Costa Rica Conservation Short Term Internship

Overview

Located in the Costa Rican rainforest, deep in Tortuguero National Park, you will join an international conservation team. By participating in our conservation internship, you will be able to give back to the fragile eco-system while at the same time, adding valuable, practical work experience to your CV and getting your career on the right track.

The internship will give you valuable insight into understanding this delicate and important eco-system. From population studies on endangered species such as the Jaguars and sea turtles (dependent on nesting seasons), to research skills such as camera trapping and data processing.

There will be a strong focus on developing professional skills and being able to apply them with a holistic approach to conservation. We aim to give you the skills to be able to monitor a wide range of eco-systems in a very diverse location. On top of that, you will be given specific leadership responsibilities, a weekly evaluation from your mentor who will be monitoring your progress as well as a professional reference on completion of the programme.



After a successful internship, qualifying candidates may be given the opportunity to work for GVI or selected partner organisations in Costa Rica, or in other countries around the world where GVI operate. Over 50% of GVI staff are recruited from our alumni database. Qualification for positions is at the sole discretion of Global Vision International.

Highlights
Getting the chance to go on this unique adventure in a Costa Rican National Park; enjoying life at the research station; learning about the wildlife and their habitat; seeing unique wildlife in marine and coastal rainforest environments, including sea turtles, monkeys, neo-tropical birds and amphibians; exploring the area by boat and canoe, including remote Caribbean beaches, gaining a wide variety of skills, including learning survey techniques and gaining real field experience, joining the research team to undertake turtle nesting surveys and monitor nesting sites during turtle season; participating on jaguar surveys; setting up and checking camera traps and tracking in the rainforest.

Program Details

Life on the Internship

When we say remote – we mean that there is no road access to the GVI base. In today’s increasingly connected world you will be going, as they say, “off the grid”. You will be based in the heart of nature, surrounded by the white beaches of the Caribbean and the amazing natural beauty of Tortuguero’s rainforest. All transport to and from the base is via canoe or boat, through the luscious green canals.

When you are not out and about conducting various surveys, setting up camera traps or counting turtle eggs, you can enjoy your time off back at base, getting to know fellow team members or exploring the nearby beaches and surrounds (remember to pack that camera!). Camp duties are shared rotationally amongst the entire team.

As part of the internship programme, there will be a lot of focus on developing leadership and teamwork abilities with the GVI Leadership course. After returning to base from your daily field work, you will undergo extra training with your mentor during the evenings or afternoons. This may involve watching presentations on certain theory topics which you will then need to base an assignment upon as well as weekly written assessments and oral and field discussions with your mentor. The Leadership course enables you to get more involved by equipping you with the skills to lead teams and supporting logistics. At the end of the internship, there will be a final evaluation which will assess your competencies against the criteria set out.

By the end of the programme, you will have the necessary skills, field based experience and certifications to begin a rewarding career in the conservation field of your choice.

Project Details

The project will provide a firm foundation for personal training and development whilst getting you immersed in the ongoing conservation efforts. After you have completed the rigorous training the programme will rotate amongst a series of focus projects:

Monitoring and Conservation of Sea Turtles (running March to October):
Record important conservation data on nesting turtles for a range of marine turtle species including hawksbill, green, and leatherback.

Marine Turtle Predation by Jaguars:
Investigate the impact of Jaguar populations on sea turtle populations.

Jaguar, Mammal and Prey Species Abundance Study:
Set up camera traps and conduct transects that record tracks and signs in the National Park forest.

Resident and Migratory Bird Research:
Help monitor 30 key aquatic bird species in order to collect long-term seasonal trend data on resident and migratory birds on canoe based surveys.

GVI Leadership Course:
The focus of this course is to develop the participant’s teamwork and leadership skills. Interns will be completing weekly written assignments as well as oral and field discussions. The course will involve the participants watching presentations to learn theory or working on their assignments during the evenings or afternoons after having completed their field work. A mentor will be assigned to the intern and there will be weekly one-on-one meetings to provide feedback and weekly assessment on their progress. After successful completion of the internship and the final evaluation, a certificate and professional reference will be given to the qualifying participants.

Due to the fact that we are working in a National Park, we need to have a special scientific permit to conduct research so you will be asked for some papers to be able to process it. It is a fairly simple process.

Jalova's short, mid, and long-term objectives:

All of our programs have short, mid and long-term objectives that fit with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This enables us to report on our collaborative impact across the world in a streamlined manner, measuring which UN SDGs we are making a substantial contribution to. Furthermore, this will help our local partners and communities measure and visualize their contribution to the UN SDGs.

Upon arrival to base, you will be educated about the history of the UN SDGs. You will learn about the specific goals of your location, the long-, mid- and short-term objectives, and also clarification of how your personal, shorter-term involvement contributes to these goals on a global level.

Our aim is to educate you on local and global issues, so that you continue to act as active global citizens after your program, helping to fulfill our mission of building a global network of people united by their passion to make a difference.

Learn about the long-term objectives you will be contributing to in Jalova:

1. Increase scientific knowledge of Tortuguero National Park
2. Increase awareness of GVI Jalova projects and the ecological value of the Tortuguero National Park
3. Build local capacity to support long-term conservation of biodiversity and sustainable community development in Costa Rica
4. Continue to minimize our environmental impact on Tortuguero National Park and raise awareness of environmental issues amongst volunteers and visitors

How this programme makes a difference
Working with GVI goes beyond spending 4 weeks in paradise. Participants can be ensured that the time and money they invest in our project will go towards protecting this unique eco-systems and wildlife. GVI works closely with the Costa Rican Ministry of The Environment, Energy and Telecommunications (MINAET) and partners with the world-renowned organisations such as Sea Turtle conservancy, Jaguar Conservation and Pathera to provide and collaborate on conservation efforts in Tortuguero.

The work carried out by GVI Costa Rica has provided a huge amount of critical data to the Costa Rican government to help them to make important conservation decisions and ensure the survival of the biodiversity of this unique area of the rainforest.

For example, much of our efforts have been used to achieve massive reductions in sea turtle nest poaching.

What's Included

What's Not Included

Exploration

Internships with GVI not only allow you to participate on programmes assisting disadvantaged communities or endangered ecosystems but it also offers wonderful opportunities to travel in the local area in your down time or further afield either before or after your programme. Many decide to travel after completing their internship, solidifying the lifetime friendships established on programme.

Our long term field staff are a great source of advice and are here to help you make the most of your time abroad. Remember to ask about discounts on local activities and side trips through your association with GVI. Our Jalova field teams have helped us put together the following information on trips and travel options in Costa Rica!

Optional Side Trips
Given your isolated location, a lot of your down time will be spent on base, the rainforest is not a place to go wondering! However there are still some possibilities in the immediate area for you to make the most of your time in Costa Rica. You can visit Tortuguero Village, browse its small souvenir shops, visit the delicious bakery and just watch the world go lazily by. For longer term participants on long weekend breaks, you could decide to head off base and further explore the Caribbean region. Hiking, snorkelling, fishing, or canopy and zip-line tours are just some of the activities that are possible in the area. For something a bit more intense, you could raft on the white waters of the famous Pacuare River on class III to IV rapids over the course of 1- or 2-day trips. And if the adventure activities are not for you, then simply relax in a laidback Caribbean village!

Further Travel Opportunities
Costa Rica is an amazing country with an abundance of travel opportunities further afield with the following just a snapshot of the many possibilities!

Admire the famous and active Volcan Arenal from a distance and relax in the natural hot springs; surf the Salsa Brava – a hotspot of the Caribbean for the advanced surfer; ride horseback on the beach in Puerto Viejo or simply enjoy miles and miles of beautiful beaches kissed by palm trees; spot migratory raptor birds in the Talamanca Mountains and visit indigenous villages to learn more about their amazing culture; discover the cloud forest at Monteverde, visit the hummingbird gallery, enjoy the locally made ice cream and other fresh dairy products or walk among the treetops on the hanging bridges; enjoy the organised wildlife tours of Braulio Carrillo National Park; travel across the country to discover the beautiful Pacific Coast with its hidden white sand beaches; visit Volcan Irazu and discover coffee farms on the way back to San Jose; back in the capital, visit the Gold Museum or the Jade Museum, attend a play in one of the numerous theatres or take in the Latin American vibe with its lively nightlife.