Assist our science team with monitoring horseshoe crab populations on select Cape Cod beaches during mating season. Help us conduct day and night surveys during full and new moon high tides in May and June to count the number of spawning crabs. Each survey lasts one to two hours, depending on the location and number of crabs present.
Volunteers will ideally sign up for several surveys and be a part of a group of two to five people each survey. Each group has an experienced shift leader to help assure compliance with established protocols, data quality, and safety. Volunteers who attend several surveys are given the opportunity to help with tagging programs capturing crabs and applying USFWS button tags for mark-recapture research.
The Horseshoe Crab Survey program training is held in late April, and surveys are conducted May through June. New volunteers are trained before their first survey date and paired with experienced volunteers on their first couple of shifts.
Responsibilities:
- Be prepared for wading in cold water and wear appropriate clothing. Tall waterproof boots or waders are required.
- Work in groups to survey adult horseshoe crabs spawning on area beaches, in accordance with MA Division of Marine Fisheries reporting requirements.
Qualifications:
- Must love long walks on the beach in bracingly cool water.
- Must be available for the entire season, late April through June.
Requirements:
- Be prepared to be outside in all weather for the duration of your shift.
- Reliably respond to email communications with staff.
- Must adhere to all policies in the Mass Audubon Volunteer Safety Handbook.
- Ability to pass CORI/SORI background check.
- Must be 18+.
Benefits:
- Exclusive online education programs are offered to volunteers who contribute 25 hours or more per year.
- Volunteer ID cards are issued to volunteers who work 50 hours or more per year. The Volunteer ID card provides free admission, for yourself and immediate family, to all of Mass Audubon’s Wildlife Sanctuaries and a 15% discount at all Mass Audubon gift shops (excluding online). It also allows you to take advantage of our Reciprocity Program which grants free or discounted access to participating area museums and attractions.
- Meet new people and share interests in nature.
- Volunteering in a fun and energetic environment!
To express interest in this volunteer position, please click the “Respond” button and in the Response Notes, include a few sentences about why you are interested in this role and why you’d be a great fit. Make sure to click the “Submit Opportunity Response” button at the end to complete the process.
