Type: volunteer opportunity; min 2 months; weekly fee covers food &
accom. (see below)
Organization: The Blue-throated Macaw Conservation Project
Location: Sachojere, Beni Department, Bolivia, Latin America
The Blue-throated Macaw Conservation Project needs volunteer field
assistants from February 2015 for an ongoing project with the
Critically Endangered Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) in the
low-land savanna of
Moxos, Bolivia. The Blue-throated Macaw is endemic
to this region of Bolivia and only about 150 are left in the wild.
Volunteers will live at the Blue-throated Macaw Conservation Center,
where there are captive Blue-throated macaws that are part of a
breeding, training and reintroduction pilot study. Volunteers field
assistants will help with the daily routines of the center as well as
with research projects on other local parrot species. Duties of the
center include introducing the captive macaws to a native diet,
monitoring their feeding behavior, diet and training, collecting their
native food and maintaining their enclosure and the center. Activities
for the research projects can include checking cavities in the
surrounding area for potential nests, mist netting, phenology studies
and others. Additional activities can include support to the
educational program, conducting wild Blue-throated macaw population
and nest surveys (may involve tree-climbing), behavioral observations
and collecting data about their biology. If active nests are found,
duties may also include guarding them from ne
st predators, daily nest-checking, performing periodic health checks
of nestlings and feeding nestlings if necessary.
Applicants must be responsible, self-disciplined, hard working,
self-motivated, tolerant of tropical weather and biting insects
(mosquitoes, sunfly, ticks, flies), willing to work in a group and
able to tolerate rustic living conditions. A sense of humor is always
appreciated. Applicants share one of the three cabins of the
Conservation center, which is 25 km from the nearest city, Trinidad,
and on the outskirts of a small village, Sachojere. Applicants with
Spanish language skills are preferred but these not required. This is
a great opportunity for someone with basic or intermediate Spanish
skills to immerse in the language. A minimum stay of two (2) months is
required, but longer stays are preferable. Volunteers field assistants
must be a minimum of 18 years old. We provide the necessary equipment
for the fieldwork activities.
Applicants must arrange their own transportation to Trinidad – Beni
Department, Bolivia. We charge a fee (USD 50 per week) to cover their
cost of food, accommodation and internet use. Applicants from latin
america will have preferences at the selection process and also
special conditions with the fee, depending on the capacity of
applicants.
TO APPLY:
Send cover letter and resume with two references to JOSE ANTONIO DIAZ
LUQUE (EM: saveparrot AT gmail.com).
In the cover letter indicate why
you are interest to participate with us and your available dates.
Individuals interested in applying to this position are strongly
advised to check the cost of flights from their native country to
Bolivia prior to applying to the position. Feel free to email for
further information.
Close Date: Until Filled.
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