URGENT - Seeking field assistants for research on Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin in Perth, Western Australia

Due to last minute change, I am seeking for 1 or 2 field assistants for April and May 2015. This position is only for volunteer (internship request limited).

Project title: Assessment of the population of bottlenose dolphins within the Perth metropolitan waters.

This project aims to assess dolphin abundance, residency, ranging patterns and genetic connectivity within an area encompassing over a four-year period. Sampling effort is stratified across four zones (Cockburn Sound, Owen Anchorage, Gage Roads, and the Swan-Canning Estuary) and across all four austral seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter).

This will be our last season of fieldwork, so perhaps one of our busier and exciting with a lot of photo-id surveys and genetic sampling to do.

Location: Cetacean Research Unit, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia.

Duties:
- Assisting with boat-based photo-identification surveys of bottlenose dolphins, including operating small vessel during surveys, collecting environmental, location, and behavioural data for dolphin groups. Expect early starts, hot weather, up to 11 hours on the water for multiple consecutive days, and up to a week between days off;

- Photo-identification of dolphins in the lab.

Prerequisites:
- Enthusiasm for field work on a boat is essential (long hours and natural environment conditions);
- Experience of working on and driving a small boat (essential);

- Experience of photo-ID survey techniques (highly desirable);

- No history of debilitation seasickness (essential).

Expenses: This is an unpaid position. Travel to/from, accommodation, and food for applicants will be at their own charges.

Please submit resume and cover letter to D.Chabanne@murdoch.edu.au.

Delphine

Delphine Chabanne

Ph.D. candidate

Murdoch University Cetacean Research Unit

School of Veterinary and Life Sciences

Murdoch University, Western Australia

Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia

http://mucru.org/group-members/delphine-chabanne/