Host: Madeira Whale Museum

Background:

Madeira Whale Museum’s aim is to generate knowledge on cetaceans and the marine environment. Such as the census of the cetacean species that live in the sea of Madeira, as well as to assess the occurrence, frequency, distribution and activities that they perform.

For that purpose field work in Madeira inshore waters will be made to collect observational data on cetaceans as well as images for photo-identification. Data will be organized and processed for analysis, and preliminary analysis of sightings’, effort and photo-id data collected in the field will be made.

The Madeira Whale Museum has a photo-identification database of short-finned pilot whales since 1997 around Madeira Islands. A catalogue exists and covers the whole period until 2018, however new pictures have been made available and so far, only individuals with notches on the trailing edge of the dorsal fin has been made (primary marked individuals). Part of the large population using the waters of Madeira are resident and further demographic parameters could be obtained from those specific social groups where calves and juveniles could be identified from secondary marks (i.e., scars, fin shape or colouration pattern).

 

Aim:     

Internship 1: To collect sighting and photo-identification data at sea and update the local catalogue of primary marked short-finned pilot whales.      

Internship 2: To collect sighting and photo-identification data at sea and create a new catalogue of secondary marked short-finned pilot whales.

 

Tasks:

·         The intern will go on a whale watching boat 2 days per week to collect cetacean sighting data, photo-identification data and note compliance with local regulations.

·         The other days of the week will be spent in the Museum to process the collected data and help with photo-identification task.

 

Training:

The necessary equipment and training for the field work will be provided (species identification, camera, GPS, binoculars, datasheets, etc), data organization and processing (PC) will be provided by the institution. Access to platforms of observation, either whale-watching boats or research vessels from the institution or partner institutions will also be provided.

By the end of the internship, the trainee will be able to:

·         Identify in the field the cetacean species present in Madeira archipelago;

·         Collect observational data from sightings, environmental parameters and effort, organize it and process it for analysis;

·         Collect photo-id data in the field, organize it and process it to be added to the local photo-id catalogues.

Requirements:

·         Motivated to work at sea, sometimes in difficult conditions, depending on the weather

·         Commit to a minimum of 2 months

·         Show interest and willingness to learn

·         Be patient and organized

·        Speak English with a preference for applicants who know basic Portuguese.

 

The work will take place at the Madeira Whale Museum in Caniçal, Madeira, Portugal. The student will be responsible for his travel to and from Madeira, housing and food. The MWM can sign internship agreements with Universities.

Supervision: Ruth Esteban, Philippe Verborgh and Luis Freitas

How to apply:

Send a CV and motivation letter to Philippe Verborgh at the following email: philippeverborgh@museudabaleia.org