Further Information
Volunteer with Turtles in Ghana

Below is an example of an average day on the project:

4.30 am - Wake up

Patrol the beach with Ghanaian Turtle Patrol partner until 6am. Complete the research record sheet during the patrol, recording any turtle nests you see and any tracks that are evidence that a turtle came up to nest that night. Observe and record any hatching baby turtles. Count the number of babies and help any stragglers reach the sea. Return to beach camp for breakfast.

8-9am - Write up

Spend time writing up the data you collected from the previous night and that morning’s patrol. Time to discuss observations and data collection with other turtle conservation volunteers.

9.30 am – Primary school visit

Walk into the village to visit one of the primary schools.

10-12.30 pm – Environmental education

Take a small group of children out of class for a turtle education lesson. For example, show the children pictures of different species of turtle found in Ghana and help them learn to identify the different types. Then get the children to do their own drawing of a turtle.

12.30 pm - Return to beach camp for lunch

2-6pm - Free time

Time for relaxing and socialising with other volunteers; playing games on the beach, swimming, reading or having a nap.

6-7pm - Dinner

After dinner there is time for resting or journal writing.

9pm-midnight – Turtle night patrol shift

Join your Ghanaian Turtle Patrol partner to walk the beach to search for nesting turtles. Take any tourists on a guided night walk, informing them about the turtles and turtle research you are doing. Complete the research monitoring forms, recording the number of turtles seen, the size, time etc and marking their location on a map of the beach.

Midnight - Return to beach camp for a well deserved sleep.