Biological Research Volunteering in Greece

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Looking to apply your talent and expertise to a good cause? Find a program that matches your interests and skills through Volunteer World! We are the largest volunteer abroad comparison platform around the globe, enabling you to seek and compare offers from major travel agencies as well as smaller grassroots NGOs and local specialists in more than 80 countries. All these with just one click! Find projects in wildlife, teaching, community development, and several other areas. Simply choose your desired destination and desired travel date, and our search engine will compare the best volunteer abroad programs on your behalf. Whether you wish to gain experience at a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa or teach English at a monastery in Nepal, we've got you covered. Volunteer World guarantees a quick and easy application. We will guide you through this process, as well as help plan your next meaningful trip. We provide free access to quality-checked projects and flexible options. And if anything goes wrong, we've got your back with our qualified support team and our refund guarantee.

Are you interested in collaborating with a local community, focusing on the development of a permaculture initiative as well as protection of biodiversity in an off-the-beaten location known for its global importance? In that case, sign up for a Sustainable Development Program - a field volunteer program that aims to help educate and inspire people from around the world about sustainability and nature conservation. It is based in the Kalamos Island biological field station, and you will work according to a pre-agreed plan. Throughout the program, you will immerse in one of the few grassroots biodiversity conservation projects in Greece, in an area of outstanding natural beauty. You will gain hands-on experience in monitoring wildlife and plant populations as well as in the field of permaculture and sustainability in a Mediterranean but also international context.You will also get to see how it is like to be part of an organization working towards achieving a variety of sustainability goals and be part of a multicultural environment and at the same time be a member of the local community of our islands.

Join conservation efforts along the west coast of Greece, where GVI partners with a local organisation to protect loggerhead turtles and their breeding sites. You will monitor nests and turtles, build protective structures, and collect data. With your assistance, the growing awareness of these turtles will lead to better protection for them, ensuring more hatchlings join the population each year. Combine your conservation efforts with learning about the arts and culture of the country. Traverse archaeological sites, medieval ruins, fortresses, and learn about ancient olympic history. Or, develop your palate with local dishes before exploring nearby mountain terrain and heading back to your beachside campsite for the night’s nesting activities. With short- and mid-term contributions, you are supporting the long-term goal of the project, and assisting in measuring our contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including: Goal 14: Life Below Water, Goal 15: Life On Land, Goal 17: Partnerships For Goals, and Goal 11: Sustainable Cities And Communities.

Do you want to be part of an international crew aboard and help with data collection underwater? We will teach you the necessary skillset for habitat mapping, species Identification and mapping of their distribution, and spotting Marine Megafauna, such as dolphins, whales, and turtles. As a volunteer aboard, you will be a part of the research team, which means snorkeling, measuring seagrass meadows, looking for species, taking pictures and videos of all the different organisms you see, and learning to identify them! While sailing, you will also be standing watches—spotting whales and dolphins and trying to take the best possible pictures of them for Photo Identification with our partner organizations. You will be living aboard a 21m sailing boat with up to 9 more people, giving everyone enough space to find a quiet corner when needed but also enough social areas to live and work together. During your stay, we generally move every other day for a 4-5 hour sail to the next location, which gives us enough time to map and check the underwater world in each location properly and have a look onshore as well if wanted.

Since 2009, Gaia Research Institute has been dedicated to marine conservation and cetaceans monitoring in the Mediterranean Sea. This summer camp offers a unique opportunity to take part in a real-world research project focusing on the observation and conservation of dolphins in a very ecologically important marine area. This course is designed to provide participants with the theoretical foundation and hands-on experience necessary to understand and contribute to dolphin research and marine biodiversity protection. Through direct involvement in data collection, analysis, and outreach activities, participants will work directly alongside experienced marine biologists in the field, taking part in boat and land-based surveys, data entry and analysis sessions. It’s more than just an educational program—it’s a chance to join a passionate scientific community working toward protecting marine life in a region facing increasing ecological pressure. Whether you are studying marine biology, pursuing a career in environmental science, or simply passionate about dolphins and the sea, this program offers a meaningful experience in the heart of the Ionian Greek Sea.

Do you want to soak up the natural beauty of the Greek Islands while contributing to the conservation of one of its most beloved marine inhabitants? Join our research-based sea turtle protection project on the island of Kefalonia for an experience you won’t soon forget. Choose between our two project sites in Lixouri and Argostoli — or visit them both! Each location offers exciting opportunities to engage in data collection and conservation work among a diverse team of international researchers and volunteers. Start your day with a sunrise bicycle ride to the beach or a visit to the sea turtle residents at Argostoli harbor to collect data and observe their behavior. Spend the afternoon listening to a researcher's presentation on important conservation themes or cooling off in the Ionian Sea. Finish the evening with a beach profile survey, with fellow volunteers at trivia night, or on the beach awaiting female turtles to come ashore and lay their eggs. The activities are designed to allow volunteers to experience many different elements of sea turtle conservation, among the beautiful backdrop of the Kefalonian coast.