Learn about Sea Turtles on Koh Tao
Sea Turtle Awareness Specialty Course Koh Tao
Become aware of the plight of the Sea turtles in our oceans, become a marine protector and help to increase awareness and spread the word.
Six of the seven species of sea turtles are threatened or endangered with many sea turtles facing mortal danger from a variety of threats as they travel the oceans.
Sea Turtle Awareness
Threats to their existence include entanglement in fishing nets, ocean pollution including plastic, illegal poaching and the destruction of their nesting and feeding sites to coastal development.
Our hope is that by completing the Sea Turtle Awareness distinctive specialty course, you will be more aware of the plight of Sea Turtles as a scuba diver and snorkeler.
Plight of Sea Turtles in our Oceans
Your help is needed to make an active contribution to their conservation, helping to spread the word, make your friends and family aware and inspire others to get involved.
Increase your awareness of the plight of Sea Turtles in our Oceans with the Sea Turtle Awareness specialty course and learn how to help.
Koh Tao Sea Turtle Awareness Course
The Sea Turtle Awareness specialty course on Koh Tao includes:
- Sea Turtle Identification key
- Project AWARE Ten Ways a Dive Can Protect the Underwater Environment
- Project AWARE’s Top Ten Tips for Photographers
- 2 Open Water training dives or snorkeling sessions
- PADI Certification card
- Rental of all scuba equipment
- FREE use of Dive Computer
- Log book
- Maximum 4 students per PADI Instructor
- Black Turtle Dive customer (and environmental) promise
To enrol on a Sea Turtle Awareness distinctive specialty course you must:
- Be an Open Water diver
- Have recent diving experience – we recommend completing a scuba review if you have not dived for 12 months
- 10 years of age or older
- Medically fit to dive
1 Day Sea Turtle Awareness Specialty course
The course consists of two sections:
Knowledge Development
- Attend the ‘Sea Turtle Awareness’ presentation
- Understand the five major hazards to marine turtles
- Understand the Sea Turtle Identification key
- Sea Turtle conservation
Open Water training – 2 Open Water dives
Sea Turtle Awareness Specialty Course Cost: 6,000 baht
At Black Turtle Dive we take our customer promise very seriously. All courses are conducted with a maximum of 4 students per PADI Instructor.
Our Diving Instructors are highly trained and will ensure you receive lots of attention and most importantly, progress at your own pace in a relaxed environment.
During your training we will slowly build your confidence and ability as you develop the skills and knowledge necessary to become a marine protector and Sea Turtle Awareness diver.
Sea Turtle Awareness Specialty Course Schedule
The Sea Turtle Awareness course schedule at Black Turtle Dive is flexible and we can work around your own personal needs and timeframe.
Please ask us about any special requests you have either via email or on one of the messenger apps on this page.
Course Schedule
Day 1:
09.00 – 11.30: Orientation & Knowledge Development
12.30 – 17.00: Sea Turtle Awareness training dives 1 & 2
You are now a certified Sea Turtle Awareness Diver.
Sea Turtle Awareness Specialty Course Information
Orientation & Knowledge Development
We start the Sea Turtle Awareness distinctive course at 09.00 with an Orientation that includes completion of some paperwork and the PADI Medical statement.
The Sea Turtle Awareness distinctive course consists of 2 training dives.
There is also a Sea Turtle Identification key for you to familiarize yourself which has species descriptions and diagrams to help you correctly identify the different species of sea turtles.
Ten Ways a Diver Can Protect the Underwater Environment
You must also understand Project AWARE’s Ten Ways a Diver Can Protect the Underwater Environment.
The Instructor led knowledge development is conducted during the morning of day 1.
Some of the subjects you will cover include:
- The Ecosystem and the role of Sea Turtles within the Marine Ecosystem
- The seven species of Sea Turtles, their habitats and population status
- Issues related to population decline of Sea Turtles including the five major hazards to marine turtles – read more at: IUCN-SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group Organisation
- Key characteristics of the Sea Turtles found in the waters around Koh Tao
- Responsible dive and snorkel practices when swimming with a sea turtle
- How to promote Sea Turtle conservation
Sea Turtle Awareness Dives – Be a Marine Protector
There are 2 Open Water training dives to complete to become a Sea Turtle Awareness Diver.
Sea Turtle Awareness training dive 1
During your first Sea Turtle Awareness dive we will start by ensuring your buoyancy skills are good enough to be a proficient marine protector.
Your Specialty Instructor will ask you to demonstrate your ability to remain neutrally buoyant without touching the bottom or any other sensitive parts of the marine environment.
We will also ask you to perform an exemplary hover for at least a minute.
Once we are happy your buoyancy is good enough to participate we will continue with Sea Turtle awareness tasks and objectives.
With your buddy or Instructor we want you to assess the dive site for areas where sea turtle sightings are possible and observe hazards within potential sea turtle habitat.
Sea Turtle Sightings
If we do see turtles feeding, record the food source and turtle species – including diagrams of any unfamiliar turtles species.
Throughout the entire dive we will be responsibly cleaning up any debris we encounter.
After the dive your Instructor will conduct a debriefing where we will discuss any turtle activity or feeding habits that we observed and responsible disposal of any rubbish collected.
Throughout the dive you will be expected to demonstrate appropriate and responsible diving practices and behaviours to minimise negative environmental effects.
Sea Turtle Awareness training dive 2
During your second Sea Turtle Awareness dive we will be locating and identifying sea turtles and noting down their behavior, any injuries they may display and any other distinctive identification markings they may have.
You will record any sightings on your slate, including diagrams and descriptions of any unfamiliar sea turtle species.
Again, you will safely pick up any marine debris you encounter during the dive.
After the dive, you will discuss any turtle activity or feeding habits observed and assist in identification of any observed turtles as well as discuss responsible disposal of rubbish collected.
Congratulations. You are now a certified Sea Turtle Awareness Diver.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Sea Turtle Awareness conservation course on Koh Tao?
Our Sea Turtle Awareness specialty course is designed to increase your awareness of the plight of Sea Turtles and provide you with a better understanding so that you can help.
Your help is needed to make an active contribution to their conservation, by helping to spread the word, make your friends and family aware and inspire others to get involved.
How long is the Sea Turtle Awareness conservation course for on Koh Tao?
Our specialty course is a 1-day course that starts in the morning at 08:00 and completes at approximately 5pm.
Morning sessions start with a course presentation session and we discuss the outline of the course and include the following subjects:
- The Ecosystem and the role of Sea Turtles within the Marine Ecosystem
- The seven species of Sea Turtles, their habitats and population status
- Issues related to population decline of Sea Turtles including the five major hazards to marine turtles
- Key characteristics of the Sea Turtles found in the waters around Koh Tao
- Responsible dive and snorkel practices when swimming with a sea turtle
- How to promote Sea Turtle conservation
What is the cost of Sea Turtle Awareness conservation course on Koh Tao?
Sea Turtle Awareness conservation course costs 6,000 baht that includes PADI certification, all scuba or snorkeling equipment and the supporting materials for the course.
The course consists of an instructor led presentation followed by practical sessions in the Ocean as we go and find Sea Turtles in popular areas of Koh Tao.
How to enrol on Sea Turtle Awareness conservation course on Koh Tao?
To enrol you will need to complete our paperwork and medical questionnaire.
For the Ocean sessions and Sea Turtle Identification you will need to be a scuba diver with minimum Open Water certification and be at least 10 years of age.
Alternatively, if you are a non diver, you can complete the course with snorkeling sessions alongside our experienced instructor.
There are supporting materials that you will need to review during the course and you can book the course online in advance with a course deposit.
What is the minimum age for Sea Turtle Awareness conservation course on Koh Tao?
You must be at least 10 years of age to participate in the Sea Turtle Awareness conservation specialty course on Koh Tao.
If you are a non-diver, the in-water Sea Turtle identification session, can be completed with an extended snorkeling session in a bay known to be popular with Sea Turtles.
Our 1-day Sea Turtle Awareness course on Koh Tao is an excellent complimentary course for aspiring marine conservationists.
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