Even  though the number of fatalities was not as high as Indonesia and Sri Lanka, many local islands were damaged and some resorts were closed for months,  being destroyed by the waves.

Most of the Maldivians are employed in the resorts and  the tourism industry is the main income for all the population.

As the tsunami caused a huge damage to many of the inhabited islands and made thousands of locals homeless, tourists are realizing that, even after two years from the event, their visit to the Maldives can be a huge contribution towards the recovery of this small nation.

Four Seasons Hotels operate in Maldives and manage  two resorts, one in North Male Atoll and one in the Baa Atoll. The resort in North Male Atoll has reopened in September 2006. It was damaged  by the tsunami and  closed for reconstruction for two years. The resort in Baa Atoll opened in November 2006.

Four Seasons has also a safari boat, the Four Seasons Explorer, a luxurious  39 metres catamaran, that travels around the atolls with tourists, and allows divers, water enthusiasts, nature lovers and explorers to discover remote shores and rarely visited dive and snorkelling sites, with different routes in the north and south atolls.

 The search is for independent consultants: marine biologists are requested as interpreters and educators

the positions aim:

- to help the guests appreciate the environment

-  to help local population to protect their fragile ecosystem

The projects of environmental education aim to raise  ecological awareness among the tourists and the local population. The importance of protecting the surrounding nature  and the underwater life is a priority in the responsibilities of the  marine experts.

Present projects include:

-          Reef balls – Rejuvenation and reconstruction of the reef   

-          Coral nurseries  -  A method to save corals in the lagoon during the construction of a resort

-     Fish breeding to minimize the aquarium trade and cancel wild catch

 -    Manta rays survey  and census

STARTING DATE:  JULY 2007

THEY  MUST BE:

• MARINE SCIENCE OR ENVIRONMETAL STUDIES GRADUATE WITH GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF TROPICAL  MARINE LIFE
• DIVE MASTER PADI  QUALIFICATION
• GOOD SKILLS  IN COMMUNICATION, PUBLIC SPEACHES  AND CONTACT WITH PUBLIC
• FLUENT ENGLISH SPEAKING. WELCOME ALSO OTHER LANGUAGES
• CAPABLE OF LIVING FOR LONG PERIODS ON A SMALL ISLAND OR ON A BOAT

THEY WILL BE BASED AT THE TWO RESORTS AND THE  FOUR SEASONS CATAMARAN  IN THE MALDIVES:

MAIN DUTIES WILL INCLUDE:

- MARINE BIOLOGY LECTURES AND TALKS ON TROPICAL CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEMS, GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL  ISSUES AND SPECIFIC PROJECTS.

- GUIDED SNORKELLING AND GUIDED DIVES WITH GUESTS.

- MARINE BIOLOGY CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS FOR LOCAL STUDENTS

- POSSIBILITY TO GET INVOLVED INTO CONSERVATION PROJECTS AND TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT.

The paid contract is for a minimum of ONE YEAR.

Board and sharing accommodation is free.

Two ways flight is reimbursed. 

ALL CANDIDATES CAN SEND AN EMAIL WITH A RESUME AND CURRICULUM VITAE TO:

ELISABETTA COLOMBO   (mobile +39.380.3150509)

email: betticolombo@libero.it

web site: www.greenblueducation.com

THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK  AND HELP THE CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEM IN THE INDOPACIFIC REGION.