Marine Conservation Internship Koh Tao
Koh Tao Marine Conservation Internship Program
The Black Turtle Dive Conservation Internship program gives recreational scuba divers the opportunity to acquire the foundational knowledge necessary to understand our fragile marine ecosystem.
Our excellent program is structured, educational, flexible and practical offering students a great way to learn more about how a coral reef functions and the threats the living reef and marine environment faces.
Learn how a Coral Reef functions
Our Conservation Internship program will provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary to become a passionate advocate for marine protection and conservation efforts worldwide.
As an active and valued participant in our program, the knowledge and skills you acquire, will ensure you can get more involved in a range of citizen science initiatives and be able to make a worthy and measurable contribution.
You will better understand how you can help and become part of the solution, learn how to monitor the health of a coral reef, collect important data and add it to a database for marine scientists to use.
Scuba Diving Conservation Internship Koh Tao
Our Internship is the perfect starting point for any scuba diver who wishes to further their education in the field of marine science and conservation.
The Conservation Internship consists of several modules, each designed as an introduction to a specific subject, which provides foundational knowledge, whilst making it clear there is a lot more to learn.
This is a valuable Internship for scuba divers who want to educate themselves more and serves as an excellent pre-cursor to individuals who are planning to continue their education in the marine science, ecology or marine ecosystem sectors.
Our Koh Tao Conservation Internship Modules
The educational, workshop and practical modules you will cover in the Black Turtle Dive Conservation Internship program are:
- The Importance of Coral Reefs
- What is Coral
- Marine Ecosystems and the bio-diversity balance
- Sharks & Rays in Peril
- The threats our Coral Reefs are facing
- The Plastic & Marine debris problem
- The plight of the Sea Turtle
- How to monitor Coral Reef health
- Artificial Dive Sites
- Coral Propagation
Each module has a classroom presentation, discussion, review and a corresponding scuba dive related to each topic.
The Conservation Internship on Koh Tao is designed to be completed over 14 days and includes 12 scuba dives.
Conservation Internship Cost: 30,000 THB
Included in the Conservation Internship Program
- 12 training dives at different dive sites on Koh Tao
- CoralWatch Coral Health Chart Distinctive certification
- PADI certification
- Rental of all scuba equipment
- FREE use of Dive Computer
- Log book
- Maximum 4 students per PADI Dive Instructor
- Black Turtle Dive Customer (and environmental) promise
To enroll on a Black Turtle Dive Conservation Internship program you must:
- Be an an Advanced Open Water diver or Open Water diver with a minimum of 10 logged dives
- If Open Water Diver with minimal dives, PPB Specialty (Buoyancy Workshop) required
- Have recent diving experience – we recommend completing a scuba review if you have not dived for 12 months
- 12 years of age or older
- Medically fit to dive
- Have an interest in Conservation, Marine Conservation and scuba diving
Koh Tao Conservation Internship Information
Our 14-day conservation internship program is intensive and students need to be attentive, focused and be prepared to commit to the program timeline.
We do understand that itineraries and plans can change without notice, so we offer flexibility and can re-schedule modules over a period of time based on the needs of each candidate.
Each presentation module is designed to increase your awareness plus educate you on the significance and importance of each subject and how they relate to one another.
Knowledge presentations will be followed by a land or marine based practical session and depending on the type of activity being conducted, the session will be followed by measurement, reporting or an evaluation session.
Conservation Internship Artificial Dive Sites Koh Tao
Junkyard Reef Koh Tao
As one of the founding partners of perhaps the most famous Artificial dive site on Koh Tao – Junkyard Reef, our team has extensive knowledge of the role these types of dive sites have in alleviating pressure on local natural Coral Reefs.
Junkyard Reef is a success story and a flourishing Artificial dive site located approximately 500 metres off the west coast of Koh Tao, near Mae Haad.
Junkyard Reef was first conceptualised and established in 2006 with the sinking of its first structure and over the next few years, founding partners Nathan Cook, Matt Bolton and a team of volunteers began the process of expanding the site.
Established in 2006
Donations of unused equipment and welded structures from local businesses, enabled the team to expand Junkyard Reef, which soon began attracting a wide variety of marine life in search of a new home.
Over the years the Junkyard Reef project has benefited from working alongside Bangkok University and the DMCR with the establishment of Coral Nurseries, a Giant Clam project, plus welded structures and underwater art installations.
The current team managing the project are working closely with the DMCR to ensure new initiatives and expansion plans are in accordance with stringent new regulations set out by the DMCR.
Flourishing Artificial Dive Site
Junkyard Reef is now a flourishing Artificial dive site, visited daily by dive operators to educate their divers on the value of marine conservation initiatives.
Our Conservation Internship program will conduct practical sessions at Junkyard Reef to ensure our students can educationally benefit from this amazing local voluntary project.
Buoyancy World Artificial Dive Site Koh Tao
Another of the Artificial dive site success stories on Koh Tao is Buoyancy World, located next to the very popular dive site called Twins Pinnacles just off the south west coast of Koh Nang Yuan island.
Buoyancy World is essentially a sandy seabed to the north of Twins Pinnacles dive site with an assortment of well-established artificial structures scattered underwater on the seabed that attract a healthy habitat for various marine life.
The dive site provides divers with a great educational resource whilst scuba diving and our Conservation interns can expect to benefit from practical fun and adventure dives to document and discuss the various observations witnessed during their dives.
Shark Bay Koh Tao – Marine Life Awareness
Shark Bay is situated on the south, south east corner of Koh Tao and is an excellent location for us to conduct our Sea Turtle & Shark Awareness in-water practical sessions.
A popular bay for sightings of our resident Green Sea Turtles and Baby Black Tip Reef Sharks, we are able to conduct in-water sessions with our Conservation Internship students in a fun, educational and relaxed way.
Sea Turtles & Black Tip Reef Sharks
Shark Bay is visited daily by local snorkel tour operators to provide their customers with an opportunity to see Sea Turtles in their natural habitat.
Benefits of a Conservation Internship Koh Tao
Our 14-day conservation internship program provides students with real insights into the issues that the marine environment faces in the modern day.
It provides our students with valuable educational learning combined with in-water sessions that are packed with knowledge, fun and adventure.
Marine Conservation Courses Koh Tao
If you are a certified scuba diver with a passion for the Ocean and the marine environment, our specialty conservation courses will leave you wanting more.
In addition to our core 14-day intensive Conservation Internship program, we offer a range of independent marine conservation certification courses and educational awareness workshops.
If you are a certified scuba diver who has not dived for a while, we will conduct a scuba review to refresh your dive skills before we start the in-water conservation courses.
Refresh your Scuba Diving Skills
Koh Tao is the perfect destination for individuals who are interested in all aspects of Scuba Diving, Conservation, Marine Conservation and Land Based Conservation initiatives.
We hope you will come and join us and assist in creating a more sustainable world through our intensive Conservation Internship program.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the price of a Marine Conservation Internship Koh Tao?
Cost of our Conservation Internship is THB 30,000.
It is a 14-day program that includes several classroom presentations, discussions and practical workshops, both in-water and land-based.
During the conservation internship, you will complete 12 training dives at a variety of Koh Tao’s dive sites.
Accommodation is not included in the price however, we can offer rooms at discounted rates at our partner hotel Ananda Villa Koh Tao, which is located on the beach.
How long does a Koh Tao Marine Conservation Internship take to complete?
Our Conservation Internship is designed as a 14-day program and throughout the program you will complete 12 scuba dives around Koh Tao.
There are 10 different conservation topics that will be covered through a number of classroom presentations and practical workshops.
Each presentation module is designed to increase your awareness and educate you on the significance and importance of each subject and how they relate to one another.
What is a Marine Conservation Internship in Koh Tao?
Our Conservation Internship includes a number of educational lectures, workshops and practical workshops, both land-based and in the water.
There are 10 topics that will be discussed as part of the Conservation Internship:
- The Importance of Coral Reefs
- What is Coral
- Marine Ecosystems and the bio-diversity balance
- Sharks & Rays in Peril
- The threats our Coral Reefs are facing
- The Plastic & Marine debris problem
- The plight of the Sea Turtle
- How to monitor Coral Reef health
- Artificial Dive Sites
- Coral Propagation
Do I need to be a scuba diver to enrol in a Koh Tao Marine Conservation Internship?
We ask for a minimum certification of Advanced Open Water to enrol on the Conservation Internship, although we accept Open Water Divers with a minimum of 10 logged dives.
If you are not currently at Advanced Open Water level, we can complete the PADI Advanced Open Water course before the start of the internship and for this you need to add an extra 2 days.
If it has been a while since your last dive, we can complete a Scuba Review before the start of your internship or you can sign up for our Buoyancy Lab Fluid Mechanics workshop.
Do I get a certificate when I finish the Marine Conservation Internship?
Within the Conservation Internship program, you will complete 2 certification courses.
The first one is the CoralWatch Coral Health Chart Distinctive certification. CoralWatch use a simple, easy to use, non-invasive and inexpensive method to monitor coral bleaching events and the overall health of coral reefs.
The second certification is the PADI Dive Against Debris specialty certification to become a certified Dive Against Debris survey diver.
You will also receive a certificate of completion detailing each completed module of our Marine Conservation Program.
What is the minimum age for a Marine Conservation Internship in Koh Tao?
The minimum age to enrol in the Conservation Internship is 12 years of age.
More importantly, candidates need to have an interest in conservation, both land-based and marine based and a passion for scuba diving.
Our Conservation Internship program is structured, educational, flexible and practical offering students a great way to learn more about how a coral reef functions and the threats the living reef and marine environment faces.
Where can I learn more about Marine Conservation in Koh Tao?
There are several courses available for scuba divers that are interested in marine conservation and most courses take between 1-3 days to complete.
If you have the time and a genuine passion for conservation, you can enrol in our 14-day Conservation Internship.
Our conservation internship will educate you in 10 different topics through classroom presentations, workshops and practical workshops, which will take place both on land and in the sea.
How many dives will I do in a Koh Tao Marine Conservation Internship?
Throughout our Conservation Internship you will do 12 training dives.
Each dive will relate to a different topic that was covered in the classroom presentations and structured discussions.
During the dives you will get the opportunity to visit some of Koh Tao’s Artificial reef projects.
On top of the dives, you will partake in several land-based conservation activities and workshops.
Will the Koh Tao Marine Conservation Program teach me how to monitor Coral Reef Health?
During the Marine Conservation Program, we teach you how to use the Coral Health Chart, which is a method developed by the University of Queensland to monitor Coral Health around the world.
The chart standardizes changes in Coral colours and provides a simple tool to monitor Coral colour as an indicator of Coral health.
We also show you how to upload your survey data to the Coral Watch global database that helps scientists better understand Coral reefs, Coral bleaching and Climate change.
What are the start dates for the Marine Conservation program on Koh Tao?
We can start the Marine Conservation program any day. With a standard schedule of 12 days with at least 1 or 2 days off, the program can be shortened to 8 days with additional evening knowledge development sessions after our afternoon dives.
We tailor our Marine Conservation program around the needs of each candidate, their interests and timeframe.
The modular training program gives you the flexibility to take days off if you prefer a more relaxed approach or it can be completed over weekends.
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