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Your trip at a glance

Highlights

  • Engage with and support local and inter­na­tional experts in the field of sea turtle conser­va­tion
  • Learn hands-on research and analysis skills from conser­va­tion special­ists
  • Encourage community awareness of the threat­ened logger­head and green turtles
  • Experi­ence a night under the stars protecting turtle nests
  • Contribute to a growing body of research helping to save the logger­head from extinc­tion

Locations

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Kefalonia

Plan your trip

  • Included in the programme fee
    • Assistance with travel arrangements
    • Assistance with selecting travel insurance
    • Assistance with booking flights
    • Placement in the programme
    • Risk coverage certificate
Meghan

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Meghan, your travel expert for Greece

Don't hesitate to contact me if you would like to learn more about this journey! I answer all of your questions and assist you before, during and after your adventure abroad.

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Train and work in threatened species conservation in Greece

Work alongside those who have dedicated their life’s work to the study and conservation of the loggerhead and green sea turtles. The research you conduct both promotes community awareness as well as contributes to a growing body of knowledge, helping to understand and better protect this threatened species.

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Arrival and orien­ta­tion on Kefalonia island

You will either arrive at the Kefalonia airport (EFL) and be picked up by our project partner and taken to the project site, or you will arrive at the Athens International Airport (ATH) and take a bus direct to Argostoli or Lixouri bus stations where our project partner will pick you up. Projects in Argostoli always begin on a Sunday, and projects in Lixouri always start on a Tuesday. To facilitate an easy pick-up, volunteers are asked to arrive at the pick-up spot before 16:00.

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Activ­i­ties in the sea turtle conser­va­tion project

Your time on Kefalonia island will be spent participating in various hands-on activities dedicated to the conservation of sea turtles and their habitat, all while contributing to fundamental research and gaining life-long skills. Tasks vary depending on the time of year, as the focuses shift from mating season (April – mid-May) to nesting season (mid-May - late July) to hatching season (late July - late October).

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Tasks include sunrise beach patrols to inspect the beaches for turtle nests and fresh turtle tracks, and beach patrols in the night in the hopes of witnessing and recording data on the adult turtles coming to land to nest. These nests will continue to be monitored, and upon hatching, volunteers play an integral role in assuring that the baby turtles make it safely to the sea.

Beach clean-ups, sea turtle tagging (specifically in Argostoli in April, May and October), rescuing of injured sea turtles, monitoring of beach light pollution, turtle behavioural research, drone surveys, harbour monitoring and plastic pollution assessment are other tasks which are essential to the conservation and protection of Kefalonia’s sea turtle population.

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Two sites: Lixouri and Argostoli

This project has two distinct research centres: one in Lixouri and one in Argostoli. Lixouri field station (aka volunteer accommodation) is a 5-8 km bike ride across hilly terrain from the beaches you will be working on each day but is centrally located in the town. Argostoli’s field station is closer to the nesting sites (1-5 km away), but it is ~7 km from the town centre. Regardless of the project location, you should be comfortable with riding a bike every day, sometimes in rather hot weather, as this is your primary form of transportation.

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Volunteer Accom­mo­da­tion

In both project sites, you will be sharing accommodation with other international volunteers. Our project partner tries to ensure rooms are gender specific. Rooms are dorm-like, with two bunk beds (4 beds) and a kitchenette. You will be responsible for purchasing and preparing all your meals. Lixouri-based volunteers have more opportunities to eat out, considering their proximity to the town centre, whereas Argostoli volunteers will rely primarily on groceries. Both accommodations have a laundry machine (for a €3 fee) and a shared bathroom with solar-heated water, a sink, shower and toilet.

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Leisure time as a volunteer in Greece

You will have some free time to explore the beautiful island of Kefalonia, visit historical sites, relax on the beach, or explore quaint towns and get a feel for the local culture. For each week of your stay, you will have one to two days off. Your exact schedule will be made available to you at the start of the week, so you can plan how you would like to use your free time.

Our project partner likes to organise optional weekly social activities as a way for volunteers to get to know one another and relax in a fun environment. Some activities might include a BBQ night, communal pizza night, smores around the fire or a volleyball tournament.

FAQ – Learn more about this trip



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  • reiseort-asos-kefalonia-griechenland-meeresschildkroeten-natucate
    1. Kefalonia

    The Greek island of Kefalonia is a sea turtle paradise at the exit of the Gulf of Patras. The predominantly mountainous island, with altitudes of up to 1,628 m, lies west of the Greek mainland in the Ionian Sea and makes the heart of hiking enthusiasts beat faster. Argostoli, the idyllic island capital, sits on a hill overlooking a small harbour. The underground lake Melissani, charming villages and extensive vineyards provide a stunning setting. The typical rugged, dry landscape is complemented by limestone cliffs along the coast and hidden bays with white sand and pebble beaches. Along the southwest coast, most of the sandy beaches are nesting sites for sea turtles.

    Learn more

Background of the sea turtle conser­va­tion programme in Greece

Throughout the world, there are seven species of sea turtles. Six of these seven species are classified as “endangered” or “vulnerable”. There are various reasons for this: many are victims of by-catch in fishing, others lose their eggs to poachers, and increasingly, as global temperatures rise, a mismatch of the sexes occurs, resulting in more female young than male.

Although both the loggerhead sea turtle and the green sea turtle can be seen in Greek waters, only the loggerhead sea turtle comes ashore to lay its nests on the beaches. Loggerheads face the risk of extinction, and although they are protected by Greek and European law, there is still much more work to be done. Our partner is committed to protecting these long-distance swimmers and their natural habitat. Passionate volunteers who join us will have the unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience and raise public awareness of this keystone species.

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