People who want to make a difference and help with turtle conservation in the paradise islands of Perhentian.

Turtle and Reef Malaysia

Volunteer your time protecting highly endangered sea turtles whilst learning about the coral reef ecosystem and helping to survey our house reef with the Great Marine Project. A fun filled meaningful experience on the idyllic tropical islands on East Coast Malaysia. Work as a team of friends and volunteers alongside our turtle conservationists and be at one with authentic island life.

Turtles in Malaysia

All of the turtle populations in Malaysia have been reduced by more than 80% in the last fifty years. Up to the 1970’s Malaysia was home to the largest nesting colony of Leatherback turtles in the world. However since 2005 only a handful of Leatherback Turtles have nested in Malaysia and are on the verge of becoming locally extinct and this has happened in just 30 years. The other species of turtle in Malaysia including Olive Ridley, Hawksbill and Green have suffered no less a dramatic population decline. Time is running out for these charismatic creatures but the decline can be reversed and with your help we can protect the nesting turtles and their eggs and take one beach at a time - this is how the turtles can be saved.

The main reason behind the turtle population declines in Malaysia is the local custom of eating turtle eggs. If the turtles of Malaysia are to be saved this culture needs to be changed. A hard task I hear you say but through our educational program at the local primary school, volunteers on the 4 week program help with this, we are starting to make a difference. Last year we ran a similar school program on another island and after just three visits we heard the children telling off their elders for discarding fishing line into the sea as it will kill the turtles. Our 4 week volunteers play their part in starting a turtle army of young children who will be in charge when the hatchlings we release come back to nest in 25 years.

Volunteer activities

During volunteering on the Turtle and Reef program on the idyllic island of Perhentian Besar, on the East Coast of Malaysia, you will have the opportunity to watch turtles in their natural nesting environment and with the help of GMP staff, educate tourists about turtles during this humbling experience.

The eco-resort you will be staying at has its own exclusive beach which is about 200m long and most nights turtles can be found nesting on the beach. Previously each evening and morning poachers would come along and collect all of the turtle eggs laid on the beach that night. The poachers would sell the eggs in the local markets, with the help of the volunteers the turtle nests have since been protected and in 2008 no nests where poached because of our volunteers.

Each month our offshore coral reefs need monitoring and you will take part in our unique coral reef survey via snorkeling, as your understanding of the reef ecosystem increases your marine experience will be enhanced and life above the sea will seem oh so dull

Other tasks the volunteers get involved in are helping with daily beach cleans, guide on snorkel and jungle tours and help to develop the project site as and when it is needed.

You can combine this program with a scuba dive course. Either learn to scuba dive or get your next diving qualification and during the second week you get the chance to improve your diving via a buoyancy training session and 2 reef survey dives.

On our 4 week program get involved in the 'after-school marine club'.  The Great Marine Project are running a regular program at the local primary school in the Perhentian Island Marine Park.  The program follows monthly lessons teaching the children about how the rainforests and reefs are connected and how human activities on the land indirectly affect the reefs.  Continued conservation education for the children works and you can be part of it on our 4 week program.  As a team the volunteers with our local facilitator will devise an educational presentation and relevant games for you and the children to interact and learn. Join us and play your part in building a turtle army!

This program runs starts on the 4th of every month - March to September

0845 3447 582

WOX is a small international environmental and community development projects company. With offices in Malaysia, Mauritus, India and the UK, WOX runs projects such as the Great Orangutan Project and the Great Marine Project and Responsible India. Each project seeks short term volunteers to join their teams and make a difference.