Turtle Beach Surveys

To study nesting success in Hawksbill and Green turtles, collect data such as tag numbers, carapace (shell) measurements and the number of eggs laid or carry out nest excavations to measure hatching success.

Plastic presentation

A presentation highlighting the issue with plastic and measures that can be taken to help reduce plastic consumption.

Science presentations

Participants receive presentations detailing each of our projects. These presentations include background information, Curieuse-specific information, methodologies, the importance of data collection, future plans, etc.

Boat and snorkelling orientation

Detailed lessons on the boat procedures, including knot tying, entry and exit procedures, emergency plans.

Coconut husking lesson