Please post the following- Thanks very much!

Volunteer/Intern Opportunity for South African Cetacean Research Group – Photo-ID

Dear all,

 

The Cetacean Research Group, located at Port Elizabeth's Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, conducts a variety of studies in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province.  We are currently seeking 1 volunteer/intern to help with boat-based dolphin research off the Wild Coast from February 18 – March 12, 2016. Food and accommodation during field activities (February 21-March 11) will be covered by the research group. Travel costs to South Africa, and food and accommodation outside of the field to be covered by the volunteer/intern.  This position will include assisting researchers with Photo-ID, data collection and analysis of photo-ID pictures for bottlenose (Tursiops aduncus), common (Delphinus capensis), and humpback (Sousa plumbea) dolphins along the Wild Coast in the Hluleka Nature Reserve, to better understand occurrence and residency of dolphin species in this remote and relatively unknown area. Due to the remote location and rugged sea conditions in this area, the applicants must be in good physical condition with no physical injuries, able to participate in surf launch activities and spend 6-8 hours at sea.

 

Essential Requirements:

• Photo ID experience – please provide referees who can speak to your abilities in this area
• Good physical condition and ability to work in challenging environment
• Experience at sea -  skippers license and surf launch experience considered an asset·  
• Ability to swim·  
• Working well in a team and a positive attitude

 

Duties:

• ·   Photo-ID of animals during field activities
• ·   Assisting with dolphin sighting observations
• ·   Cropping and preliminary analysis of photos during non-field days
• ·    Assisting with preservation of biopsy samples
• ·    Assisting with general field work tasks such as equipment cleaning

 

Boat-based surveys will be conducted at every opportunity, weather depending (between 5 to 10 days at sea). However, given the difficult weather and sea conditions in the area, applicants may be required to assist with other work during non-sea days.

 

Interested applicants should send their CV, including two references, to michellecaputo3@gmail.com. More information about our research group and the field site/accommodations can be found at: http://cmr.nmmu.ac.za/Current-Projects/Cetacean-Research-Group;  www.facebook.com/CRGCMR and http://www.visiteasterncape.co.za/nature-conservation/provincial-parks/hluleka/

 

Thank you,

Michelle Caputo

PhD Candidate

Rhodes University – South Africa