Zambratija, a small seaside village in Croatia, is located on the northern coast of the Istrian peninsula, within the Adriatic Sea. It is home to the bottlenose dolphin, a common species of dolphin, which has become increasingly threatened due to climate change and human activities such as overfishing and poaching in recent years. During this 11-day trip – which can be extended according to volunteers’ availability and individual travel plans – volunteer travelers will be directly involved in dolphin conservation through professional data collection and analysis, while working with the only organization in the region that conducts dolphin research. For 8 out of the 11 days, travelers will spend up to 6 hours out at sea, conducting field research and gaining valuable hands-on experience with the dolphins. At the research base, volunteers will then analyze the data collected from the fieldwork and enter them into the main catalog. During the first few days, volunteers will also attend morning lectures on topics such as efforts of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in marine conservation. Travelers will also have the opportunity to participate in a complimentary excursion, which, in the past, has involved visiting Brijuni National Park, a group of 14 islands famous for their archeological sites and scenic panoramas, or Kamenjak National Park, a beautiful nature park located in the southernmost part of Istria.
This minimum 11-day volunteer trip starts at $1,450 per person and includes accommodation, food, airport transfers and 24/7 GoEco support.