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Join researchers in a rare tropical fjord on Costa Rica’s southern Pacific coast as you study how floating marine debris is affecting dolphins, sea turtles, and other marine life. Your discoveries will help scientists develop conservation strategies to protect one of the world’s most biodiverse marine environments.

Golfo Dulce, one of only a few tropical fjords in the world, is a sanctuary for marine wildlife—from bottlenose dolphins and humpback whales to sea turtles and sea snakes. Surrounded by lush tropical rainforest, its calm, nutrient-rich waters provide an ideal habitat for countless species. But its unique geography also makes it a natural collection point for marine debris, a growing concern as tourism, agriculture, and development expand in the region.

For more than a decade, researchers and �������� volunteers have studied the behavior, health, and habitat use of marine mammals in Golfo Dulce, revealing its vital role as a nursery and feeding ground. Now, the project is entering a new phase—exploring the impacts of “debris rafts,” floating patches of organic material and man-made waste, and the surprising ways marine animals interact with them.

You’ll assist scientists in tracking how these debris rafts influence dolphin feeding behavior, sea turtle movement, and plastic ingestion rates. Through boat-based surveys, behavioral observations, and debris analysis, you’ll help piece together the complex relationship between human-generated waste and marine ecosystems.

The data you collect will help fill crucial gaps in our understanding of how pollution is reshaping ocean life in this pristine region. Your work will directly contribute to science-based conservation efforts aimed at preserving the extraordinary biodiversity of Golfo Dulce before the impacts of tourism and pollution become irreversible.