Volunteers

Haruka Ito 2010

Ken Lindsay 2010

"I really enjoyed meeting you and getting out to El Venado. I realize that dealing with some aspects of culture there can be a challenge, but I also found it very interesting to be part of the process. I hope to be able to join you again in the future, and for a longer time than just a week next time."

Ken Lindsay

Marta Llorca 2010

"I liked being able to help and train people who live there in order to devote their efforts in conservation of species and respect for nature. My days in Honduras have helped me to realize how fragile the natural world can be and how we must strive to cherish, and appreciate it. I encourage everyone that has the opportunity to work on a project like this to participate in the conservation of nature, starting with our inmediate environment."

Marta Llorca

Oliver and Anna Nash 2010

"We loved the opportunity to work alongside Steve Dunbar and his ProTECTOR team. What struck us most was the collaboration between the community members and the research team - they all had so much fun, but were doing great research work together! We're glad that some of our contributions have gone to help improve the turtle Center there at El Venado, and we hope for many more years of successful turtle research and conservation at this wonderful spot."

Oli Nash is the author of the nature adventure book,The Primate Puzzle

Oli and Anna Nash

Alejandro Lopez and Marta Llorca 2010

Christina Martin 2010

UNAH Students 2010

Students from the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH) worked with the project over several days at Punta Raton to gain research experience. Jose Vindel (center) and Jimmy Valle (far left).

UNAH Volunteer Club 2011


Dorian Arguijo, Carmen Nunez, Melissa Ramirez, Lidia Salinas, Hanna Roque, Samaria Castellanos, Steve Dunbar

Tyler dos Santos 2011

"I've learned a lot on my trip to Honduras with ProTECTOR. While the politics involved behind the conservation were a shock to me, it's good to see a group that is still dedicated to help, even through all the difficulties. I hope my four weeks down here will help make a difference in the project, and we'll be able to see the populations of turtles rise over time. Thank you so much, for the opportunity to help out and learn so much about the biology world."

Tyler dos Santos

Christine Ha 2011

"I was very excited and happy to be in Honduras. I really enjoyed walking the beaches and seeing turtles. For me, being at the Center at Punta Ratón was kind of like camping indoors. The Center was not bad at all, just mosquitoes drove me crazy. I also enjoyed my time at El Venado. The people there were all so talkative and friendly. I felt like I was taken care of very well. I would surely recommend other people to come and volunteer here. I myself am thinking of organizing a group to come to El Venado and Punta Ratón next summer."

Christine Ha

Katelyn Schiller 2011

"My favorite thing was working with the turtles, but I also enjoyed connecting with the community. They were very sweet and kind to us. I felt that us being there encouraged the people from the community and showed them what it's like to have enthusiastic visitors at the centers. They saw our energies and that reminded them of why they are doing what they do. When we touched the eggs and squealed with delight, we hope it energized them. I am thankful to ProTECTOR because they did everything they could to accommodate me."

Katelyn Schiller

Larry Williams Bracho 2011

"There were real challenges working among the communities of the south coast. There is a lot of povery, and unemployment there. But I had a great two months working alongside Steve and the other ProTECTOR team members. I saw they had a real interest in conservation of the turtles, and in helping the people in the communities. Working with Noemi, Sami, and the other volunteers, made me feel a part of the ProTECTOR team. Everyone did whatever they could to help me have a great experience here."

Larry Bracho

Christi Linardich 2011

"During the few weeks that I spent working with Noel, tagging and tracking hawksbill sea turtles I was able to log an amazing 39 dives. Roatán, Honduras has unforgettable diving with a population of hardworking, but fun-loving people. It's not surprising that tourists from the world over travel there. Groups such as Protector are a step in the right direction to educate the locals and tourists about the nature of the turtle's plight. I was glad to be a part of not only that, but helping in the scientific quest to decipher more about the behaviors of this charismatic animal."

Christi Linardich

Amy Tan 2012

Avril Williams 2012

Robyn Reeve 2012

Ariana Cunningham 2012

"I feel that the research opportunity ProTECTOR gave me was one of the most unique experiences of my undergraduate carreer and I greatly enjoyed your leadership, program, subject matter, and fellow volunteers."

Ariana Cunningham

Link to project report and poster page

Dustin Baumbach 2012

Dustin

"During the summer of 2012 I volunteered on both the North and South coasts of Honduras. On the north coast at Cuero Y Salado I helped in both beach profiling and turtle monitoring, which helped to first teach me about turtles and their natural habitat. This was my very first experience with turtle habitat and I found it to be very informative and helped to start building a basis for the types of habitat where turtles may nest. I then traveled to the south coast of Honduras to help out with the Olive Ridley veda. This was amazing because it was my first interaction with turtles and gave me several ideas to help develop my current Masters and future Doctorate research. I had such a fun time getting to observe hatchling swim patterns along with recording nesting female data, which I believe gave me a new passion for sea turtles in general."

Dustin Baumbach

Ken Lindsay 2012

"I have volunteered with several different sea turtle protection projects in Central America and the Caribbean over the past five years. My time spent in Honduras has been different from the other projects that I've been involved with. While many projects are just about data collection and have limited interaction with the local community, working with ProTector one quickly becomes immersed in the community. We walked the beaches with the locals at night, working together with each turtle that was encountered. During the day we had plenty of interactions as well. We worked, talked and laughed often with the local people, who are very invested in the sea turtle egg protection project. I left feeling I had a good understanding of the community and of their daily lives. While life in remote Honduras is very different from home, the reward of knowing that I am helping turn the tide towards saving the Olive Ridley turtle in the Gulf of Fonseca, gives me the desire to return.

The other aspect of ProTector that is different from other projects, is the quality of research that is taking place under Steve Dunbar's guidance. Steve and his students are asking new questions and seeking answers to currently unknown aspects of the sea turtle's life, with the hope of offering greater means of protection in the future. Steve was very willing to share the details of the projects with me, and made me feel that I was an integral part of the team."

Ken Lindsay