The Croc Banks Paying Volunteer Programme helps support the Project including the protection and research for conservation of endangered herpetofauna, and environmental education programmes - both urban and rural.
The programme is open to those special people who have the vision, commitment and enthusiasm to actively support the conservation of Reptiles, one of the most sadly misunderstood group of animals on the planet. Accomodation space is limited, so only a few applicants will be selected.
If you want to be part of our conservation work contact us NOW.
What you can expect to do at the Croc Bank:
Lend a hand to Animal Keepers by pen cleaning every morning between 7 am and 8.30 am !!!
Aid Reptile Handlers at the young reptiles section & Interact with visitors !!!
Help Animal Keepers with food preparation and feeding turtles and tortoises, Crocs & Snakes !!!
Learn reptile handling, management and husbandry from Croc Bank Staff with 25 years experience !!!
Work on short-term study projects on reptile behavior and habits. !!!
Croc nesting, egg laying, egg collection and incubation, processing and weighing
(February to April)
Hatchling measuring, weighing, sexing, and transferring
(May to September)
Catch up on the latest in Herp and other wildlife literature at the Croc Bank Library – one of the largest Herpetology Libraries in Asia !!! Help with filing, scanning and reference work.
* Spend a few days at the Croc Bank’s Research Base – ANET, in the pristine Andaman and Nicobar Islands by paying only local travel costs extra (airfare and other local transport) !!!
Help develop and enact conservation-based stories for the Croc Bank’s Puppet Theatre !!!
(during the turtle season from November to March)
Chip in to help with the Mobile Puppet Theatre and Sea Turtle Picture exhibition and Turtle Walks!!! (From November to March)
Watch demonstrations of Venom Extraction from wild snakes by expert Irula Tribals at the Irula Venom Extraction Centre (on the Croc Bank premises) -wild snakes are milked for their venom, which is used to make antivenin, after which the snakes are released back into the wild.
*Hunt for Herps and Herbs with an Irula friend !!!
*Stopover at the Irula Women's herbal medicine centre (about 40 km from the Croc bank).
Call on the nearby fishing village and watch/help the fishermen pull in their nets !!!
*Take a trip out to sea in a “catamaran”, a country-made boat (no more than a few logs bound together) !!!
Take time off to walk on the beach, swim and relax as well !!!
Or Bird Watch or a tree identification walk in the Croc Bank’s own eight and a half acres forest ecosystem.
* These activities are optional and available at a small extra cost
The Crocodile Bank is located about 35 km south of Chennai city on the scenic East Coast Road, and is about 14 km short of the temple town of Mamallapuram, a favourite tourist spot.
The accommodation at the Croc Bank is fairly basic, and non-air-conditioned. Please do bring plenty of insect repellant and comfortable cotton wear.
Charges:
The Registration Charges are US $ 250.00.
This fee covers taxi pickup from the airport to the Crocodile Bank, administration and orientation, library use, a donation for MCBT conservation work as well a welcome package which includes Croc Bank literature, a Croc Bank T-shirt, mosquito repellent etc.
The Croc Bank takes no responsibility for visas or other travel formalities.
For Accommodation and food charges (includes breakfast, lunch and dinner), please contact for further details.
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