GVI, Ethical Impact: Volunteer in Costa Rica

I lived in the heart of Tortuguero National Park for 10 weeks! It was the most amazing experience I have ever had. I learned about biodiversity and wildlife conservation. I stayed on the Jalova base helping with Forest surveys and beach surveys to gather information for the national park and the CJC. I 100% recommend volunteering through GVI, especially in Costa Rica. My favorite thing in Jalova was learning about sea turtles because I have a passion for reptiles. They are amazing creatures and we get to work up close with them.

I am a serial GVI volunteer, having done stints on marine conservation programmes in Mexico, Fiji and the Seychelles since 2018. This year, I decided to try a terrestrial programme instead and chose the Costa Rica wildlife conservation programme at Jalova in Tortuguero national park.

I’m so glad I did - I had a fantastic, action-packed and soul-enriching time.

In common with other GVI bases, the staff were passionate and eager to share their knowledge while also ensuring we volunteers had fun.

The work was so rewarding - I did the 28km jagwalk: the programme’s key data gathering exercise, which looks for evidence of jaguar predation on sea turtles and also the distribution of the big cats in Tortuguero national park, one of the densest populations of the wild felids in the world. I learned so much about camera-trapping and jaguar behaviour.

I also loved learning to ID the target birds, not just visually but by their calls too, so forest surveys - in flooded swamps to dense forests to night trails - were eye- and ear-opening, even if the mosquitos and swarms of other bugs were sometimes a challenge. ;-) I also went on night turtle patrols and morning nest checks - green turtle season hadn't quite started, but one morning last week, we did a leatherback nest excavation (to check on hatching success) after spotting little tracks left by hatchlings - only to find a live baby turtle which was just a little slower than the others. So we had to dig a little trench on the side and bury it so it could continue to strengthen its flippers as it clambered out for the battles ahead with the waves, and also to allow it to imprint on the location and get its internal GPS aligned with the Earth's magnetic field. Utterly magic!

Living in the jungles of costa rica is simply put, amazing, the wildlife is awe-inspiring, the scenery gorgeous and up-lifting. Whilst the there are many wonders to behold, there are still drawbacks to be aware of, many will find the very rural living, insects and lack of comforts we find ourselves enjoying in normal life difficult to cope with while staying there. However if you are truly passionate about wildlife, nature and exploration you will find yourself adjusting to these discomforts and especially in the lack of connectivity to modern society rather refreshing

My name is Mona, I'm from France. I was a 6 weeks volunteer in Jalova, Costa Rica in 2019.  It was my first experience as a volunteer and I had a really good time ! I learned so much about conservation and wildlife species 🐆🐢🕊 The staff members were very friendly, passionate, always around and happy to help.
The interns and volunteers were very nice and devoted.
The base was beautiful within the jungle and just next to the beach !
We did many incredible surveys walking along the beach at night and day, walking through the forest or even on boats !
I'm looking forward to my next trip with GVI and I definitely recommend to anyone 😊

It's been 5 months since I got back from Jalova, and don't I miss it!

It was just nice being able to live with bare fundamentals...stuff like cold showers, vegetarian meals, unflush-able toilets, sharing bedrooms. But it was great.
I enjoyed making an impact on our planet, I loved making friends from all around the world. it was one of those experiences that I will never get again. But I need to go back!

If you have been thinking about volunteering abroad and need somewhere really in nature miles away from any kind of civilisation. Jalova is for you.

This program was so well organised and run. GVI gave all the information I could need before going on the trip so felt prepared. The set up in the local community was amazing - you really felt like they were benefiting so much from the work we were doing.
The feel in the GVI house was so welcoming and there were regular social things organised so got to know the people we were sharing the experience with very quickly and feel at home which just made everything that much more fun and enjoyable. Would definitely go on another GVI project!

My time volunteering at Jalova with GVI was incredible, I've gained memories and friends I will always cherish. I saw some of the most beautiful and awe inspiring things in nature that I still can't believe, the surveys and time helping the turtles was so unique and rewarding. The experiences in the jungle test you and help you learn a lot about yourself. The work GVI is doing is amazing and I can't wait to participate in another project. I would recommend this to anyone, truly a life changing experience.

I spent 6 months volunteering with GVI in Jalova, Costa Rica (Wildlife Expedition), and it was one of the best experiences of my life. The location was remote but is something most people never get the opportunity to see. Living and working within the jungle was amazing. Whether you are walking along the beach, walking through the forest, or canoeing through the canals, there is always something new to see and something new to explore. It is a magical experience to be walking along the beach at night, and suddenly see a turtle coming out of the surf to lay her nest, or be walking through the forest and suddenly see a rare animal on the path ahead of you.

This expedition is not for everyone - the location is remote, and it does require some level of fitness (walking for several hours a day, mostly). However, for those who are willing to give anything a go, and are able to adapt to local conditions then it is an unmissable experience, in my opinion. For anyone with an interest in conservation or animals will immensely enjoy their time with GVI in Costa Rica.

The staff members are very knowledgable and passionate about the work they do. Most of them are former volunteers themselves. They understand the challenges new people may face and do their best to make people feel welcomed. New volunteers generally arrive every two weeks and are from many different countries, so it is also a good chance to meet people from all over the world and from all walks of life.

I hope you decide to visit this project in the future - you won't regret it!