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Turtle Volunteer Conservation Project

Join our sea turtle volunteer conservation project in the Perhentian Islands and help protect turtles by night and snap photos of them by day.

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Why Choose This Project?

What sets us apart from other sea turtle conservation projects is that we get the best of both the social and environmental aspects in conservation – living among and working with the local community as we carry out our daytime and nocturnal activities. You will snorkel in the sea by day observing and taking photo IDs of foraging sea turtles. At night, you will patrol the nesting beach under a blanket of stars to protect the beach and collect nesting data on sea turtles.

Project Impact Reports – Read now!
Annual Impact Report 2023
Annual Impact Report 2022

Annual Impact Report 2021
Annual Impact Report 2020
Annual Impact Report 2019

Project Highlights

About the Project

The Perhentian Turtle Project (PTP) was established by Fuze Ecoteer in 2015. The project works in close collaboration with the local community, stakeholders, Department of Fisheries (DOF) and Marine Parks Division. The turtle volunteer conservation project is currently based in two places: Kampung Pasir Hantu (Fisherman’s Village) on Perhentian Kecil and Pantai Tiga Ruang (Turtle Beach aka the nesting beach) on Perhentian Besar.

The islands are becoming increasingly popular for low budget tourism, which means more people, more tourist activities at the cost to the environment. PTP aims to conserve the sea turtle population of the Perhentian Island Marine Parks by monitoring them via photo ID and increasing awareness and engagement among the Perhentian Community and tourists. Learn more about the project and its impacts in 2019 Sea turtles live across the whole of Asia. To find out more about turtles in general and their distribution across Asia, please read this blog, Sea turtles in Asia.

perhentian turtle project logo colour
Testimonials
The team at the Perhentian Turtle Project are dedicated to their cause and do it all the while with a positive attitude. Everyone on that team loved what they were doing and to be able to experience something so special... Recording nesting or feeding turtles... Releasing hatchlings back into the ocean was something no one could soon forget. I hope this project flourishes and progresses far into the future. Projects like these will save our marine turtles and keep them among us in years to come. - Jacob
Testimonials
This program was truly magical! Firstly, all the project staff were passionate, fun-loving, enthusiastic and so caring. Everyone had a common goal of helping the world and it was such a refreshing approach to life. Secondly, it really feels like you are contributing when you release the little hatchlings into the ocean. Moments I will never forget. Thirdly, it was simultaneously such a relaxing trip with lots of downtimes. I would definitely recommend travelling with a buddy so you can spend this time exploring the island together. - Ranita
Testimonials
I was lucky enough to spend 2 weeks at this beautiful island. It was extremely rewarding for me to be able to do something meaningful in my country, which also happens to be a tropical paradise! The organisation is relatively small, which is perfect because you get the chance to bond with the amazing interns volunteering there. The whole group is made of people from different countries, which I loved; however, so few Malaysians being interested in conservation projects like this. If you're Malaysian and you're reading this, good on you because you're halfway there! (now go click the sign up button will ya?) - Pei Yan
Testimonials
I was a volunteer coordinator for the project from June - November 2017 and it was an incredible experience. I learned so much about turtle conservation and met so many great people during my time there. The work that is done has a real impact on the turtles within the area, we carried out worthwhile research and did our part to protect the local environment. The perhentian islands are a beautiful place to work and the local people are extremely kind, I had an amazing time and would recommend to anyone! - Dan Read
Testimonials
I was lucky enough to live as an intern at the Perhentian Island Turtle Project and assist with their programme for a few months in 2019. I loved kayaking over to the turtle feeding sight, it is quite a paddle but it certainly keeps you fit. Learning to free dive to take photos of the turtles feeding was great too because you can see up close just how magical these creatures are. However, nothing beats spending nights with the nesting turtles to collect their eggs and releasing hatchlings. The beach is closed off to tourists at night so it feels incredibly special to be there. The sunsets are incredible and in the day you get to relax and catch up on sleep on one of the most pristine and beautiful beaches in the islands. - Lucy

Volunteer Project Details

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You can support the Fuze Ecoteer projects and supported organisations by buying their merchandise.  A minimum of 60% of your fee goes directly towards the conservation cause linked to that product.  The other percentage is used for production costs.

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