Nature Travel Specialists

South America Wildlife Volunteer & Research Travel

SURINAM & GUYANA

POST DOC AND GRADUATE STUDENT OPPORTUNITY – Adventure in Panama, Suriname, and Guyana: The Neurobiology and Endocrinology of Manakins.
Positions are open a for a postdoc and a PhD student in the laboratory of Dr. Lainy Day in the Biology Department at the University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS. Successful applicants will be involved in studies analyzing the relationship between neuroanatomy/neuroendocrinology and courtship display complexity in birds of the manakin family (Pipridae). Fieldwork will take place in Panama and along the Amazon Basin in Suriname and Guyana. Fieldwork will include long hours of mist-netting birds beginning before dawn, processing of tissue samples, and assistance conducting behavioral studies. Laboratory work will include immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization, and molecular techniques including PCR and qualitative PCR. Experience with these techniques and previous mist-netting experience is preferred as is experience living or working in the tropics. Applicants should be creative, independently motivated, and work well with others. Proficiency in Spanish or Dutch is useful.
Applicants must have a valid driver’s license from their country of origin and be able to operate manual transmission. For postdocs the start date is negotiable but preference is for someone who can start no later than April 2012. Graduate students must be able to start by Fall of 2012. Strong preference will be giving for commitment to fieldwork in summer of 2012. Support is expected to be available for 2 years for post docs. Graduate students will be supported by a research assistant stipend for three years and by a teaching assistantship for the remainder of their studies. Interested postdoc applicants can send a CV directly to DR. DAY (lainyday AT olemiss.edu). Graduate students should apply at (URL: http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/graduate_school/) AND send a letter directly to Dr. Day (EM: lainyday AT olemiss.edu) informing her of your interest in the program with a summary of your GRE scores, GPA, and a one-two page statement of purpose. Information about the Biology Department can be found here: (URL:
http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/biology/programs/graduate/ap.php) The University of Mississippi is located in Oxford, Mississippi, one of the top college towns in the U.S., and a community known for outstanding educational and cultural opportunities (URL: http://www.oxfordms.com/ and http://www.oxfordcvb.com/).      posted dec 12

ECUADOR

BIRD BANDING VOLUNTEERS for project at Reserva las Tangaras, Ecuador.
6-8 banding and survey volunteers are needed to assist Dr. Dusti Becker
with a long-term avian monitoring and conservation effort in western
Ecuador, July 15-28, 2012. Life Net banding assistants help with
mist-netting of birds at several banding stations located in the Las
Tangaras Reserve, Mindo, Ecuador. Our goal is to advance scientific
understanding of cloud forest avian communities, including species
tolerances for deforestation and grazing. Reserva Las Tangaras boasts
more than 25 species of hummingbird, one of the largest regional
cock-of-the-rock display leks, and great numbers of Choco and Andean
endemic bird species. Volunteers help set up and monitor mist nets,
extract birds from nets, carry birds from nets to a banding station, and
record basic ecological data. Training in handling, measuring and
banding is also offered to those interested in developing that skill
set, but is not required. Bilingual volunteers can assist with
environmental education and ecotourism training. Volunteers will also
have some afternoons and a full day free to explore and/or bird the
Mindo area. Accommodation is communal in the loft room of the research
cabin. Experience with mist-netting is desirable, but not required.
Students, recent graduates and others looking for hands-on training and
resume building experience will benefit greatly from this project. Visit
the Volunteer page of www.lifenetnature.org for more details. To apply
complete the application form on the web page and e-mail a brief cover
letter and resume to Dr. Dusti Becker(EM: dbecker AT lifenetnature.org).
The cost-share donation is $1500 and is used to cover volunteer
expenses: transportation in Ecuador, meals, & lodging during the
conservation research program. The donation also contributes to
stewardship of the reserve, and salaries for local Ecuadorian staff who
cook and assist with volunteer training during the project. (Student
discounts are available). The expedition begins and ends in Quito.
Contact DUSTI BECKER (EM: dbecker AT lifenetnature.org) for further details.     posted jan 24

VOLUNTEER RESEARCH ASSISTANTS, Ecuador Choco Forest Bird Survey - Mashpi Reserve - 27 June to 10 July 2012. Life Net's Dr. Dusti Becker and Ecuadorian biologist, Carlos Morochz, seek 6-8 volunteer research assistants to inventory birds in a new protected area - the Mashpi Reserve. Located deep in Ecuador's western Choco, Mashpi covers more than 17,000 hectares spanning elevations from 500 to 1300 m. Mashpi's amazing primary forest supports leks of Long-watttled Umbrella birds and numerous Choco endemic birds, and help is needed to complete survey work! Volunteers stay in comfortable apartments with modern facilities (hot water showers, flush toilets, electricity) and are served wholesome home-style Ecuadorian meals in what will soon be one of Ecuador's most exciting rain forest ecotourism destinations on the slopes of the western Andes. The team's goal is to develop a bird list for the reserve and to determine the general conservation value of the reserve in terms of avian diversity. Volunteers assist with mist-netting and trail surveys at various elevations in the new reserve, document hummingbird diversity at feeders, and maximize field time spent documenting locations of rare and exciting birds and wildlife. This is a unique way to contribute to conservation and visit a reserve that will be exclusive to visit in the future. A donation to Life Net of $1500 covers room, board, and transportation during the project within Ecuador and contributes to sustaining the project during the volunteer program.
Airfare is not included. The team meets in Quito on the morning of 27 June 2012. To apply: Download application form from volunteer page of www.lifenetnature.org and send with a short cover e-mail to Dr. Dusti Becker - (EM: dbecker AT lifenetnature.org). Include your resume (optional). More information is available at the Life Net website -
(URL: http://www.lifenetnature.org). For volunteers looking for a more extended experience in Ecuador, this project can be combined with the Amazon or Las Tangaras avian conservation projects.       posted nov 14

COLOMBIA

See our information about ProAves' Ecovolunteers on our introduction pagefor ongoing Colombia bird volunteer opportunities.

SOUTH AMERICA

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY -- We are looking for undergraduates to participate in the Golondrinas de las Americas, a network of biologists
studying tree swallows in the genus Tachycineta from Argentina to Alaska. Founded by Cornell University professor David Winkler almost a
decade ago and supported by the National Science Foundation, the Golondrinas de las Americas project trains students to study the
breeding biology and behavior of swallows in North, Central and South America. The internship lasts approximately two and one half to four
months depending on the season and location. Using standardized protocols, students conduct field work, learn how to keep field records,
maintain nest boxes and search for swallows. The knowledge gained from the project is helping us understand the reasons for geographic
variations in the clutch sizes of these birds. In the long term, we anticipate the Golondrinas de las Americas project will contribute to
our knowledge about the impacts of climate change and the life histories of the birds and their insect prey. Interns must have a demonstrated interest in environmental biology or a related field. The ability to work, live, and communicate well with others under rigorous and remote conditions is essential. Travel and living expenses as well as a small stipend are provided. For more information or to apply for the program, contact CAREN COOPER (EM: Caren.Cooper AT cornell.edu). A completed application includes a cover letter, C.V. or resume, and contact information for two professional references. For a map of existing sites visit (URL: http://golondrinas.cornell.edu/Maps/MapOfStudySites.html).

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