Volunteers needed from Dec 2019 / January 2020 onwards
Minimum stay 2 months
Evolution and Socio-Ecology of small Mammals in the Succulent Karoo of South Africa
Opportunity: This
is a great opportunity for anybody who wants to get more experience in
field work related to animal behavior, evolution, eco-physiology, and
ecology before starting an MSc or PhD project.
Project: We
study the evolutionary and ecological reasons as well as physiological
mechanisms of group living, solitary living, and social flexibility in
the striped mouse and the bush Karoo rat. One focus is on the adaptation
to droughts, combining physiological, behavioral, ecological and
evolutionary research. As these species are diurnal and the habitat is
open, direct behavioral observations in the field are possible.
What kind of people are needed? Applicants
must have an interest in working in the field and with animals. Hard
working conditions will await applicants, as the study species gets up
with sunrise (between 5 and 6 AM), and stops its activity with dusk (7
PM). Work during nights might also be necessary. Work in the field will
be done for 5 days a week. Applicants must be able to manage extreme
temperatures (below 0 at night in winter, sometimes over 40°C during
summer days). Applicants must both be prepared to live for long periods
in the loneliness of the field and to be part of a small social group.
Work of volunteer field assistants: Trapping,
marking and radio-tracking of small mammals; direct behavioral
observations in the field. Volunteers will also see how blood samples
are collected for physiological measurements and how we measure
metabolic rate. Volunteers are expected to help with maintenance of the
research station (water pump, solar power, etc.).
Confirmation letter:
Students get a letter of confirmation about their work and can prepare a
report of their own small project to get credit points from their
university for their bachelor or masters studies.
Costs: Students
have to arrange their transport to the field site themselves. Per
month, an amount of Rand 1750 (around 110 Euro) must be paid for
accommodation at the research station. Students must buy their own food
in Springbok. Including extras (going out for dinner; shopping), you
should expect costs of about 500 Euros or 600 US$ per month.
German students can apply for a grant from the Deutsche Akademischer Auslandsdienst (DAAD, www.daad.de).
Here, commonly travel grants of 300 Euro are given to students.
Students from other countries are encouraged to seek funding from their
home institutions / home country. Students get an invitation letter
which they can use to apply for funding in their home country.
Place: The
field site is in the Goegap Nature Reserve near Springbok in the
North-West of South Africa. The vegetation consists of Succulent Karoo,
which has been recognized as one of 25 hotspots of biodiversity. It is a
desert to semi-desert with rain mainly in winter (June to September).
When and how long:
We are looking for volunteers to start in December 2019 as well as
beginning of 2020. Volunteers are expected to stay for a minimum of 2-3
months, though longer periods are preferred.
How to apply? Send a short motivation letter stating why and for which period you are interested and your CV via email to succulent.karooo.research.station@kabelbw.de.
More information under