Saving Dolphins on Vacation

It's early. Some would say too early, especially while on vacation. The golden rays of the Greek morning sun spill into the modest room along with sounds of the tiny seashore village coming to life--dogs barking, seabirds squawking to returning fishing boats, the music of the local Greeks rising above a hush. I roll over in my bunk to see my fellow volunteers pulling themselves into the morning. A few days ago we were strangers, but now we feel like long lost family. We are on a mission together--out to save bottlenose dolphins with the Tethys Research Institute.

"I'm coming," I say. "No, I won't forget my sunscreen."

Within the hour, our research zodiac is skimming along the mirrored surface of the Amvrakikos Gulf in Western Greece. Tethys Research Institute scientist Joan Gonzalvo is at the helm as all eyes scan the sea for swarming seabirds over churning water, distant fins cutting the surface or, if we're lucky, a bottlenose dolphin in full flight on the horizon.

"Dolphins out, 2 o'clock, 150 meters, No. 3 and maybe a calf," someone yells.

We are off. The excitement is palpable, especially from Gonzalvo who has experienced sightings like this thousands of times in his 11 years working here, a show of the dedicated passion of a field scientist. He loves this place and these dolphins. He, among others, is dedicating his life's work to saving them.

Two hours fly by as we follow our dolphin friends, recording data on numbers, social interactions, feeding behavior and photographing them for identification later. It is not fun and games but serious work done with precision. Later onshore, we sip a late morning drink in an outdoor café as we share stories like kindred spirits. It's hard not to feel overwhelmed. First, we have been privy to the home of these wild bottlenose dolphins, the rhythmic puff of their blowholes as they surface for air, their curious eyes as they playfully bow ride in front of us. Second, we have done something to help in the survival of their world. Could a vacation get any better?

This isn't my first time as an eco-volunteer. I have waddled around rehabilitating injured penguins in South Africa and trekked the pre-dawn Borneo rainforest on the trail of elusive wild orangutans. Richard and Elaine from England, fellow volunteers on the dolphin trip, have been part of 25 Earthwatch expeditions including ones tracking elephants and another lions in Africa, monitoring sea turtles in Baja, Calif. and Costa Rica and counting small mammals in eastern Canada.

How did we get these fabulous opportunities, you ask? Do you need special training? Can anyone volunteer? The answer is, yes, you can have these life-changing experiences, and it is easier than you think.

For those wanting to start with baby steps, Nature.org has lots of eco-volunteer opportunities close to home, or contact scientific organizations such as Tethys Research Institute, whose research interest includes whales and dolphins of the Mediterranean. Enkosini needs  volunteers working with wildlife in South Africa. On a broader note, Earthwatch Institute, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to important hands-on environmental science and conservation, provides volunteers to 65 research projects in 35 countries around the world. Their focus is on climate change, cultural heritage, ecosystem services and oceans. They have it all: mammals of the Mongolian Steppe, jaguars of Brazil, whales and dolphins of the Hebrides--even New York City wildlife! There are also family and teen volunteer trips available. Can you think of a better way to show your children the value of the rainforest?

You just pay your dues, though, a modest sum when you consider your keep and support the research (all tax deductible), then show up and prepare to be amazed. Within days you are collecting samples, logging data and conversing with the scientist and research assistants, who have taught you all this, like an old pro. For those of us who love the natural world, the chance to see wildlife in its native environment, to meet the researchers, to learn and contribute to an understanding of conservation issues is worth every penny.

And our involvement provides more than much needed financial and manpower resources to these vital science projects. With the influx of volunteers from all over the world, locals sense the importance of conserving their unique animal and marine resources. Armed with our newfound knowledge we can head home and spread the word to further the cause. It is a win-win all the way around.

But back to my day. We end another amazing dolphin sighting, identifying them and logging our data on the computer. Sitting with Gonzalvo and my family of fellow volunteers around the communal wooden table over simple local food we have prepared--the freshest tomatoes, bread and olives I can remember tasting--we share our lives. We ask questions about dolphins and science, share stories, and oh, how we laugh! We now know that this peaceful place of dolphins exists. We know that dedicated scientists like Gonzalvo are here to battle the issues that threaten them. And most of all, we know that our little bit of effort is making a difference.

As I feel each time I leave my eco-volunteer experience, I am changed and I have just had the best vacation ever.

Read more about the Dolphins of Greece project here.

This story originally appeared at Tonic.com.

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