Location:
Located on the south coast off Shimoni in Kwale District. The Kisite Marine Park covers 11km² while the Mpunguti Reserve covers 28 Km².

The Place:
The Kisite-Mpunguti Marine ecosystem, just north of the Tanzanian border, is widely considered the finest location on the Kenyan coast for marine life. In fact, the park has become a center of discussion for marine biologists because of the number of new marine species and corals constantly being documented. There are currently around 250 varieties of fish, and over 40 varieties of coral. As a volunteer, you will head out to the shallow reserve from the coastal mainland, allowing you to enjoy the crystal-clear water and astonishing marine biodiversity on a daily basis. Some of the commonly seen marine life includes: trigger fish, moray eels, angelfish, butterfly fish, groupers, parrotfish, wrasses, scorpionfish, pufferfish, damselfish, manta

rays, snappers, green sea turtles, hawksbill turtles, reef sharks and dolphins. Seasonal visits can be expected from Humpback whales and whale sharks. Pristine coral reefs like staghorn, brain, lilac-blue and mushroom are in abundance in the reserve, and most agree that their variety and splendor is unmatched in the Indian Ocean.

Climate:
Hot and humid with rainfall around 500mm per year.

The project: Volunteers participating in this project will live at KWS mainland base camp in Shimoni with about two dozen rangers, and will travel by boat into the marine park every day. Working under the guidance and supervision of the park warden, Ms. Janet Kaleha, volunteers will assist her and her team in all their activities, which will include removing sea urchins,

stopping illegal fishing, cleaning buoys and collecting park entry fees from tourists. There will also be research-based work opportunities, which may include coral bleaching and mortality surveys, taking water temperature and salinity readings and turtle research. Having a PADI certificate will be highly beneficial, as there will be occasional diving opportunities.