Wild Elephant/Sea Turtle Experience

• Placement
  
  Wild Elephant/Sea Turtle Experience
• Accommodation and Airport Transfers
  
  
  The volunteers need to fly into CMB (Bandaranayake International Airport). First; you will meet the project’s transfer coordinator. He will meet you at the meeting point (paging area) in the airport upon your arrival and arranges your transfer to our center in Kandy or Ambalangoda according to the program you have booked. You will need to get a SIM Card as well. After passing through customs, make sure you stay on the same floor. Our Coordinator will be waiting for you in front of this entrance with a sign displaying the name of the project. He/She will not move to find you as they have firm instructions. Due to the many different personal plans and return flight times people have, the project found it logistically simpler to send participants to the nearest bus station and allow them to make their own way; whether it is to do more travelling or return to the airport. A Transfer back to the airport is not provided. You will be accommodated in our center which is located a few meters from the ocean (Dormitory style). The beach is closer to the accommodation where you can hang out with fellow participants. Furthermore, there is a refrigerator which you are welcome to use to store food and beverages. Safety lockers are available to store your belongings. Please bring your own padlock to be used.
• Meals
  
  You will be provided with three meals a day on weekdays and two meals per day on weekends. The meals are mainly Sri Lankan food, consisting mainly of vegetarian dishes including rice and vegetables. You can eat out at any of the local restaurants.
• Ongoing service
  
  If there are any problems with your volunteer project we are always there to help you and mediate between yourself and the organization.
• Tours
  
  Through FRONTEERING you have the possibility to book tours in Sri Lanka after you have finished your volunteer project.
• 24/7 Emergency contact
  
  If there are any problems during you stay in Sri Lanka you can reach us 24/7 to assist you.

Volunteers at the project in Sri Lanka are the backbone of the organization. They are the main force behind the project's mission of developing strategies to help conserve elephants, leopards and other wildlife in their natural habitats in the surrounding area and also to be actively involved in helping the local community. As a volunteer, you will actively participate in the daily routine of the facility by participating in the following activities:

• Assisting with elephant research, Biodiversity mapping using various survey techniques, Assessing human and elephant interaction which often includes involvement with conflict resolution and Monitoring electric fences which are erected to stop elephants from raiding crops and village homes, and the early alert systems.
• Observe human-elephant conflict resolution project, Meet and discuss the issues and challenges with community leaders and villagers all aimed at sustainable rural development.
• Feeding the turtles (every other day), Maintenance of the turtle tanks and Cleaning the turtles.
• Cleaning and maintaining the beach.
• Helping with the release of new-born turtles into the oceans.
• TASKS AND DUTIES

You will be involved in all tasks designated to you by the coordinator to assist the project in its aim at developing strategies to help conserve elephants, leopards and other wildlife in their natural habitats in the surrounding area and also to be actively involved in helping the local community.

• Required to commit to a minimum of 1 week.
• Must have an interest in field work, wildlife, the environment and conservation;
• Strong work ethics are required: reliable, responsible, honest, good sense of humor, mature, dependable, physically and mentally fit. Must also have a good attitude and outlook to learn and experience new and novel things;
• Must be motivated and be initiative;
• Age: 18+
• You must be able to speak and understand English;  
• Not allergic to animals.
• Must be able to work with other persons in your profession;
• Participant who take part in the program should provide their resumes and passport copies at least 4 weeks prior to arrival in order to accept to the placement. A special liability waiver off document has be signed by the participants. All participants who take part in this program should receive the rabies vaccination prior to the departure from their respective countries. Please consult your personal physician for further details. Participants above the age of 65 should have medical clearance. .

• Gain experience and learn new skills pertaining to Wildlife Conservation!
• An opportunity to work with an amazing team of staff and be part of a great and worthy cause.
• Great opportunity to visit Sri Lanka and see all that this beautiful country has to offer!

• Project location
  
  Rural Area, Sri Lanka
• Area Famous For
  
  Tea, Ancient History, Cricket, Amazing Beaches, Great weather, Unique Culture & Cuisine, Friendly People, Elephants, Leopards, Extreme sports such as; hiking, surfing and much more! 
• When to visit
  
  All year round!
• Wildlife viewing and Entertainment
  
  Great opportunities to see many different species of reptiles, birds and also mammals within the projects and many activities such as, swimming, hiking, wildlife viewing, etc.!

Day 1 - Arrive in Sri Lanka;
The volunteers need to fly into CMB (Bandaranayake International Airport). First; you will meet the project’s transfer coordinator. He will meet you at the meeting point (paging area) in the airport upon your arrival and arranges your transfer to our center in Kandy or Ambalangoda according to the program you have booked. You will need to get a SIM Card as well. After passing through customs, make sure you stay on the same floor. Our Coordinator will be waiting for you in front of this entrance with a sign displaying the name of the project. He/She will not move to find you as they have firm instructions. Due to the many different personal plans and return flight times people have, the project found it logistically simpler to send participants to the nearest bus station and allow them to make their own way; whether it is to do more travelling or return to the airport. A Transfer back to the airport is not provided.
For 4 weeks or more - Work as a volunteer at our Wild Elephant/Sea Turtle Conservation program based in Sri Lanka!
For a minimum of 1 week to a maximum stay of 4 weeks you will be volunteering in Sri Lanka helping the project to develop strategies which will help conserve elephants, leopards and other wildlife in their natural habitats in the surrounding area and also to be actively involved in helping the local community.
Your last day - You will be dropped off at a specific location where you can take a ride back to the airport to catch you plane back home or take the opportunity to travel through Sri Lanka. Our staff will gladly work with the project to help you book any tours to see more of this great country. 

You will be accommodated in our center which is located a few meters from the ocean (Dormitory style). The beach is closer to the accommodation where you can hang out with fellow participants. Furthermore, there is a refrigerator which you are welcome to use to store food and beverages. Safety lockers are available to store your belongings. Please bring your own padlock to be used. 

Things to bring from home

• We advise you to bring light and old clothing; you are going to get dirty while working. You might be working in rain and mud or in a very dry heat, depending on the season.
• Work clothes: Long pants and shorts, bring closed shoes, long and short sleeve shirts and tank tops. Make sure you do not bring new shoes that you have not worn before, as you will do a lot of walking. You can bring clothes for leisure activities such as beach ware, evening ware or just some nice clothes to go to a casual dinner in. Towels, soap, shower necessities, tooth paste are all included unless you have personal preferences and you can bring your own.
• Miscellaneous items such as; sunglasses, hat or cap, sunscreen lotion, swimsuit, clothing (long trousers that dry quickly, shorts, T-shirts & shirts with long and short sleeves, sweatshirt), waterproof jacket, comfortable shoes (sneakers, sandals), spare glasses for those who wear them, camera and personal items.

Meals

You will be provided with three meals a day on weekdays and two meals per day on weekends. The meals are mainly Sri Lankan food, consisting mainly of vegetarian dishes including rice and vegetables. You can eat out at any of the local restaurants.

Location

This project is located about in Ambalangoda which is a coastal town located in the Galle District, of the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. This little town by the ocean is a sweaty, workaday town, and not touristy. Ambalangoda is known as a Buddhist city in Sri lanka. Ambalangoda is the place where "Masks" originated in Sri Lanka during the days of the kings and this is still thriving sometimes but a bit modernized. The volunteer house is located 10 minutes’ walk away from the city center, where you can find anything you might need. The nearest ATM and supermarket are located a 10 minutes’ walk away from our accommodation.