Hiring Organization:
Colobus Conservation, Diani Beach, Kenya
Date Posted:
2012-11-12
Position Description:
Background Information and Position Description
Colobus Conservation, Kenya, facilitates the rescue and rehabilitation of confiscated, orphaned and injured animals and where feasible their return to the wild.
Colobus Conservation have successfully hand-reared the world’s first Angolan Black and White colobus monkey to two years old and she is now being prepared for release back in to the wild. In addition a second, one year old infant who was abandoned at six months old is also being prepared for release. This is brand new work and as a colobus of this subspecies has never before been successfully hand-reared this type of release has never occurred with this species.
The juvenile colobus need a full-time carer to teach them tree climbing, foraging and feeding and to monitor their soft release in to our home troop of wild Angolan colobus monkeys.
The general working day with the colobus will begin between 7-8am when the infants will be removed from their night enclosure. The rest of the day will be a mix of tree climbing, foraging and feeding lessons within our nature trail and a slow introduction to our home troop. The home troop have seen the juvenile colobus most days for the last year, they feed, move and play together. The colobus will be returned to their night enclosure around 5pm. This schedule will be followed 6 days a week Sunday - Friday with Saturday as a day off.
Colobus Conservation is based in Diani, Kenya and offers a unique opportunity to live in a beautiful beach and forested area, with many western comforts. Our accommodation comprises three single sex bedrooms, with four beds per room, in a communal house, hot/cold showers, 3 meals a day, laundry and housekeeping. There is good mobile phone and internet coverage, and using Sarfricom, the local network supplier, text messages to the UK are very cheap (approx 8p).
In time there will be a research element to this role (though when this will begin depends on their progress). The wild troop that the juveniles are being integrated into requires behavioural data collection to assist in monitoring the success of the release. One 12 hour research period per week will be required (this can be split into 2 x 6 hour periods), recording behaviour, feeding ecology, range data and sleeping site use.
A 6 month commitment is essential due to the bonding process of caring for the orphans which takes a minimum of one month.
Qualifications/Experience:
Qualifications and Experience
Essential requirements
1. You need to be physically fit, have a lot of patience and an affinity for working closely with animals.
2. Ideally we would like someone who has a working knowledge of the rehabilitation and release process with primates, as well as captive care skills, who can contribute ideas and solutions.
3. Significant foreign travel or living/work experience, within a developing country and ideally the tropics
4. Interest in animal behaviour, conservation and welfare, and preferably a university level qualification in animal behaviour, primate conservation, zoology or other relevant subject
In addition, applicants must have certain QUALITIES: they must be energetic, patient, open, responsible, flexible, healthy, able to work independently but also as part of a team, be highly motivated and not easily distracted by the holiday mentality found here in Diani. Applicants must also be hardworking and able to keep going, and do so cheerfully! Our schedule is demanding and unconventional (6 days work, 1 day off, including weekend work), The position is not ideal for someone who needs a lot of personal time, or for someone who easily feels lonely. The ideal applicant must be comfortable being unplugged and a distance from easy communication with the outside world, although there is good mobile phone and e-mail communication, but sometimes things just don't work. They must also have above average resistance to social/psychological stress with a tolerance towards local customs and beliefs and be comfortable with other conditions and risks that are simply part of tropical fieldwork, such as limited healthcare, monotonous diet, rare confrontations with noxious plants or animals.
Salary/funding:
This is a volunteer position and as such no wage or stipend is currently available, however, three meals a day will be provided.
Volunteer are requested to contribute towards the cost of accomodation - 70 Euros per week
Support provided for internship/volunteer positions (travel, meals, lodging):
This is a volunteer position and as such no wage or stipend is currently available, however, three meals a day will be provided. The volunteer is responsible for their return flight to Mombasa, visa, which will need extending after 3 months for an additional 3 months, comprehensive travel and medical insurance and accommodation as described above (70 Euros per week), all field clothing, including adequate walking boots, mobile and internet expenses.
Term of Appointment:
Minimum of 6 month commitment
Comments:
Position must begin no later mid January 2013 - preferably earlier
Contact Information:
Andrea Donaldson
Kenya
Website:
E-mail Address: