Join Intern Abroad HQ, the world’s most affordable international internship organization, and invest in your future with a Sea Turtle Conservation Internship in Japan.
 
Sea Turtle Conservation internships in Okinawa are offered in collaboration with a leading sea turtle conservation organization. This internship is intended to provide practical insight into the operations and routines of a non-profit organization and their year-round conservation priorities. Sea Turtle conservation tasks are seasonal, according to nesting and hatching cycles. Nesting season runs for 4 months, from April through July. Hatching activities can occur from July through September. Year-round activities include beach clean ups, data analysis, environmental education, fundraising, and community engagement events.

This program ranges from 4-24 weeks and has start dates every Monday throughout the year.

Your fully-hosted experience includes sourcing of your internship placement, personalization of your project plan, airport pick-up, orientation, accommodation, and onsite student support. See our full list of fees and inclusions on our website.
 
Suitable for students and recent graduates with an interest in developing practical skills related to conservation. Previous training or experience is not required but interns must have the willingness and physical ability to conduct outdoor fieldwork, including night shifts. Resilience to variations of weather and climate is required. Plan your internship with the season and climate in mind.

This internship is conducted in English.
   
The subtropical island of Okinawa, Japan, is a well known “Blue Zone”, where its inhabitants live long and healthy lifespans. The surrounding crystal clear waters and nearby islands are also home to resident and transient sea turtle populations. Interns support community-based conservation initiatives, working to preserve the precious coastal habitats, raise awareness, and improve the survivability of the region’s sea turtles.

Sea Turtle Conservation internships provide learning opportunities for students and young professionals seeking practical conservation experience. Internships in Okinawa are offered year-round; however, activities are seasonal.

April - July: Approximate Nesting Season

The beaches of Okinawa are valuable nesting sites for a variety of sea turtle species, including green, loggerhead, and hawksbill. To enhance the survivability of both resident and transient sea turtles, nighttime beach patrols are conducted, which monitor and support nesting activity. This is an absolutely critical component of conservation activities.

In the event that turtles are observed nesting, or if nests are discovered, government-licensed and trained Nest Technicians are on-hand to support and supervise all data collection and care protocols. Interns may only assist with records and/or data collection according to the direct instructions and supervision of Nest Technicians. A Professor of Marine Ecology (PhD) is part of the team and can assist students with academic requirements, if need be (these must be discussed in advance).

Nest locations are marked and protected to safeguard them from predators (nest relocations are only conducted in rare circumstances, such as to protect from erosions or planned constructions). Infrared cameras are installed at nest sites prior to expected hatching periods. Any injured species will be referred to the appropriate local veterinary and rehabilitation facilities.

Nighttime beach patrols can include participation from local volunteers within the community, assisting to patrol around 30-40 km of shoreline (about 18-25 miles). The patrols serve to document and support nesting activities. For example, recording crawls (when mother turtles come ashore), nests, and hatchings over time.

Sea Turtle Conservation interns are typically assigned across three beaches, totaling less than 3 km (2 miles). Transportation for all patrols is provided (beach drop off and pick up). Patrol teams, of three people per shift, are scheduled for five nights per week in one of two shifts:

• Shift 1: 9:00 PM to 12:30 AM
• Shift 2: 12:30 AM to 4:00 AM

All internship participants must have a suitable level of physical ability to assist with these activities. Resilience to variations of weather and climate is required.

July - September: Approximate Hatching Season

As Nesting Season runs from April through July, and the incubation period is about 60 days, then the Hatching Season is usually from around late June through till late September. (The months of June and July could include an overlap period of both nesting and hatching).

During the Nesting Season, infrared cameras are installed prior to expected hatching periods. These monitor nests, to help advise when hatching is underway. It is forbidden for anyone to disturb the little hatchlings, as they make their very important journey to the ocean. However, there is opportunity for interns to assist, in a non-evasive manner. For example, this can involve removal of protective materials around the nest, clearing any obstacles from the beach which would impede the hatchling’s progress, and taking care to ensure no dogs, vehicles, or other threats would cause further risk to the hatchlings.

After the nest has been vacated, interns can assist to excavate the turtle egg shells, for data collection related to number of eggs and success rate.

Year-round

Year-round activities for Sea Turtle Conservation internships include a range of duties related to non-profit organization support, operations, education, advocacy, and seasonal priorities. For example:

• Organizing and assisting with large-scale beach clean-ups (twice a month). These are arranged in conjunction with local volunteers.
• Developing educational materials and conducting informative conservation programs at local schools, or for other community or visiting groups.
• Data analysis and/or participating in international data exchanges.
• Event planning and/or fundraising initiatives (e.g. Fun Run, October Turtle Festival, ocean-themed art exhibitions, etc).
• Community liaison and advocacy projects (e.g. coordinating with sponsors, city officials, and local businesses, contributing ideas for new initiatives, etc).
• Administrative tasks such as digital marketing, outreach, flyer and merchandise design, etc.
• Assistance with seasonal camp programs for children and teenagers (e.g. one to two week youth camps over academic break periods).
• Upkeep and development of citizen science projects related to online interactive maps for sea turtle identification and other data collection.
• Advocacy collaborations with local fishery associations and government agencies to promote sea turtle conservation.
• Daytime beach patrolling (twice per week).
• Data on deceased turtles may be collected. If dead turtles (juvenile or adult) are located, then trained and licensed team members are authorized to lead necroposies (with interns able to observe and assist), so that possible cause of death can be determined and recorded (e.g. ingestion of plastic, boat collisions, disease, lethargy caused by cold water and wind temperatures, etc).
• Collaboration with Churaumi Aquarium for marine animal rehabilitation, veterinary expertise, research, and education initiatives.

 
Intern Abroad HQ's Japan programs are available year-round, with start dates every Monday.

Intern Abroad HQ provides the most affordable and top-rated programs. Check out our intern reviews on our website.

We match you with innovative and entrepreneurial host organizations around the world that give you the opportunity to make a real contribution on high-impact projects with the support of travel experts with an outstanding safety system and track record.

Our experiential learning approach provides a structured and guided platform for you to think critically about your experiences on your internship. It accelerates and deepens your learning by asking self-reflective questions around the contexts, actions, and outcomes of your placement.

Academic credit is available for all experiences, through our School of Record partnerships with University of Montana (1-5 credits) and Warren Wilson College (6-16 credits). Check in with your academic advisor to understand if you can apply these transfer credits toward your degree at your home institution.

We offer flexible booking and free changes so you can register with confidence.

 
Apply for free: Complete an online application form via the Intern Abroad HQ website.

• Select your start date and duration: All Intern Abroad HQ programs are available year-round and you can choose to intern for durations on this program ranging from 4 to 24 weeks.
• Complete your registration: After you have been accepted on your chosen program, you can secure your place by paying the Deposit.
• Pay your Balance: This is due 60 days before your program starts.

Need to make changes to your booking? You can make free unlimited changes to your destination, project and dates up until 60 days before you start.