Volunteering at a Sea Turtle Conservation in Bali
In April, I spent my first two weeks in Indonesia on Nusa Penida with Green Lion Sea Turtle Conservation Project. Before going on my trip, I looked up ways to volunteer in each country I planned to visit. This is the one I was most excited about. Here’s why…
The Project:
So what does Green Lion Sea Turtle Conservation do? The center houses hundreds of turtles from birth until a few months of age. They provide a safe place, away from tourists and predators for the turtles to grow and gain strength before being released into the ocean, giving them a higher chance of survival. They care for sick and injured turtles as well. Sea turtles are an endangered species, so this area of work is important. Due to capacity restrictions, some turtles are released at earlier stages of life than others. The coordinators at the site, Ketut, Agus, and Gede truly care about the work they do. We recorded a podcast episode diving further into the mission and work, which will be released later this summer. Stay tuned
What we did:
When we went to the turtle center, we removed the turtles from their tanks and placed them in buckets to be fed/cleaned. During that time, we scrubbed the tanks, coral, and refilled the water. The turtles were brushed lightly with a wet toothbrush before being placed back in their tanks. This is done because in the wild, the constant movement of the ocean is enough to clean their shells. But in the tanks, the water is stagnant and a build-up of sand, waste, and algae weighs them down. This is why we clean both the tanks and their shells every day. No chemicals or soaps are used. Gloves and nets were used with the babies to maintain minimal contact with the turtles (though gloves were not always available and create a lot of waste.)
What a day at the project looks like:
7:00-9:00 Breakfast at the canteen
9:00-11:00 Work (Turtles or beach clean-up)
11:30-2:00 Lunch and free time
2:00-4:00 Work (Turtles or beach clean up)
5:00-7:00 Dinner at the canteen
We had a lot of free time to explore Nusa, relax by the pool, read a book, or work(me). Additionally, each volunteer is allowed one day off per week and one afternoon at Crystal Bay Beach. We all have weekends off to either travel to other parts of Bali or explore Nusa Penida’s greatest sites. It wasn’t as labor-intense as I was expecting, but it was great for the voluntraveler.
Turtle Release
Friday morning is turtle release day! I was so lucky to get to witness both a hatching day and release day in my time there. It was really special to see some of their first few moments of life at hatch, as well as the moment their life truly began at release.
On Release day, the turtles were transported to buckets and brought to a beach (varying beaches on the island). Agus performed a blessing with incense and flowers before we set them on the beach to watch them crawl their way to the sea.
Before leaving, everyone gives a speech at the bonfire on Thursday nights. Here was mine:
A few weeks ago, I was sitting for coffee with a new travel friend and we played a fun game.
She asked what my favorite color(s) were and to describe them. The words you use to describe them is how you see yourself.
She asked my favorite form of water and to describe it. That’s how you view love.
She asked my favorite animal and I said Sea turtle. Like the previous questions, she asked me to describe them.
What I knew then was that I just loved them and thought they were super cute. When I was living in Hawaii I saw them while snorkeling a lot. In Hawaiian, they’re called “honu” and are seen as a symbol of good luck and peace. It was always so sweet to see them. They just chill, they do no harm, they swim around and do their thing, they don’t seem to have too many enemies in the sea. I loved their energy and it made me happy to be around them.
What I know now is that they are so much more. They’re resilient. Every moment of their life they are beating the odds and going up against a challenge. From the moment they’re laid as eggs, they are at risk of predators digging them up and eating them. Then they hatch and have to dig for 3 days just to reach the surface. They then need to make it to shore over all the sand and shells and without being taken by a predator. Once they reach the ocean, they are tossed around by waves again and again until eventually they make it past that first break. They swim for days before they find something to eat and a safe place to rest. They are persistent.
They are alone in this big ocean to fend for themselves since their first day of life. No mama, no father, no friend. They are independent.
They have this big grand adventure around the world and never know exactly where they’re going or why. They just keep moving forward. They’re adventurous.
And after 20 years, they somehow know to make it back home to lay their babies in the same place they were born, which I think, is pretty special. They go and see the world, but they always find their way back home.
That friend told me the way you describe your favorite animal is how other people would describe you and I guess the more I learn about turtles, the more I hope that’s true.
Lastly, I want to say thank you all for being here this week. My fellow volunteers for showing up for something you care about, our kitchen and resort staff who make sure we are always fed and our rooms are always clean, and Our coordinators, Ketut, Agus, & Gede for making this a a place that is hard to leave.
As some of you know, I’m a writer. Just about a year ago I launched my own brand called Lila By Alexa Jo. Right now it’s a space to put my writing but I dream for it to grow to be so much more. A space for growing a community of likeminded people. I named it after a feeling I had over and over that I get in the moments that make life feel like it’s worth living.
I know it’s a word in German but I’m English it wasn’t yet, so I named it Lila. By definition it is “wholehearted contentedness upon the recognition that every happenstance in one’s life has led to this very moment, in this very place, with these very people.”
And I’ve had a lot “Lila” moments whilst here and I want to thank you all for being a part of that.
All love
I had no experience with turtles or marine conservation before this, but it was something I really wanted to learn more about. If there’s a topic you’re interested in or a social cause you’re passionate about, I encourage you to get involved. Find a way. Never stop learning and expanding. Check out my instagram for videos from the project!
