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Khmer Ocean Life

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4.7 / 5Overall Rating
3Reviews
1Program
2023Year established

About Khmer Ocean Life

Khmer Ocean Life (KOL) stands as a committed organization devoted to the preservation of Cambodia's marine and coastal environments, with a particular focus on marine megafauna. Their core mission involves a range of initiatives, including ongoing research and monitoring, capacity development, cooperation with local fishing communities to empower them in conservation endeavors, and the dissemination of awareness through outreach programs.

By adopting a comprehensive strategy that combines conservation and community involvement, Khmer Ocean Life aspires to safeguard and sustain Cambodia's marine megafauna and their natural habitats. Their dedicated efforts are aimed at ensuring the perpetuity of these invaluable ecosystems for the benefit of future generations.

It's crucial to highlight that all these activities are conducted in close partnership with the Fisheries Administration of the Royal Government of Cambodia, illustrating their commitment to collaborative and effective conservation.

Khmer Ocean Life Reviews

Hear what past participants have to say about Khmer Ocean Life

4.7
3 reviews

Rating breakdown

5
2
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
0

Top categories

Volunteer Placement
5.0
Community Engagement
5.0
Program Administration
4.7
Day to Day Life
4.7
Health & Safety
3.3
Living Situation
3.0

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Showing 1-3 of 3 reviews

Camee KnopsNetherlands · April 2024
From: Marine Mammal Research Assistant and Conservationist

An one of a kind experience!

I had a great experience collaborating with Khmer Ocean Life (KOL) for the project “Drones as an innovative solution to estimate the population size of the Irrawaddy dolphin in coastal Cambodia”. Their team is very passionate and dedicated, making them a pleasure to work with! KOL truly embodies inclusive and sustainable conservation, which makes me proud to have collaborated with them. I am excited to see all the positive impacts they will make in the future!

Photos

Samuel HaslamUnited Kingdom · November 2023
From: Marine Mammal Research Assistant and Conservationist

Loved every minute of it!

Can’t explain how much of a great time I've had at Khmer Ocean Life. From the lovely team, both Khmer and Western, to the surveys, outreach, language lessons, days out and dinners together. Ive learned so much and my time there was invaluable! I lived separately from the house as I am slightly older, however, having new people regularly join from all over the world and from different walks of life, each bringing something unique and their own set of skills is something KOL does brilliantly. Keep up the good work!

Photos

Olivia PagottoAustralia · August 2023
From: Marine Mammal Research Assistant and Conservationist

Immersive and empowering!

The team at Khmer Ocean Life (KOL) is an absolute delight to work with. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to further develop my skills and contribute to KOL's important conservation work, research, and community outreach in Cambodia. I really enjoyed the ecological surveys of marine wildlife and being able to immerse myself in Cambodian (Khmer) culture by working closely with coastal communities and the KOL Khmer team. This was an experience that I will undoubtedly cherish forever.

Photos

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Frequently Asked Questions

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What would a day or week as an intern / volunteer at KOL look like?

The schedule at Khmer Ocean Life is often dictated by the weather, our ecological surveys are best performed when the wind is least strong. However, a rough idea of activities per week are:

- Land-based marine mammal survey

- Boat-based marine mammal surveys

- Data entry and data proofing

- Photo-ID

- Content creation for social media

- Research for future KOL plans

- Grant research and applications

- Personal project work

- Outreach in schools

What activities are there to do after work or at the weekend?

Kampot is a chilled but fun riverside town, it is a very local place to spend time and has many delicious restaurants to choose from. Some activities you might wish to do on your days off are:

- Visit Bokor Hill Station
- Kayak on the river
- Visit a spa for a massage
- Browse the local markets
- Karaoke - a Khmer favorite
- Visit a pepper plantation. Kampot is famous for it's pepper

- Take a moto to a waterfall

- A local cooking class

- Visit a cave

What is the team accommodation like?

Khmer Ocean Life is based in Kampot, near to the river and a walkable distance from the town. The accommodation is very comfortable and has the following:

  • One main office/workspace in the communal area
  • One fully fitted kitchen where you can cook your own meals if you wish
  • Three bedrooms (shared)
  • Two bathrooms with hot showers
  • A balcony with hammocks
  • A washing machine for laundry
  • Air conditioning and fans
  • Bedding
  • Cooking utensils
  • Internet access

Khmer Ocean Life Interviews

Read interviews from alumni or staff

Rose Ellis

Rose Ellis

Interviewed in 2024

Staff

Rose is the on-the-ground project team leader at Khmer Ocean Life. She has a BSc in Physical Geography from King's College London and extensive experi...

I was inspired to create Khmer Ocean Life because I want to have as much of a conservation impact as I can. Cambodia's marine world is very understudied and there are big knowledge gaps in the scientific community. This makes our research even more important as we find out new things that have never been studied before.

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