Seychelles Wildlife

Natural environment of the Seychelles

Seychelles is a unique environment, which sustains a very special biodiversity. It is special for a number of different reasons. These are the oldest oceanic islands to be found anywhere...

Bird Watching

Seychelles Wildlife

Seychelles is a paradise for birdwatchers, you can easily see the unique land birds, the important sea bird colonies, and the host of migrants and vagrants. Some sea bird...

Seychelles Black Parrot

Endemic Bird Species

Black Parrot or Kato Nwar in Creolee is brown-grey in colour, not truly black. Many bird experts treat it as a local form of a species found in Madagascar and...

Fairy Tern

Seabird Species

The Fairy (or white) Tern is a beautiful bird seen on all islands in Seychelles, even islands like Mahe where they are killed by introduced rats, cats and Barn Owls....

Introduced Land Birds

A little over two hundred years ago, there were no humans living permanently in Seychelles. When settlement occurred, people naturally brought with them the animals and plants they needed to...

Native Birds

Although over 190 different species of bird have been seen on or around the central islands of Seychelles (and the number is increasing all the time), many of these are...

Migrant Shore Birds

Shallow seas and estuaries are very rich in invertebrate life. Many birds feed on the worms, crabs and shellfish in these habitats; often, they have long bills for probing sand...

Seychelles Magpie Robin

Endemic Bird Species

The most endangered of the endemic birds, Seychelles Magpie Robin or Pi Santez in Creole, came close to extinction in the late twentieth century; in 1970 there were only about...

Seychelles Blue Pigeon

Endemic Bird Species

The Seychelles Blue Pigeon or Pizon Olande in Creole, spends much of its life in the canopy of trees and eats the fruits of figs, bwa dir, ylang ylang and...

Seychelles White-eye

Endemic Bird Species

The Seychelles White-eye or Zwazo Linet in Creole, is rare and endemic. They may sometimes be seen in gardens and forest over 300m at La Misere, Cascade and a few...

Seychelles Black Paradise Flycatcher

Endemic Bird Species

The Seychelles Black Paradise Flycatcher or the Vev in Creole is endemic to Seychelles, you cannot find this bird anywhere else on earth. Although it was once widespread on...

Seychelles Sunbird

Endemic Bird Species

The tiny sunbird or Kolibri in Creole, is one of the few endemic species that has thrived since humans arrived in the Seychelles.

Achievements

Stopped near extinctions of birds +

Down-listing of the critically endangered Seychelles warbler from Critically Endangered to Near Threatened. Other Seychelles birds have also been saved including the Seychelles Magpie Robin, Seychelles Fody, and the Seychelles…
Restored whole island ecosystems +

We transformed Cousin Island from a coconut plantation to a thriving vibrant and diverse island ecosystem. Success achieved on Cousin was replicated on other islands with similar conservation activities.
Championed climate change solutions +

Nature Seychelles has risen to the climate change challenge in our region in creative ways to adapt to the inevitable changing of times.
Education and Awareness +

We have been at the forefront of environmental education, particularly with schools and Wildlife clubs
Sustainable Tourism +

We manage the award-winning eco-tourism programme on Cousin Island started in 1970

› ‹

Volunteer for Hawksbill turtle monitoring

Volunteer for Turtle Monitoring on Cousin Island Special Reserve

Open for Hawksbill Turtle Nesting Season (October 2023 - March/April 2024)

Nature Seychelles, a leading environmental NGO in the Western Indian Ocean, has an opportunity for Turtle Monitoring Helpers for a limited time only to assist the conservation manager with the implementation of a turtle monitoring programme.

Nature Seychelles manages Cousin Island Special Reserve, an important breeding habitat for the Critically Endangered Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate). A monitoring programme has been running on the island since the 1970s. Please refer to http://natureseychelles.org/what-we-do/wildlife-conservation/marine-turtle-programme for more details.

Over a period of 3 months (October 2023 - March/April 2024), volunteer turtle monitoring helpers will assist the conservation manager with the daily running of the monitoring programme. Primary tasks will include regular patrols on the island for hawksbill turtles, data collection, and data entry.

Patrols are done every day, including early mornings and late evenings, and are carried out in pairs and on a rota. Free time on the island can be used to relax and, depending on the patrol rota, each volunteer gets a free weekend per month which can be spent off the island.

Skills and requirements:

Prior turtle monitoring experience
High physical fitness and ability to work in harsh conditions (6 to 8 hours of foot patrol per day on a soft sandy beach under hot and humid conditions)
Demonstrable experience in carrying out physically demanding work.
Flexible to a variable work schedule and capable of living on an isolated island.
Effective communicator and English speaking.
Travel insurance.

Desirable

Undergraduate or postgraduate in marine science or a related subject.
Previous experience working in tropical marine conservation and/or research (ideally turtle monitoring).
Previous experience working with data.

Conditions

3 months temporary placement (October 2023 - March/April 2024),

Slots available

- October-December (1)
- November-January (2)
- December-February (2/3)
- February-April (1/2)

Base location: Cousin Island Special Reserve, Republic of Seychelles.

Shared facilities, including accommodation, kitchen and bathroom. No meals provided.

To apply: Please send a cover letter, CV and passport-sized photo by email, to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If shortlisted, you will also be required to provide copies of insurance documents.

Attachments:
Cousin Turtle Helpers	[ ]	40 kB

Volunteer with us and contribute to mangrove conservation

leap NATURESEY

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A
MANGROVE CONSERVATION PROGRAMME IN SEYCHELLES (1 MONTH)

Nature Seychelles, through the Locally Empowered Area Protection (LEAP) project, has been conducting scientific research on the marine ecosystems of the Port Launay and Baie Ternay Marine National Parks.

The LEAP project is offering an opportunity for 2 volunteers to work with the LEAP Science team as they conduct ecological surveys at key biodiversity sites and increase local understanding of mangrove ecology, conservation and restoration.

The Mangrove Conservation programme

The successful candidates will have the opportunity to work alongside the LEAP team’s Conservation officers in providing a baseline ecological assessment of the mangrove forests of the RAMSAR site, which will include both on-field and office-based work. As part of the surveying and monitoring programme of mangrove ecosystems, the candidate will be provided with training regarding all aspects of mangrove ecology (species diversity, growth rates, invasive-endemic vegetation species interactions, faunal community assessment, anthropogenic impact assessment etc.), mangrove survey techniques and methodologies, monitoring protocols, assessment and evaluation of potential restoration areas, as well as data entry and analysis. Furthermore, community engagement involving students from the local schools will also be included in the training and will entail educational and awareness activities (e.g., class presentations) regarding mangrove ecology and other relevant conservation subjects. On-the-job training will be provided on quadrat and transect based surveys, ground truthing methods, monitoring protocols, species identification and mangrove restoration techniques.

Who can join the programme?
This volunteer role is designed for people who are working with or wish to pursue a career in ecology, biology, conservation, or education and want to learn more about mangrove ecosystems, and as such, no prior experience in mangrove conservation work is required.

Candidates should:

Be 18 years and above
Completed A-level studies or equivalent as a minimum
Be of good physical fitness as the fieldwork consists of strenuous physical activity
Flexible to a varying work schedule and capable of living in remote areas
Work with children and conduct themselves appropriately and professionally around them
Be a team player
Effective communicator, with excellent English writing skills.
Have suitable travel insurance.

Programme details:

Non-paid, voluntary position.
Duration - 1 month.
Accommodation provided. Shared dormitory, including kitchen and bathroom. No meals included.
Flexible working hours, 08:00-16:00 during weekdays, and one Saturday dedicated to community education and awareness activities
Base location: LEAP project base Cap Ternay, Port Glaud, Mahe, Republic of Seychelles.
Reporting to LEAP Science team & Project Coordinators

Timeline

Timeline

Apply by: 30th June 2023
Start date: 24th July 2023
End Date: 18th August 2023

To apply, please send a cover letter, CV and digital photo by email, with “Mangrove Volunteer Programme” in the subject line to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ;
cc: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

If shortlisted, you will be required to attend an online interview.

LEAP Strapline

Conservation Boot Camp

Notice Sign cov

Please see this link - Department of Health Seychelles - for Travel and Health Advisory updates on COVID-19 in Seychelles

What is the Conservation Boot Camp?

Based on Cousin Island Special Reserve, this innovative program provides you with an enviable in-the-field conservation experience. Participants help in monitoring of biodiversity and ecotourism.

You will get immersed in Cousin Island’s conservation work in quite a spectacular way. This place is unique and this is where the conservation boot camp happens! You will learn hands-on about conservation by contributing to the island's conservation activities.

You and your team of 5 to 6 other conservation boot campers will also help to make Cousin Field Centre (where you will be staying) and the island run at its best. You will gain real-life skills of working in the environment in intense and sometimes not-so-easy conditions - boat pushes, monitoring, and censuses of wildlife, come heavy rain, intense heat or high humidity levels - sometimes accompanied by mosquitoes in the forest depending on the season (the mosquitoes here are only annoying but do not carry any diseases). You might have interaction with some endemic intruders in your building, this is cohabitation with the wildlife.

CBC 2019

What will you be doing?

You will know Cousin like the back of your hand in no time by walking through virtually every inch of the island during turtle nesting season, while conducting landbird and seabird monitoring, other wildlife censuses, beach profiling and cleaning, and invasives removal among other activities. Tagging and ringing the wildlife will bring you closer to the island inhabitants. You will also take care of your place of living through different scheduled tasks. Aside from these tasks you will have the opportunity to interact with the local wardens and learn a little about Creole culture. The down time on Cousin is like no other place - pristine beaches to enjoy, unforgettable sunsets, the starriest nights unpolluted by artificial lights and other activities organised by the program coordinator.

What will you get out of the program?

A first hand insight into the management of a multiple award winning nature reserve
One-on-one sessions with Nature Seychelles' CEO, a world renowned environmentalist
An enviable participation in an exclusive program that is sure to boost your conservation career
Practical skills in scientific field methodology
Intimate and constant contact with land and seabirds as well as marine and terrestrial wildlife
Experience of different ecosystems : coastal beach, wetlands, native forest, rocky hills and marine environment
Opportunity to learn and enjoy living in basic conditions and step away the materialistic world for a while
Exchange with international students, experienced conservation staff, and global researchers frequenting the island regulary
A certificate of participation (Nature Seychelles is a certified private educational and training institute under the Education Act of Seychelles)
A much-coveted opportunity to work in a world class dream destination, you will get to work in one of Seychelles' paradise Islands.

Cost: 1000 euros for a 4 week period. Please note that your booking is only confirmed once payment has been made. Once payment is made it is 50% refundable for cancellation before the 3 weeks preceding arrival and 0% refundable for cancellation beyond the 3 weeks preceding arrival.

READ THE LATEST ISSUE OF CONSERVATION BOOT CAMP MAGAZINE

CBC Berthin

New offer for 2018/9

In 2018/9, Nature Seychelles is celebrating 20 years since the organisation was formed and 50 years of Cousin Island being a nature reserve protected by law. To celebrate our milestones, Nature Seychelles is in 2018/9 offering a 25% discount on the registration fees for the Conservation Boot Camp program to participants who are African citizens under the African Heritage package. Additionally, staff of other BirdLife International Partners outside of Africa will receive the same discount. LEARN MORE

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE CBC HANDBOOK