MRCI’s Sea Turtle Monitoring Program has been established to identify and develop Safe Turtle Breeding Zones in North Western Madagascar.  MRCI has successfully, with the support of the local community, implemented a “Safe Turtle Nesting Zone” on Nosy Komba Island. As part of this initiative, MRCI have employed security personnel to provide 24 hour monitoring of this nesting zone to ensure the safety of the turtles and their eggs.

MRCI volunteers will assist in identifying nesting areas by visiting remote beaches on islands surrounding the island of Nosy Be. This program gives volunteers the opportunity to get up close to these beautiful creatures whilst helping to ensure the health and survival of the species into future.

The Sea Turtle Monitoring Program runs during nesting season from October to March each year, when turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. The main objective and focus on our Sea Turtle Monitoring Program is to collect and record species, nesting and size related data for estimating population dynamics and nesting distributions in North Western Madagascar.

Currently large numbers of turtle eggs are being plundered on many of the remote beaches, and hatchlings and fully reproductive turtles are shockingly being harvested for the souvenir trade. Due to the already naturally low survival rate of turtle hatchlings, this is having devastating impacts on population numbers.

Identifying and implementing protection measures for these breading sites is paramount to safeguarding the species in this area. With the collaborative effort of our volunteers, who play a vitally important role in assisting to achieve our goals, MRCI will continue to strive to protect endangered sea turtle species in their natural habitat as well as to promote public awareness by further collaborating with local communities and national authorities.  Our primary goals are:

• to map and identify beaches used as nesting sites.
• to identify species diversity and numbers.
• to engage and establish a relationship with the local communities enabling us to include them in our conservation efforts.
• to monitor and remove plastic waste and other harmful products from the beaches.

Volunteers are met at the Nosy Be International airport upon arrival and, weather permitting, transferred via boat to MRCI’s Turtle Beach camp on Ampoagna.

Volunteers are given a tour of camp followed by an orientation and a health and safety briefing.

Volunteers are trained in species identification, equipment usage and data collection protocols to prepare them for the hands-on work to come. Volunteers will also receive information on our goals and how to best assist us in achieving them.

Once training has been completed, volunteers are placed in the field. Volunteers are divided into groups and, accompanied by a MRCI staff member, are dropped by boat at various locations of interest to conduct the survey work.

Two species of turtle are monitored; the critically endangered Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and the endangered Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas).

Sadly, population numbers of both species are in decline with harvesting of eggs, hatchlings and adults being the primary threat. Hawksbill turtle numbers have fallen by as much as 80% in the last 10 years, and the annual number of nesting female Green Sea Turtle species has declined by up to 67% over the last 3 generations. This has left both species at high risk of extinction if nothing is done to safeguard their future.

The Green Sea turtle is the most widespread and well-known species in tropical and sub-tropical waters. They are the largest of the hard-shell turtle species and can grow up to 120cm in shell length and can weigh over 136kg. The name Green Sea Turtle derives from the colour of their fat, rather than the colour of their shell. The colour of their shells can range from a yellow/green to a reddish/brown to sometimes almost black.

Hawksbills Sea Turtle species are also found in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Adult Hawksbill Sea Turtles can grow to 90cm in shell length and can weigh up to 91kg. The Hawksbill Sea Turtle is named for its pointed, sharp bird-like beak. The shell of the Hawksbill Sea Turtle has a “tortoise shell” colour that ranges from dark to golden brown, with streaks of orange, yellow, brown and black. This is the only sea turtle that has overlapping scutes on the top shell (similar to roof shingles).

The basic volunteer beach patrol protocol when a turtle is found is:

• Species is identified
• Carapace is measured
• Flippers are checked for calluses or notches (these indicate that the turtle has been previously tagged)
• Photographs are taken
• GPS location point is recorded

Volunteers spend their final few days back at MRCI’s Turtle Cove base camp completing data entries and debriefing.

START DATES
All year round	Every First Monday of the Month

PROGRAM COSTS
Volunteer Turtle Monitoring
1 WEEK	$680.00
2 WEEKS	$ 930.00
3 WEEKS	$ 1,180.00
4 WEEKS	$ 1,430.00
5 WEEKS	$ 1,680.00
6 WEEKS	$ 1,930.00
7 WEEKS	$ 2,180.00
8 WEEKS	$ 2,430.00
9 WEEKS	$ 2,680.00
10 WEEKS	$ 2,930.00
11 WEEKS	$ 3,180.00
12 WEEKS	$ 3,430.00

 Contact us to join our Sea Turtle Monitoring program today!

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Madagascar Research and Conservation Institute’s Community Development Program consistently strives to improve the lives and living conditions of the people in our communities.  We achieve this by maintaining existing community infrastructures and building much needed new facilities.

Each project undertaken by MRCI is carefully planned and sanction by the community leaders. The key focus of each project is the development of infrastructures where the entire community benefit as a whole. Running water and sanitation issues are addressed as well as educational facilities which afford students the opportunity to receive an education in a functional classroom environment.

The absence of roads and motorised vehicles on Nosy Komba means that the local inhabitants face the daily challenge of crossing near impassable terrain to reach other nearby villages. Rainy season makes many of these routes even more difficult to negotiate.  We assist communities by identifying these areas and building pathways and bridges to make these precarious routes easier to navigate. This also allows tourists to access these villages and we are currently devising a strategy to assist the community to attract more tourists.

Once the projects have been identified and approved by MRCI and the community leaders, work begins with MRCI sponsoring a portion of the funds required.  Volunteers assist not only with the physical labour required to complete the projects, but also with initiating additional fundraising campaigns.  These fundraising efforts are invaluable, without which we would not be able to achieve our goals. A seemingly small contribution can make a noteworthy difference.

All our building materials are locally sourced and purchased from local suppliers. Volunteers work alongside the community members using traditional building methods.  A healthy positive attitude is all that is require to participate in this program and is needed to overcome the many challenges faced in developing these communities.  The reward is in knowing that you have made a significant impact in a community that will embrace you as one of their own.

Assisting communities through building and construction will lay a foundation that will encourage the local community to continue with your efforts after your volunteer work abroad has come to an end.

Madagascar is currently among the 10 poorest countries in the world. Join MRCI’s Community Development program and make a real difference.

START DATES
All year round	Every First and Third Monday of the Month

PROGRAM COSTS
Volunteer Community Development
1 WEEK	$680.00
2 WEEKS	$ 930.00
3 WEEKS	$ 1,180.00
4 WEEKS	$ 1,430.00
5 WEEKS	$ 1,680.00
6 WEEKS	$ 1,930.00
7 WEEKS	$ 2,180.00
8 WEEKS	$ 2,430.00
9 WEEKS	$ 2,680.00
10 WEEKS	$ 2,930.00
11 WEEKS	$ 3,180.00
12 WEEKS	$ 3,430.00

Click here to read more about our current

Community Development projects

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