Volunteer Activities

Patrols are undertaken each night at varying hours and at early morning. The beach currently covered in this way amounts to 4-5kms. The patrols serve several functions:

· Search for nesting activity

· Search for any evidence of nests hatching

· Check nests already laid

· Search for any turtle strandings, whether sick or dead.

· Look out for illegal fishing activities within the marine park.

Individuals are not expected to conduct these patrols on their own. A community member undertakes most of these patrols and can be assisted by volunteers.

Occasionally turtles lay their eggs in unsuitable places, such as where they might be flooded by high spring tides. In such cases the nest is excavated, and the eggs are carefully moved and re-buried. This is hard work, as care has to be taken to make sure that each egg is lifted, transported and re-buried without rotating it.
When the nest is in a safe place the nest is left to hatch naturally, but after it hatches it is excavated to see what proportion of eggs have hatched successfully.

Releasing turtles is a popular activity with volunteers, but it should be realised that we can not determine where or when one will be caught so volunteers should be willing to work irregular hours. Help with this work and the related driving is important to the project, so drivers please bring your driving licence.

Light surveys

Once a month a light survey is undertaken to evaluate the impact of disturbing lighting on the nesting habitat.

We map turtle nest sites, but also want to map a range of other sites including fish landing sites, turtle foraging sits, turtle capture points etc...

Transect surveys within the lagoon spotting turtles. This can be done with snorkelling equipment at different times and locations to build up a picture of turtle populations and movements.

Depending on future boat availability, volunteers can assist in a creek survey, mapping out the basic geographical features, performing turtle counts and researching fishing activities in the creek. Persons with experience in biology and geography field research would be most able to assist here.

Again depending on future boat availability, we have plans for this research on net release turtles.

We have heard several reports of tourists being approached and offered turtle shell and meat for sale, as well as cowrie shells in both the town area and on the beaches to the north of the town. We need people to play the interested tourist and find out: who, where and how much? We do not expect any volunteers to take any personal risks and this work would be carefully guided.

A good understanding in this is important to the development of effective conservation programmes.

CERS = Coast Environment Research Station. Reviewing documents to find out basic info on:

· How are the fisheries organised by the government?

· How many fishermen are there?

· Catch size, composition etc?

· The relative importance of subsistence consumption vs commercial sales?

· What is the relationship between the industrial and the artisanal sector?

· How is fish processed?

· How many people involved? etc..

In the pipeline.

This is planned in 2003 dependent on funding, to evaluate basic status.

We are looking for someone to research the riparian strip, identifying flora and fauna species. There is a resident naturalist who could provide training in species identification. Persons with experience in biology and geography field research would be most able to assist here.

Are you artistic? Producing and distributing conservation related signs in Park & Reserve areas is an ongoing activity.

Displays in this Centre will be periodically changing and we would love your input, especially artists. The Centre will also need volunteer help in guiding visitors.

These are a means to both educate the public and raise funds for the project. We have designed our own slide show.

WTW undertakes a vigorous education campaign in the local area. The education team requires assistance in further developing and implementing this programme. Artists, writers, dramatists and teachers could make contributions here. Examples of some areas of work include:

· Design school and fishing community education talk topics & activities (eg. using drama, art, song and games) in subject matter concerning marine environment and turtle conservation

· Design educational poster display boards for hotels, public meeting places etc.

· Plan marine conservation awareness events

· Design educational booklets, info leaflets and newsletters.

· Assist in carrying out educational workshops and activities

· Development of a conservation puppet show for schools

The infrastructure in Kenya is very under developed. People are not given any help or education with regards to waste disposal or useage. We feel that a recycling project would not only help to tidy up our area and engender respect, but also give people employment. All done in the name of the Watamu Turtle Watch, which we hope would send out positive conservation vibes. We need ideas!

Sport is not exploited or supported at the coast. Sport brings people together, encourages team spirit. In co-operation with one local young man we recently started one local football and netball team associated to conservation, but this project needs further development.

Developing ideas for fishing community members to generate alternative incomes to unsustainable marine resource exploitation and so reduce pressures on the environment and its species. We have started one very small local crafts activity, but want to expand this type of work. Volunteers with initiative and experience in community development work, or just an entrepreneurial attitude to life, could be of assistance in this area.

For example developing and promoting the WTW adoption and membership schemes, fundraising events, links with international schools, local craft designs etc....

Such as:

- Upgrading the WTW website

· Developing an index system for our literature so that it may be accessible to interested parties.

- Inputting and analysing turtle research data on the computer.

We want to build a communication network with local and international schools, clubs and even businesses....tour operators for example. They might learn something from us and visa versa. For schools it is to do with getting the message across in a fun but serious way. We would hope that it might encourage schools to use this incredibly bio-diverse area for field trips. This is also a very good vehicle for fundraising.

We need people who can help us with translations into Italian, German, Spanish and French.