Mauritius Marine Research Project

Contribute to the protection of Mauritius' marine wildlife.

In the fringing reefs and coast off the stunning island of Mauritius, tourism is flourishing. And it’s not surprising, Mauritius is home to an infinite wealth of sea treasure which woos hordes of tourists who are bewitched by it’s enormity and magical beauty.

The sad news is that due to this increasing level of human intrusion, resident spinner and bottlenose dolphins are demonstrating serious distress behaviour signals and their populations are in decline. With legislation and monitoring lacking, there is an urgent need to monitor the impact on the island’s cetacean populations. Assisting the research team of a local NGO, you will be doing exactly that!

What will I do

• Work as a marine biology research assistant on a tropical island
• Receive training in cetacean and turtle research techniques
• Monitor the impact of the dolphin watching industry on behaviour, movements and populations sizes
• Speak with tourists and tour operators to gain an understanding of the economic value of this industry
• Educate local children and public about marine mammals and conservation
• Play an active role in changing legislation to ensure a sustainable future for all!

Working hours

The general working hours are 9.00 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Friday, although these are flexible. You may be asked to help out over the weekends but generally you can spend this time relaxing on the beach, exploring the local forests or the many activities that Mauritius has to offer.

Accommodation

During your stay you will live and work in a house in La Preneuse. The property is a two minute walk to the beach and has easy access to some small restaurants, supermarket and bus stops. In this two storey house the office is situated on the first floor and the volunteers live on the ground floor. It is equipped with a large living area and a dining/kitchen area, two toilets and a shower. A balcony front and back is perfect for relaxing after work and watching the glorious sunsets!

Food is not included on this project and you should allow approximately £25 to £40 a week budget depending on whether you want to at out frequently in restaurants or prepare most of your meals at home.

What support will I get

From the moment you first send us an inquiry, we are always just a phone call or email away. You can contact our office team with any question you have. We’ll be happy to help you as much as we can while you prepare for your conservation experience. Once you are in Africa, we have a dedicated team of coordinators who will look after you - whether you need help with your conservation responsibilities, are feeling poorly or need to get to a bank to get out some money.

If your family need to get hold of you in an emergency, we have a 24 hour emergency phone line, and we can always facilitate contact to you in Africa.

What's the next step

If you are ready to submit your application. You can do this online or by post. And don’t worry - you application does not commit you to anything. It is just an expression of interest on your side and it helps us prepare the best advice for you.

We will contact you after accepting your application and chat to you about the best project choice, costs and dates. Once you are happy with your choices, we will set up your very own conservation experience for you and send you all the extra information you need - from the “small print” terms and conditions to insurance information. If you definitely want to go for it, all you have to do is send us a signed confirmation and a deposit of 295 GBP - or the equivalent in US$, CA$, AU$ or Euro.