To ensure that our migratory population of turtles is able to continue using the island as a breeding ground for generations to come, we need guardians to stop the poaching activities on Lang Tengah. Our operation can only function if we have a dedicated team of individuals willing to partake in our conservation practices, including our new marine research projects.
Volunteers are an essential part of our operation—in fact, we can’t do without them. By engaging in activities such as night time beach patrols, egg collection, and nest monitoring, volunteers enable us to help save the turtles and collate our scientific data throughout the season.
This is the main reason for joining our project. However, watching a turtle lay her eggs or hatchlings scamper down to the water’s edge—sights rarely seen by most—are priceless experiences and a real privilege to witness.
In the 2019 season, we undertook pioneering surveys of the reefs fringing the island, analyzing the diversity and populations of corals, fish, and invertebrates that inhabit these waters. Although our operations were slightly disrupted due to the pandemic in 2020, we slowly resumed in-water conservation work in 2021.
Those looking to volunteer should be relatively fit, able to swim, and acquainted with the rigours of outdoor living. If you’re up for the adventure, get in touch!
Note: Local volunteers refers to Malaysian citizens
Volunteers are given a rotating schedule to ensure everyone gets the full PULIHARA experience! Typically, after breakfast, we conduct nest inspections to make sure that the eggs are developing well and haven’t succumbed to predator attacks. Depending on which research phase you are joining, you will also be split into groups to undertake the affiliated surveys. Lunch is then followed by free time (or surveys, if they were missed in the morning), which can range from jungle trekking to secluded snorkelling spots around the island, but volunteers are equally free to laze on Turtle Bay and enjoy the serenity.
The main aspect of the volunteer’s responsibilities is to assist in nightly patrols along the beaches in search of nesting mothers. This is divided into shifts between the hours of 8pm to 7am.
Stripped-back and open-air, the research station lies slightly recessed behind the secluded beach on Turtle Bay. Think rustic, jungle living; bucket-showers, camp fires, and the lullabies of crickets, frogs, and waves.
You run the research station, making sure there’s enough water to drink and food to eat, while still leaving yourself time to relax and explore the island. Powered by the sun and the forest, our environmental impact is kept to a minimum. So, when preparing for your trip, think biodegradable—for everything you are going to use.
Meals are simple but tasty—and, with the constant arrival of new faces, the menu is forever changing.
This 3 months Internship programme will provide interns with meaningful and valuable learning experience. Interns would be trained on various aspects of conservation work which include hands-on field work, social media strategy, and development, awareness outreach, fundraising, and marketing. You will be working alongside our dedicated and passionate team of conservationists who will be sharing with you their rich knowledge and experience.
The internship fee will cover food and lodging and an enjoyable fantastic experience at our turtle nesting project sites. If you are an experienced diver, you may also help us with our coral rehabilitation work and underwater clean-ups at Pulau Lang Tengah, where your dive costs are also covered.
