Assistant in a Giant Tortoise Breeding Center

location
2 - 12 weeks  ·  Alder 18 - 50+

rating  Brilliant 4.7  · 
  Verificeret af Volunteer World
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Højdepunkter

  • Work eye-to-eye with endangered Galapagos Tortoises by becoming a member of the research and zookeeping staff.
  • During nesting season, control of nesting areas and transfer of eggs to articial incubators.
  • Work directly with the public to educate tourists about giant tortoises.
  • Assist in necessary corrective and preventative maintenance to the facilities of the Breeding Center and surrounding areas.
  • Spend 2-12 weeks living and volunteering in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador.


Særligt velegnet til

Alder 18+
Singler
Par
Grupper
50+

Om programmet

Work with national park staff in tortoise care, from new babies to adults. Work with public education of visitors to the Breeding Center.

Role Overview

Since the discovery of the Galapagos Islands, giant tortoises have been exploited by almost every group of people who have visited (whalers, pirates, and scientists), as well as the people who live there.  Between 100,000 to 200,000 giant tortoises were removed and killed in two ...

Om programmet

Role Overview

Since the discovery of the Galapagos Islands, giant tortoises have been exploited by almost every group of people who have visited (whalers, pirates, and scientists), as well as the people who live there.  Between 100,000 to 200,000 giant tortoises were removed and killed in two centuries.  From hunting, to habitat alteration, to the current biggest threat - the introduction of animals now acting as predators and competitors, the giant tortoise population was almost wiped out on Isabela Island.  The Giant Tortoise Breeding Center was started in 1990 in attempts to recuperate the giant tortoise population through its program of breeding, care, and reintroduction to the wild, as well as through education programs for tourists and local people.  These reptiles, emblematic of the Galapagos, are imperative to the unique Galapagos ecosystem.  The Breeding Center depends on volunteers to work with caretakers, experts, and educators to repopulate this species.

As the Galapagos Tortoise Center conservation volunteer, you will work with staff the Galapagos National Park at the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center on Isabela Island. You will work primarily outdoors in the shaded tortoise enclosures.  This will include:

  • Feeding and caring for the tortoises, as well as maintaining their enclosure.
  • Assisting the zoo keepers.
  • Working directly with the public to educate tourists about giant tortoises and to also inform them of the rules and regulations designed to keep the tortoises safe and the habitats intact. 
  • Building New, and Improving Existing, Infrastructure: renovating a classroom for program use, maintaining, and painting the center.

  • Providing Education: local schools participate in field trips to the center, instilling stewardship for the environment in the nearly 600 K-12 children who attend school on the island; creating a junior park ranger program that promotes scientific learning while promoting a sense of ecological agency and care among young people.

Requirements:

  • Basic to intermediate level of Spanish.
  • A genuine passion for animal conservation.
  • An ability to openly communicate rules and regulations to tourists as well as follow instructions. 
  • Ability to work independently as well as in a team.
  • Flexible schedule that accounts for the day to day needs of working with a local institution.
  • Physical ability to work outdoors with potentially high sun, element, and temperature exposure.
  • All equipment is provided, but make sure to bring closed-toed shoes and clothes you can get dirty
**Wasps are attracted to the plants that you will prep and feed to the giant tortoises. Those with a severe wasp allergy should reconsider this project.

Accommodation 

Accommodation is provided by one of our carefully selected host families or in our volunteer housing. In both types of housing, volunteers have their own room, a fan, bed, desk, dresser, and bathroom, as well as warm water and drinking water.  In our volunteer housing, breakfast is not included, but you have access to our fully equipped kitchen facilities to cover your needs. Lunch and dinner is provided at your choice of various restaurants in town, which are usually open-air seating with local cuisine. You simply sign for your meal and we’ll pick up the bill at the end of the month. 

Our host families have experience with outside culture and international living and provide an amazing immersion experience. All host family houses are nearby the IOI offices and the local schools in the beach town of Puerto Villamil. Homes are fairly simple, clean, and welcoming. You will have breakfast and dinner with your family. Lunch is at the above mentioned restaurants.  

We at IOI pair you with your host family, and we are available at any time to help if any issues arrive with  the restaurants, your host family, the volunteer site, if you get sick and need to visit the doctor, etc.

Participation Fee

The program fee is necessary to cover your cost of living and logistics. Our overhead is covered by other means so 100% of any funds that exceed your direct cost will go towards the project you participated in.

To book you need to pay a Reservation Deposit.
That deposit WILL BE DEDUCTED from your program fee.

What’s Included          

Cost includes food, full room and board, permits, Transient visa, local coordination and training at respective facility, local transport, full access to our facilities, etc.—everything minus personal expenses, travel insurance, and your airfare to Galápagos.



Typisk dag

Schedule

Schedules are based on a 25 hr/week commitment, and can voluntarily be extended to a regular 40hr/work week. Typically Monday-Friday 7:30AM-12:30PM.  May be subject to change depending on the tasks at hand.

After breakfast with your homestay family or in our volunteer housing, you will start ...

Typisk dag

Schedule

Schedules are based on a 25 hr/week commitment, and can voluntarily be extended to a regular 40hr/work week. Typically Monday-Friday 7:30AM-12:30PM.  May be subject to change depending on the tasks at hand.

After breakfast with your homestay family or in our volunteer housing, you will start the morning at 7:30, cleaning the tortoise enclosures and feeding the many tortoises at the center.  Work directly with park staff to learn about tortoise care, help in the incubation and hatching center, and interface with visitors to the center.  

You will finish work around 12:30 and may have lunch in one of the restaurants we partner with - you choose where you want to go, sign in, and at the end of the month, we pick up the tab.  Enjoy local cuisine and spend the afternoon exploring, adventuring or relaxing on the beach. There are always things to do in the afternoon and evening, from playing volleyball or soccer, to learning to cook local recipes with your host family (if you choose to stay with one), to watching the sunset from the beach.  



Fritidsaktiviteter

In Galapagos you can live a Pacific Island life. This means you can choose between a lot of free time activities including surfing, soccer, beach volley, etc.

Fritidsaktiviteter

In Galapagos you can live a Pacific Island life. This means you can choose between a lot of free time activities including surfing, soccer, beach volley, etc.


Krav

Krav

Minimumsalder: 18 år

For at kunne deltage i programmet skal du være mindst 18 år gammel på programmets startdato. Der kan være undtagelser, hvis du kan give tilladelse fra din(e) værge(r), eller hvis du ledsages af dine forældre.

Sprogfærdigheder

Du skal kunne tale Engelsk (intermediate level) eller Spansk (basic level)

Nationalitetsrestriktioner

Ingen begrænsninger. Hjælpende hænder fra hele verden er velkomne.

Andre færdigheder

Requirements: - Basic to intermediate level of Spanish. - A genuine passion for animal conservation. - An ability to openly communicate rules and regulations to tourists as well as follow instructions. - Ability to work independently as well as in a team. - Flexible schedule that accounts for the day to day needs of working with a local institution. Physical ability to work outdoors with potentially high sun, element, and temperature exposure.

Tidsforpligtelse

Der er brug for din hjælpende hånd Mandag, Tirsdag, Onsdag, Torsdag og Fredag fra 07:30 - 12:30

Hvad er inkluderet

Hvad er inkluderet

Tjenester af IOI - Empowering Galapagos

Cost includes food, full room and board, permits, Transient visa, local coordination and training at respective facility, local transport, full access to our facilities, etc. — everything with the exception of personal expenses, travel insurance, the $20 USD Tourist Transit Card, and your airfare to the Galápagos.

The program fee is necessary to cover your cost of living and logistics. Our overhead is covered by other means so 100% of any funds that exceed your direct cost will go towards the projects on the ground.

Indkvartering

Accommodation is provided by one of our carefully selected host families or in our volunteer housing. All our rooms have a private Bathroom, warm water, a fan, a bed, and a desk/dresser. Many of the host family housing include A/C. 

Mad og drikkevarer

In our volunteer housing, breakfast is not included, but you have access to our fully equipped kitchen facilities to cover your needs. Lunch and dinner is provided at your choice of various restaurants in town. You simply sign for your meal and we’ll pick up the bill at the end of the month. 

Our host families have experience with outside culture and international living and provide an amazing immersion experience. You will have breakfast and dinner with your family. Lunch is at the above mentioned restaurants.

Internetadgang

God adgang til projektområdet

Hvad er IKKE inkluderet?

Hvad er IKKE inkluderet?

Afhentning i lufthavnen i Baltra Airport

Afhentning i lufthavnen er heller ikke inkluderet i programgebyret.

Flybilletter

Den nærmeste lufthavn er Baltra Airport (GPS) i Galapagos Islands. Vi hjælper dig med at finde billige flybilletter til Ecuador. FINDE BILLIGE FLYBILLETTER

Rejseforsikring

At rejse til udlandet er et eventyr, og det er altid bedst at være forberedt. Pludselig sygdom eller skade, aflysning eller tyveri - en rejseforsikring til Ecuador giver sikkerhed og er en fordel at have. FÅ ET TILBUD

Vacciner

Hvis du har til hensigt at blive frivillig i Ecuador, bør du søge lægehjælp, før du begynder din sociale rejse. Tjek dine krævede vaccinationer for Ecuador. VACCINE CHECKER

Oplysninger ved ankomst

Arrivals are on Mondays and departures are on Saturdays or Sundays. Project staff will pick you up and drop you off on these days. Please ensure this works with your travel plans.

Tilgængelighed
Jan. Febr. Marts April Maj Jun Jul Aug. Sept. Okt. Nov. Dec.

Programgebyrer

2 uger (min. ophold) 1.789€
3 uger 2.336€
4 uger 2.883€
5 uger 3.430€
6 uger 3.977€
7 uger 4.523€
12 uger (max. ophold) 7.257€
Gennemsnitligt gebyr 750€/uge

Programgebyrer

750€ pr. uge 2 - 12 weeks Alder 18 - 50+

Betalingsmetoder

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

INGEN KREDITKORTGEBYRER


Duration

2 - 12 weeks

Deposit

Depositummet er blot for at reservere din plads som frivillig. Betalinger håndteres af PayPal, vores betroede globale betalingsudbyder. Hvis du ikke har en PayPal-konto, kan du også betale med et kreditkort.


Final Payment

Din endelige betaling vil blive aftalt med IOI - Empowering Galapagos under ansøgningsprocessen. Almindelige løsninger er enten via bankoverførsel eller kontant betaling på projektstedet.


Mød din vært

IOI - Empowering Galapagos

Brilliant 4.7 rating (37 feltrapporter)

Non-profit - grundlagt i 2006

Verificeret af Volunteer World

  Meget høj Svarrate

Vært er

Monique

Spoken languages: Engelsk, Spansk

Om projektet

We empower isolated communities to grow in a sustainable way. To that end, we run projects in Conservation, Education, and Social Development.

Mød din vært

Who we are
IOI is a non-profit organization that designs educational adventures to empower isolated communities to grow in a sustainable way. We strive to help establish ecological sustainability and social stability in our host communities. As such, our mission is to provide international education programs that support the education, conservation, and social development of isolated communities by assisting local institutions in sustainably handling the human-environmental intersection. 


What we do

  • We develop and implement our outreach projects with local institutions to ensure their sustainable implementation. Our projects address pressing conservation, education, and social development needs. Our partners include the Galapagos National Park, the Biodiversity Protection Agency, the local school system, and the provincial government.
  • We provide volunteer opportunities in conservation, education, and social development, providing our participants with life changing experiences, and our local partners with funding, expertise, and (wo)man power on site.
  • We immersive study abroad programs in which students spend up to 3 months studying the local environment and learn the local culture. All our programs are based on cultural integration and service learning.

Where we work
We work in the community of Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island in
the Galapagos, Ecuador. Our 5k beach is right across the street and the Volcano Sierra Negra is basically in our backyard. From Marine to Mountain, snorkeling to camping, nature is at our doorstep!

Our history
Since embarking on our journey in 2006, IOI has evolved into a mature and recognized organization with an innovative design of merging educational travel with conservation and community development. We began in Galapagos and, after 10 years of experience, have expanded to Cuba and Costa Rica.

Vision and Mission
We Empower Isolated Communities to Grow in a Sustainable Way. It is our Vision to help establish ecological sustainability and social stability in our host communities.  Our mission is to provide international education programs that support the education, conservation, and social development of isolated communities by assisting local institutions in sustainably handling the human-environmental intersection.

Who are we looking for
We are looking for adventurous volunteers ready to travel to remote parts of the world to make an impact on conservation and education projects. Our volunteers should be flexible, understanding, and respectful of the local cultural context. Depending on the position, we ask that our volunteers are physically able to work outside, sometimes in extreme weather conditions (think the tropics!) and be able to work on a team and individually.

Why choose us..

  • It's a unique opportunity to gain insight and firsthand experience in the the world of hands-on conservation and environmental management
  • All of our locations are unique and have exceptional beauty and biodiversity.
  • Our sites are slow lane kinds of places. If you need a break, this is your ideal escape.
  • You will learn Spanish and immerse yourself in the community--you'll finish your time volunteering feeling like a local!

37 feltrapporter · rating4.7

I volunteered at the tortoise centre for 3 weeks in August and really enjoyed it. I stayed with a lovely local family who gave me an insight into life on Isabela island. The work at the tortoise centre was interesting but sometimes also exhausting like distributing the food in wheelbarrows or ...
I'd never recommend IOI to anyone. The host family were wonderful. Unless your in the university of Miami it's quite obvious all IOI only care about taking your money -------------- organization's reply------------------------ Hi Dennis, We are happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay with ...
I would recommend this volunteer experience because I found it to be extremely valuable to immerse myself and feel like I'm part of the town . Volunteering at the Center was very rewarding. Love to be able to give ...
I stayed 3weeks on Isabella volunteering in the tortoise centre. Volunteering and visiting the Galapagos Islands were both on my bucket list so not only a lifetime achievement for me but I'm happy to say I loved every minute of it. Mornings are spent at the tortoise centre - learning and working ...
Rosetta Justina Nardoianni rating5

2023 at Assistant in a Giant Tortoise Breeding Center

Very warm welcome from IOI Volunter. First day, city tour of Isabela Island where I was shown the different restaurants approved with IOI and where I could take my meals with a card with my name and photo. The meals were all delicious. First day of work described by the manager of the Breeding ...
My 3 weeks of this volunteer project were amazing. All the people are very kind. My family was amazing, they took me as a new familymember and they did great activities with me. Also the other volunteers, the people from IOI and from the breeding centre were very nice. I made a lot of unforgettable ...

Placering

Amerika > Sydamerika > Ecuador > Galapagos

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