On the Expedition

Protect endangered black sea turtles by helping scientists learn more about these fascinating seafarers at their feeding grounds in Mexico.

You’ll work from small boats and sea kayaks on the blue tropical waters of the San Ignacio Lagoon, surrounded by the Mexican desert of Baja California Sur. You'll spend your days on the water, helping researchers search for, track, and observe the behavior of these black sea turtles. You’ll also assist with capturing turtles to collect data on their size and weight, track them using sonar, and perform seabed biodiversity sampling with a small remotely-operated submersible vehicle.

In your recreational time, you can hike along the beach or into the desert, kayak through nearby mangroves, or visit the shops and see the artwork of the local village. The area hosts blue, orca, and humpback whales, plus dolphins, sea lions, and a variety of other marine species. Avid birdwatchers should bring along binoculars - the region is aflutter with bird life!

Meals and Accommodations

You’ll sleep in cabañas in a breezy wilderness camp right on the shores of San Ignacio Lagoon. You'll eat tasty Mexican and Baja cuisine prepared by the project staff and served in an open thatched hut, or palapa, where you can engage in evening discussions about the project and the region. Solar-heated showers are available every other day due to a limited fresh water supply; you’ll have access to both flush and composting latrines.

About the Research Area

The project is based at a wilderness camp on the shore of San Ignacio lagoon in Baja California Sur, Mexico. The camp is located in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve at the edge of a coastal desert which is surprisingly rich in diversity. The coastal air brings moisture into the desert, so many of the salt-tolerant plants are able to eke out a living in the sandy soil. The low-lying areas at the interface between desert and lagoon feature extensive mangroves – densely packed shrub-like trees teeming with both plant and animal life. The research will be conducted within the lagoon and the coastal waters of Baja California from Punta Abreojos to San Juanico. Sea turtles are distributed throughout the research area, making different uses of its various areas and their attributes.