Turtle Patrol Terms & Conditions

Turtle Patrol ("the app") is the volunteer coordination app of The Pearl Protectors, a sea turtle conservation organisation in Sri Lanka (pearlprotectors.org). The app is built and published by Pearkoder (Pvt) Ltd (pearkoder.com) for The Pearl Protectors.

By creating a Turtle Patrol account, you agree to these Terms & Conditions and to our Privacy Policy (https://pearkoder.com/turtle-patrol/privacy). If you do not agree, please do not use the app.

Volunteering with Pearl Protectors is intended for adults. Every volunteer application is reviewed before approval — you may use the app to complete onboarding while an application is pending, but full participation (joining patrols) requires approval, a signed waiver, and completed training. You are responsible for keeping your login credentials confidential and for the accuracy of the information you provide.

Volunteers are expected to treat turtles, nests, and fellow volunteers with care and respect:

- Keep white light off active nesting beaches

- Follow the area lead's instructions at all times

- Never handle a turtle, egg, or hatchling unless a lead specifically asks you to

- Complete the training module before your first patrol

Pearl Protectors may suspend or ban an account for conduct that endangers volunteers, turtles, or the conservation program.

Patrols happen outdoors, often at night, on uneven or wet terrain, and may involve wildlife encounters. You take part at your own risk and are responsible for your own safety and belongings. A separate liability waiver — including an assumption of risk, release of liability, and medical/emergency consent — is required before your first patrol session, and is available to review anytime from Profile → My waiver.

The app includes a feed where volunteers can post updates and comment. You're responsible for what you post — content should be respectful and relevant to the program. Pearl Protectors administrators may remove a post or comment that violates these terms; if it's not your own content being removed, you'll be notified.

Patrol logs, nest and sighting records, and other conservation data you record through the app become part of Pearl Protectors' ongoing scientific record and remain part of that record even if you later delete your account (see the Privacy Policy's "Deleting your account" section for details on what is and isn't retained).

We aim to keep the app available, but it may occasionally be taken offline for maintenance, in which case you'll see a maintenance notice on launch. We're not liable for any inconvenience caused by planned or unplanned downtime.

You may delete your account at any time from Profile → Delete account. See the Privacy Policy for exactly what data is removed, anonymized, or retained.

We may update these Terms from time to time as the program grows. Continuing to use the app after a change means you accept the updated Terms.

These Terms are governed by the laws of Sri Lanka, where Pearl Protectors operates.

Questions about these Terms can be directed to hello@pearkoder.com.