Over the last 12 years, volunteers have protected thousands of sea turtle nests and released hundreds of thousands of hatchlings back into the Pacific Ocean. Volunteers not only work with sea turtles, but with the funds generated through these programs help provide an income for local community members and serve to sustain PRETOMA’s various sea turtle conservation projects along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

As a future volunteer, your contributions will also build a sense of awareness among the local population regarding the importance and benefits that come from protecting these animals—the true definition of sustainable tourism. Participants become immersed in the conservation project and the local culture, and speaking Spanish, while helpful, is certainly not a necessity (though you’ll have plenty of opportunity to practice!).

To be a volunteer in one of our project we recommend a minimum age of 12 years. Under aged may participate in our program if they are accompanied by an adult or they can come ALONE if their parents or legal tutor fill out the under age form and send to voluntarios@pretoma.org or fax +(506) 236-6017 (we need the original form).We recommend a minimum stay of 2 weeks to really get to know the project and local community. Working in such a tight knit and unique situation, team members often forge strong bonds with one another, leading to friendships that last a lifetime! For the average volunteer, PRETOMA’s Participant Program offers a hands-on glimpse at real, on-the-ground, community-based conservation through stays of one week to five months.

Volunteer Tasks

A 3 hour nightly beach patrol searching for adult female nesting turtles. All patrols are done without the use of white light as this distracts the turtle, when working with the turtle red light is used which is why it is important to bring a head torch with a red light on it. (volunteers will always be accompanied by a trained member of the Pretoma staff)

• Data Register
• Egg Collection and relocation to project hatcheries
• Measuring and tagging of female nesting turtles.
• Monitoring of project hatcheries: Nest relocation and hatchling release after incubation period.
• Community Interaction (optional): English lesson at local school, environmental education, Art programs, local tours……..

Upon arrival to your project site the Pretoma project co-ordinator will explain all the work you will be assisting with during your stay and give you the appropriate training.

All the projects are open from 15th July until 15th December.  (Corozalito start for volunteers, 10th July).

Prices and payment

PRETOMA is a Costa Rican-registered non-profit organization. All funds generated are used to sustain PRETOMA’s various sea turtle nesting beach conservation projects. The following rates are per person and include food and lodging:

PRIVATE HOUSE in Playa Punta Banco:

• 1 week: 425$
• 2 weeks: 750$
• 3 weeks: 1050$

If you wish to stay for a longer period of time each additional week will cost $300.

Travel Assistance Program

If you would like, PRETOMA can handle all your travel and accommodations in Costa Rica such as your hotel for the first and last night in San Jose, airport pick-ups and deliveries, and tickets to and from your project site. When using our travel assistance, all flights should be booked to arrive and depart from Juan Santa Maria International Airport (SJO) in San Jose, Costa Rica. There are two options available:

Option A “Punta Banco, San Miguel and Corozalito by plane” includes:

• Airport pick-up
• 1st night accommodations in Hotel Rincón de San Jose
• Delivery to airport for flight
• Flight fare to and from San Jose to Golfito/San Miguel/Corozalito
• Pick-up and delivery to and from Project station
• Flight from Golfito/San Miguel/Corozalito to San Jose,
• Pick-up at San Jose airport and delivery to hotel
• Last night accommodations in Hotel Rincon de San Jose
• Delivery to airport on day of departure

Cost: US$590 per person

Option B “Punta Banco/San Miguel/Corozalito by bus” includes:

• Airport pick-up
• 1st night accommodations in Hotel Rincon de San Jose
• Delivery from hotel to bus station in San Jose for bus to Punta Banco/San Jose/Corozalito
• Bus fare to and from project site
• Pick-up at bus station upon return to San Jose from project and delivery to hotel
• Last night accommodations in Hotel Rincon de San Jose
• Delivery to airport on day of departure.

Cost: US$280 per person

Note: per person rates for the above options A and B are lower when traveling in a group.

Payment Methods

We accept personal checks, money orders, banker’s drafts and international bank wires (click link above for more information) as payment. You can also pay with cash or travelers cheques upon arrival, but unless we are picking you up at the airport you will need to make you way to our office in Tibás (northern San José) to drop off your payment. Please note that any checks, money orders or banker’s drafts should be received by PRETOMA no less than 6 weeks before your scheduled arrival, due to lengthy clearance times in Costa Rican banks.

• Personal Checks and Money Orders: You can send project participation payments or donations by means of a personal check or money order. Checks and money orders should be made out to “PRETOMA”, and mailed to: PRETOMA Apdo. 1203-1100, Tibás, Costa Rica Note: All checks must be in US Dollars.
• Bankers Draft: If you do not have a bank account with USD you can go to your bank and ask them to issue a banker’s draft in USD to PRETOMA. Bankers Drafts should also be sent to the address above. Note: There is usually a charge involved when banks issue a draft.
• Bank Wire Transfer Funds: Bank wires are much faster, but please be aware that you will need to include an additional $35 to cover the bank fees charged by each bank. To make a wire transfer, you can go to your local bank and provide the following information: TRANSFER FUNDS TO: Wachovia Bank, NA(New York International Branch), New York, NY, USA SWIFT: PNBPUS3NNYC ABA: 026005092 ACCOUNT BETWEEN BANKS: 2000192000042 BENEFICIARY BANK: Banco San José, S.A. San José, Costa Rica SWIFT Code: BSNJCRSJ BENEFICIARY NAME: Asoc. Programa Rest de Tortugas Marinas BENEFICIARY ACCOUNT NUMBER: 903254928 US$ Do not forget to put your full name in the details section!

Whichever form of payment you decide on, send us an email message (Sandra@pretoma.org) or FAX +(506) 236-6017, so we can keep an eye out and inform you when the transaction has been completed.

NOTE: Pretoma does not supply any insurance policy to volunteers. Each volunteer is responsible for obtaining their own personnel insurance before arriving in Costa Rica.

APPLY  NOW!!

Participants may chose a date between July 15th and December 15th, as this is the principal nesting season of the sea turtles. Projects open to participants include Punta Banco, Playa San Miguel and Corozalito.

Prospective participants simply need to fill out aParticipant Information Form 2011, and send it back via email to Sandra Viejobueno at voluntarios@pretoma.org in order to be placed within a project.