
Sea Turtle Conservation Internships: Intern abroad in Okinawa, 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.
What to expect from your Sea Turtle Conservation internship:
- Support practical conservation efforts to protect sea turtle breeding seasons.
- Gain insight into veterinary treatment and rehabilitation procedures for injured sea turtles.
- Assist with event management, educational campaigns, and advocacy work for sea turtle conservation.
Your internship abroad host organization:
- Organization for sea turtle conservation
Internship details
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.
This is an in-country internship, with accommodation included. You can explore remote Environmental & Marine Sciences internships, if you are looking for an internship program that you can undertake at home.
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.
Typical Schedule
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Monday to Friday, weekends are free. Internship schedules are seasonal and subject to change. Plan your internship schedule with seasonality and climate in mind.
What are the career benefits of interning abroad as a Sea Turtle Conservation Intern?
Sea Turtle Conservation interns learn from a qualified and experienced supervisor, and can be involved in:
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Hands-on experience supporting government-licensed and trained Nest Technicians during nesting and hatching seasons.
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Year-round duties related to non-profit organization, administrative support, educational activities, community outreach, event planning and coordination.
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Data analysis and environmental conservation advocacy.
Professional development opportunities:
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Develop practical field work skills related to sea turtle conservation.
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Learn about the operations and advocacy work of a conservation non-profit.
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Assist with environmental education initiatives.
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Contribute to professional data collection, analysis and research.
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Gain practical skills and boost your employability, with guidance from Intern Abroad HQ’s Experiential Learning Curriculum to support your learning and cultural intelligence.
Are you eligible for this internship?
Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.
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Academic credit available for all internships
Get course credit from your college or university while completing your internship abroad or a remote internship program. It's a great way to meet your academic requirements and gain valuable experience at the same time.
Learn about course creditProgram fees
Applying for our Sea Turtle Conservation Internship is completely free! The support package covers the assistance we provide in finding your internship and arranging your living accommodations in your host country, ensuring you thrive during your program.
Please note that a deposit of US$499 is required to confirm your place. The remaining balance (minus your initial US$499 deposit) is due at least 60 days before your internship start date.
Duration |
Program Fee (USD) |
---|---|
4 weeks | $1,969 Equivalent to $70 /day |
5 weeks | $2,179 Equivalent to $62 /day |
6 weeks | $2,369 Equivalent to $56 /day |
8 weeks | $2,764 Equivalent to $49 /day |
10 weeks | $3,144 Equivalent to $44 /day |
12 weeks | $3,574 Equivalent to $42 /day |
16 weeks | $4,369 Equivalent to $39 /day |
20 weeks | $5,144 Equivalent to $36 /day |
24 weeks | $5,904 Equivalent to $35 /day |
- Airport pick-up
- Accommodation
- 24/7 in-country support
- Program orientation
- Dedicated support before, during, and after your internship
- In-country guidance for social and tourist activities
- Sourcing and securing your internship placement
- Personalization of your internship plan
- Coaching from your supervisor
- Documented portfolio of your experiential learnings
- Academic credit facilitation
- International reference letter
- Certificate of Internship Completion
- All meals
- All in-country transportation
- Visa (if required), flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check
- Transfer back to the airport at the end of your internship program
- Personal spending money for snacks, drinks, public transport, laundry, and leisure activities during your free time.
- A deposit of $499 (approximately 499) is required to secure your internship
- Balance of your Program Fee is due 70 days before your internship start date. The Program Fee payment can also be completed in installments through our Zero-Fee Payment Plan. Learn more.
- All payments attract a 5% transaction fee to cover international banking fees and currency charges.
- Terms and Conditions apply.
Activities and tourism
During the weekends, free time is available to relax, engage in tourism activities and explore other parts of Okinawa. Local internship hosts will be happy to give advice about top things to see and do, so that you can make the most of your experience. Favourite activities include visiting the beaches, hiking, and visiting cultural sites.
The region’s economy relies on tourism and Okinawa is considered to be a safe destination. The island’s population includes American military personnel and their families and this has served to introduce some elements of American culture (such as food and language) to Okinawa. For example, English is more commonly spoken in Okinawa, compared to other parts of Japan.
Despite Western or American influences, Okinawans have preserved their distinct traditions and there are various festivals to enjoy throughout the year.
Arrival and Orientation
Okinawa Sea Turtle Conservation internships begin every Monday of the month. This internship has limited capacity and we encourage interns to plan in advance, to secure your preferred internship dates.
Exceptions to this schedule may be made to this when start dates are shifted to avoid holiday disruptions, or closed when the program has already reached capacity.
Interns may choose to spend a minimum of 4 weeks, usually up to a maximum of 12 weeks. (A maximum duration of 24 weeks is available for certain nationalities, who can access alternative temporary visitor visa conditions).
Airport pick up and accommodation are included in the Program Fee. The accommodation is covered from the Friday night, before your chosen Monday start date. Extra nights of accommodation can be arranged, if required, but are subject to availability and must be reserved in advance.
The main port of entry for this internship is the Naha International Airport (OKA), in Okinawa. Upon arrival at the airport, interns will be provided with pre-arranged taxi transportation to the program accommodation. Travel time from the airport to the program accommodation, located in Yomitan (central Okinawa main island), is approximately 60-90 minutes, depending on traffic. (Via public bus, the transportation time is closer to 2 to 2.5 hours).
The last night of the accommodation is the Thursday night of your final week, leaving you free to depart on Friday. Return transportation to the airport is not included in the Program Fee.
Interns are asked not to book flights until your placement has first been confirmed.
Check what's required to visit Japan
Check out the widget below to learn about the visa requirements for the Sea Turtle Conservation internship in Japan, based on your country of residence.
Accommodation and WiFi
Interns in Okinawa are accommodated in a program sharehouse, located within the popular village of Yomitan (central Okinawa main island). Yomitan Village is a popular tourist destination, with clear skies, beautiful coastlines, rich cultural heritage, traditional craft markets, and Zakimi Castle Ruins.
The sharehouse accommodation is situated close to the coast, within walking distance of the sea turtle conservation office, and near to other urban amenities, such as bakeries, supermarkets, restaurants, laundromats, and pharmacies. With a good public transit network, many main sights are easy to reach. The main island has buses, shuttles, and a monorail, plus, taxis and rideshares are available.
The accommodation includes an equipped kitchen, spacious living area, garden, and large rooftop terrace. A washing machine is available. WiFi is available at the accommodation and internship participants may optionally purchase a local SIM card with data (you will need to ensure that your phone is unlocked for international use). The local team can assist you with this at the orientation, if need be.
There are two shared (dormitory style) rooms available, which are separated according to gender. Each room can accommodate up to 4 people (two bunk beds per room). Bathrooms are also shared - the room which is usually utilized for female guests has access to an en-suite bathroom with toilet. The other bathroom can be shared by either of the two bedrooms. The toilet is separate and accessible from the corridor.
Any alternative accommodation requests must be communicated to the Program Manager in advance.
Meals
Internships in Okinawa do not include meals. The program accommodation includes an equipped kitchenette, for guests to self-cater. Supermarkets are easily accessible.
As a “Blue Zone”, quality of food and life are ingrained in Okinawa culture. The word, “nuchigusui” refers to how Okinawan’s may describe their cuisine - meaning, “medicine of life”. During your stay, you can enjoy tropical fruits, freshly grown island vegetables, and a range of special local dishes which are unique to Okinawa.
The cost of food and dining in Okinawa can vary widely depending on where you choose to shop and dine. A weekly budget of US$250 is recommended for meals and considered to be sufficient. However, bear in mind that your weekly spending budget will be determined by your own personal spending habits and lifestyle choices, so please take this into consideration and plan accordingly.
Essential country information
Capital | Tokyo |
Population | 127 million |
Languages | Japanese |
Currency | Japanese Yen (JPY) |
Time zone | UTC+09:00 |
Weather and climate:
Okinawa has a humid subtropical climate and can experience rainfall year round.
Most resort beaches begin to open for swimming from March. The prime Spring month is April, when daytime temperatures average around 72°F / 23°C. April is also a great time to enjoy the beaches, while avoiding peak-season crowds. Swimming, diving, and snorkeling are all possible during the springtime but the water temperature is cooler (usually reaching about 71°F / 22°C in April).
From May, the weather begins to warm up for the Summer. There is a rainy season in late Spring; however, it rarely rains all day. The weather can be unpredictable in June, when the rainy season reaches its peak.
In Okinawa, August is the hottest month of the year, with strong sun and high humidity. Daytime temperatures average around 88°F / 31°C.
April through September is the approximate nesting season for sea turtles, so any interns joining the program during this period, intending to join beach patrol activities, should pack and prepare accordingly, with the climate in mind. (Beach controls can also take place year-round).
December is outside the peak travel season and the weather is relatively cool and dry. The temperature can vary. Some businesses may operate shorter business hours during January, and some beaches may be closed. While the winter weather temperatures are cool, the daytime temperatures are still usually around 63°F / 17°C, so it’s still possible to enjoy the outdoors comfortably.