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Ventanilla Lagoon
The volunteers are taking part in the baby turtle programme.
The community is carrying out initiatives to protect crocodiles.
Enjoy the beautiful nights in Ventanilla whilst on night patrol.
Ventanilla Lagoon and its mangrove forest, seen from the air
The crocodiles' breeding season is in June
Ventanilla, a small village with its own restaurant
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You’ll be able to watch the turtles lay their eggs
Help protect sea turtles and crocodiles in Mexico. You’ll experience life in a local community and spend time in a tropical mangrove forest. All projects are dedicated to protecting sea turtles.
Support for local communities and biodiversity
The partner organisation supports initiatives promoting sustainable development and biodiversity conservation in the Oaxaca region of Mexico.
Ella works with local communities, helping them to:
- Wildlife conservation;
- The development of environmental workshops for children or English lessons;
- The planting of trees on private and public land;
- Beach clean-ups;
- The promotion of ecotourism.
Tartarakus supports ecotourism-related development projects and works with local communities to protect species such as sea turtles and crocodiles…
La Ventanilla, a small community committed to protecting biodiversity
Among the projects it supports is La Ventanilla Ecotourism Services. La Ventanilla is a small indigenous community located near Mazunte, in the district of San Pedro Pochutla. Since 1996, the inhabitants of La Ventanilla have been restoring the mangrove forest that once lined its shores and protected the lagoon. They protect the various species living in the forest – crocodiles, turtles, birds and deer – whilst developing an ecotourism project. La Ventanilla offers tours of the lagoon in traditional cayucos, allowing tourists to observe the local wildlife.
Protect sea turtles and crocodiles in Ventanilla, Mexico
You will be helping the local community in Ventanilla with its efforts to protect biodiversity, particularly through its project to conserve sea turtles and crocodiles. The community in Ventanilla has developed ecotourism, and the reserve where the project is based is open to visitors for guided tours.
An example of a volunteer’s day
- 7.00–7.30 am: at the turtle hatchery, you will check whether any hatchlings have emerged during the night;
- 8 am – 9 am: breakfast;
- 10 am – 12 noon: cleaning the turtle nursery, painting and repairing the facilities, preparing food for the baby crocodiles, maintaining the facilities for the baby crocodiles;
- 12 noon: lunch;
- 1.00 pm – 4.00 pm: free time;
- 5.00–6.00 pm: releasing baby turtles, raising environmental awareness among tourists, cleaning beaches, and maintaining a clean area for turtle nesting. Community tasks may also include English and environmental classes and beautification projects. Recording data collected during the various activities.
- 6 pm: dinner;
- 8 pm – midnight or midnight – 3 am: night patrol along the beach to locate turtle nests, count the eggs in the nests, collect them and move them to safety from predators in the sea turtle hatchery.
This schedule is merely an example. The work you will be asked to do will not be limited solely to these tasks. Depending on the weather, current needs and the season, the work carried out by volunteers may vary.
- Turtle season: January, February, July, August, September, October, November, December
- Crocodile breeding season: June
- From 1 to 12 weeks
Price
- 1 week: €769
Included in the price
- 24/7 support;
- Airport meet-and-greet
- 3 meals a day, 5 days a week
- Transport to the project sites
- Certificate of Voluntary Work
- Wi-Fi
- Emergency contact
Not included in the price
- Flight tickets
- Travel insurance
- Personal effects
- Ages 18 and over; families with children aged 8 and over
- English: English (intermediate level)
- Working hours: Monday to Friday
- Be open-minded and flexible in the face of changes to itineraries due to social or weather-related circumstances.
Food
The food is mainly vegetarian and Mexican. If required, meals can be adapted to accommodate food intolerances and allergies. Meat is served as a side dish with some meals.
Accommodation
Shared rooms with 2 or 3 volunteers near the beach
Arrival
Pick-up at Puerto Escondido Airport before 4.00 pm on Monday.
What to bring
- A rucksack instead of a suitcase, and a small rucksack for the day.
- Comfortable clothing for warm weather.
- At sunset, you should wear loose-fitting trousers that cover your legs to avoid the need for insect repellent, as well as long-sleeved shirts. A cap or hat.
- A sweatshirt for night patrols. From November to February.
- A waterproof jacket if you’re travelling between June and October.
- Comfortable footwear: trainers or boots for walking in the forest, sandals, and flip-flops for the shower.
- Towels and toiletries: shampoo, body wash… the team recommends solid products that are as natural as possible.
- Swimsuit (long-sleeved swimsuit to prevent sun cream from getting into the water), swimming goggles.
- For mosquitoes, the team recommends essential oils such as citronella, lemon eucalyptus and neem, rather than chemical repellents. (Nothing works 100% here, so make sure you pack loose-fitting clothes that cover your body).
- A small first-aid kit tailored to your specific needs.
- Earplugs and a lightweight blanket for camping.
- Water bottle! Please, let’s avoid plastic
Ventanilla is very close to Mazunte (a 15-minute journey by public transport), a backpacker’s village with a hippie vibe where there are plenty of activities and events (yoga, art workshops, meditation, etc.). In Mazunte, you can go for a swim!
Tous les avis sur les missions Tartarukus
About the Partner
The partner is a Spanish non-profit organization that supports local communities working toward environmental conservation and the development of ecotourism in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. Tartarakus was founded in 2021 by Beatriz, who, after spending several years on the Oaxaca coast as a student and volunteer, wanted to strengthen the impact of local communities in the field of sustainable development.The association offers various volunteer experiences in the lesser-visited areas of the Oaxaca coast.
