Community & Wildlife Volunteer in South Africa

Hiring Organization:
Umpalazi: Community & Wildlife Project

Date Posted:
2008-11-14

Position Description:
The Umpalazi: Community & Wildlife Project invites you to become apart of an experience that combines community upliftment with wildlife conservation. Become a part of this amazing opportunity, and give back, along with fellow volunteers from all over the world. Volunteers will have a unique opportunity to work closely with South African wildlife, primarily the South African Vervet Monkey. This will be a joint project with the Animal Protection and Environmental Sanctuary (A.P.E.S.) as co-founders, Dawn Magowan and Rodney Pendleton, will be moving to Umpalazi with their sanctuary to provide their wildlife with a better release site and to immediately get volunteers involved with wildlife conservation. Volunteers will have a direct and positive impact on the conservation of wildlife and the environment.

The property is in disrepair as it has been unoccupied for a year; therefore, there is much to work on. Some of the project duties include:

* Painting; Small-scale building; General repairs, fencing; Dam-wall reconstruction etc.
* Fixing/constructing animal enclosures
* General animal care
* Monkey food preparation & enclosure cleaning
* Rescue and rehabilitation of monkeys and other animals, both domestic and wildlife.
* Closer observation/contact with the monkeys that cannot be released due to injury.
* Visits to local Zulu schools regarding environmental education, maintenance work etc.
* Livestock food preparation & feeding (including domestic pets - dogs, cats, cows, a goat, ducks, geese, chickens, etc..)
* Snare/Trap clearing (in nearby forest/bush areas)
* Participation in an up-coming project involving more intensive snare/trap clearing in forest plantations, invasive weed removal and other environmental management activities.
* Walk & Game counting ( there is a wide variety of game in the area); Bird watching

Skills training of local Zulu community members (funds permitting)whenever possible:
* The aim is not only to create jobs to help improve the standard of living and the lives of local rural people, but also to provide long-term community upliftment.
* The local rural Zulu community members will join this initiative to learn various skills from the volunteers. This is an excellent upliftment project that will create a positive ripple effect throughout the whole community.
* The individuals involved thus have the opportunity to build on their skills, providing an income and/or the ability to teach others.
* Any help would be welcome and appreciated.

WHAT TO BRING:
* Inexpensive clothing and other supplies can be bought locally, so there is no need to overload yourself; the following list is to help get an idea of what you will need:
* Runners/hiking shoes; everyday footwear.
* Raincoat, sun block & sunhat (broad-rimmed) can be bought locally.
* Personal items that are essential.
* Sleeping bag, pillow case etc.
* Clothing for changeable weather (i.e. usually warm during the day; cold at night )
* Nothing too revealing as Umpalazi is situated in a rural and conservative area.
* Protective Equipment (PPE) will be provided. This includes boots, overalls and gloves.

LOCAL FACILITIES:
* The following can be found at Greytown:
* Bank, Internet Café, Photo Developers, Supermarket & other stores (i.e. 'PEP', 'AHEERS').
* Hotel, Restaurants, Post Office, Greytown Museum.
* Doctor, Dentist, Pharmacy, Police Station.

Note: Umpalazi does not have access to electricity, therefore it does, and will provide for a more environmentally friendly way of living. Funds permitting, solar and gas facilities and a generator will be installed, supplying what little electricity is necessary.

There are also opportunities to live with a Zulu family (for a day etc.), and visit other attractions in KwaZulu-Natal (i.e. CROW, Game Reserves, St.Lucia Wetlands etc.)

Qualifications/Experience:
* A love of animals and the environment.
* A willingness to learn and be a part of a communal environment.
* Previous experience (I.e. carpenter, zoologist, etc.) is appreciated but not necessary.

Salary/funding:
Cost (GBP): £610 per month
* 50% deposit is required upon acceptance to the Umpalazi Project.
* The remaining 50% is required at least 2 weeks before intended arrival date.

Support provided for internship/volunteer positions (travel, meals, lodging):
* All meals are provided (excluding snacks, sweets etc.)
* Basic but comfortable accommodation is provided.
* Volunteers will initially stay at the Animal Protection and Environmental Sanctuary (APES) until Umpalazi is up and running.
* Male/female accommodation is separate unless in a couple.
* Laundry will be done once weekly.
* In-country orientation/Training
* In-country staff support

Term of Appointment:
Minimum 4 weeks

Application Deadline:
none

Contact Information:
Danielle Enright, KwaZulu-Natal
South Africa

Website:
http://www.umpalazi.org

E-mail Address:
de@umpalazi.org

Dolphin behaviour and Dolphin-Assisted Therapy, Eilat, Israël

This course will deliver an insight into their behaviour, how to train a dolphin, Dolphin-Assisted Therapy and dolphin husbandry. It will show the reality, the work and the science behind the myth. The course will last 10 days with two half days off.

basic Course 2009

The course will last 10 days with two half days off.

The next course will be:

2. - 11. February 2009

The dolphin is one of the most mystified animals by the humans. Humans associate them with extraordinary abilities such as love and healing power.

But what is behind all these stories and myths? There is a simple animal, adapted to the water, playful, social and special in its approach to people. They are wild animals which are initiating the
contact to us.

This course will deliver an insight into their behaviour, how to train a dolphin, Dolphin-Assisted Therapy and dolphin husbandry. It will show the reality, the work and the science behind the myth.

Content of the course

The course is based on 3 modules.

Animal and dolphin behavior module:


• Introduction to Marine Biology

• Introduction to the Gulf of Aqaba

• Dolphin Behavioral Research. Past and current research projects around the world

• Methods in Ethology: Systematic Collection of Data, with Special Reference to Social Behaviour

• Ethogram Workshop: Observing animals

• Guided project in Dolphin Behavior based on observation

• Dolphin vocal communication

• Cetacean Social Behaviour and Ecology, with Special Reference to Bottlenose Dolphins

• Cetology: Evolution of whales and dolphins, adaptation to the marine environment

• Behavioral development and mother influence in bottlenose dolphins

• Dolphin Conservation Dolphin training and husbandry module:

• Veterinary considerations in maintaining dolphins in captivity

• Animal Training and training dolphins in Dolphin Reef

• The Open sea project

• Evaluating the human experience in swim with dolphin programs; methodological approaches

• Dolphin recognition and identification. Identification of the dolphins at Dolphin Reef

• First Aid to Marine Mammals: How to Deal with Stranded Cetaceans

• Releasing Dolphins into the Wild, with special emphasis on two case studies performed in 1996 and 2004

Dolphin Assisted Therapy module:

• Animal Assisted therapy

• Supportive experience with the aid of the dolphins

• Preparations, executing and discussion of systematic observations of therapy sessions

• A swim with the dolphins

• Impression of the swim

• Autism and Therapeutical Methods with the Assistance of Dolphins

• Discussion and analysis of specific case studies where dolphin assisted therapy was used

• Scientific Seminar on Dolphin Therapy

• Observation of therapy sessions
The exact program will be hand out by the beginning of the course.
Variations and changes in the program are possible.

Aim of the course

Main goals of the course are: To give an introduction to the mentioned subjects and to demonstrate the work that is done here, both for the behavioral work and the therapy and to have researchers from all over the world in the Dolphin Reef.

general Information

The course will be held at the Dolphin Reef Facility in Eilat. The Dolphin Reef Eilat is situated in the southern part of Israel on the coast of the Red Sea. The Dolphin Reef is a very special tourist place with the possibility to swim and to dive with the dolphins. It offers also a unique chance to observe the impressive social life of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and the friendship between humans and dolphins. In the Dolphin Reef eight dolphins (six females and two males) live together the whole year in a spacious area from about 14.000 square meters separated from the open sea with a net.

These dolphins can live their social life like hunting, playing, mating and fighting and the humans are visitors in their world.

(Further information: http://www.dolphinreef.co.il)

Besides the tourist aspect additional factors let experience the human-dolphin bond.

Here dolphins get trained independent from food. Five times a day the dolphins get their food. After the feeding a training session takes place with one of the dolphins which wants to play, to get pet or wants to learn a behavior. When they are busy with their daily life they don't come. The bond between the trainers and the dolphins is built on trust and friendship.

This relationship and friendship makes a very special program possible called ‘Supportive Experience with the Aid of Dolphins’ for children suffering from many different disorders and diseases: cancer, behavioral problems, sexual abuse, Down's Syndrome, autism, ADD. ADHD, and all kinds of physical and mental retardation initiated by Sophie Donio (Established 1991).

The program is called 'Supportive experience with the aid of the dolphins' instead of 'therapy with dolphins' because the aim is not trying to heal people but to give moral support and to make children smile. It is a long term program and children aged from six years and above can participate.

(Further information: http://www.dolphinreef.co.il)

And there is the research facility also situated in the Dolphin Reef. It is called ‘Dolphin Research Laboratory' and was founded in 1994, in special cooperation with the University of Berlin, Germany and was led by Dr. Frank Veit, University of Berlin, till 2006. Since 2007 the head of the research laboratory is Dr. Nadav Shashar, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Eilat Campus.

The scientific research facility examines various aspects of dolphin behaviour and communication and the work of the lab is strictly non-invasive, meaning that no experiments are carried out here that could possibly harm or harass the animals.

Internship program

A successful participation in the course will be on accreditation for participation in our internship program offered by the therapy and the research department.

If you want to participate in our internship program it is necessary to mention this when you register for the course. It is important to know either you are interested in the Dolphin Therapy or in the research work on Dolphin Behavior, and for how long you want to stay. You can make your own research, then it would be necessary to know which aim and subject your research will be or you want to intensify your experience and to get to know better the work with the dolphins in the Dolphin Reef. If needed we are open for questions and to help making the choice.

The course will be a basic one and will be interdisciplinary. Participants will have very different backgrounds like from interested layman to Ph.D. students
Our own background is biological or psychological one.

Swimming with the dolphins

As mentioned, the course is an educational one, but one swim with the dolphins is included to give a better insight in the different world of the dolphins. For those that want to do more swims, they can do so on the half days off for a reduced fee.

The Course fee

The price for the course itself is Euro 975.- including all lectures, course material, excursion to the Underwater Observatory, one swim with the dolphins, two meals during the days - (breakfast and lunch), and coffee and tea.

A deposit of Euro 200 has to be paid in advance for registration.


The course will be held in English with possible assistance in Hebrew, French, and German. The course will consist of lectures presented by the scientists of the Lab, by the training team as well as invited experts. There will be observations of dolphin behavior, of therapy sessions and of hands- on exercises and practicals.

The program will start in the morning (8.00 or 9.00) and will finish in the afternoon\evening (16.00 to 18.00). Additionally, we offer a fringe program at some of the evenings.

who can participate?

It is open to all people from the age 18 and above, with no special qualifications concerning scientific experience. To ensure individualized instructions, the number of participants is limited. A certificate of attendance will be provided at the end of the course. Students, which take the course for academic credit, may be required to take a final examination.

Registration form : http://www.dolphinreef.co.il/Portals/0/therpy_Registration
form.pdf

Accommodations

We can recommend some nice and available accommodations.
Accommodations are not included in the course fee.

Headed by

The course will be headed by Ms. Sophie Donio - Head of the Therapy Department at the Dolphin Reef Facility, Dr. Nadav Shashar - Marine Biologist at Ben Gurion University and Head of the Dolphin Research Laboratory in Eilat and Magister Marie Christine Cepicka (M.Sc.- in marine biology) and a member of the laboratory and therapy team for the last 2 years.

For further information or questions, please send an email to Marie Christine Cepicka: yemaya99 [ à ] gmx.at

Field Research Assistant: Olive Baboon Feeding Behaviour, Nigeria

Hiring Organization:
Roehampton University

Date Posted:
2008-11-12

Position Description:
A position is available for a research assistant to help with a study of feeding behaviour in two troops of habituated olive baboons at Gashaka-Gumpti National Park, North East Nigeria. You will be required to assist with full-day observations of the troops which will include recording the activities of all group members as well as making detailed observations of the feeding behaviours of focal animals. Other activities will include collecting food, urine and faecal samples and assisting with setting up and observing food-baited platform scales in order to remotely weigh the study animals.

The study area is set in a mosaic habitat of woodland, grassland and lowland, gallery and montane forest. Due to the location of the two study troops, accommodation will be at two sites, one at a research station near Gashaka village and the other approximately 10km from the village at a field station in the forested Kwano area. More details about the study site, accommodation and the Gashaka Primate Project can be found here: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/gashaka/park/

This position is ideal for someone interested in gaining field experience as preparation for post-graduate study. You will learn various field methods relevant for the study of behavioural ecology, animal nutrition and the remote monitoring of animal health and condition.

Qualifications/Experience:
Priority will be given to applicants with an undergraduate degree in biology, anthropology or a related discipline and to those with previous fieldwork experience, especially if this has involved work within the tropics and/ or at remote field sites.

The applicant should be:
- physically fit
- willing to work for long hours in difficult terrain
- interested in primate behaviour
- hardworking and conscientious
- comfortable working in isolated field conditions
- able to maintain a positive attitude under what can be difficult conditions

Salary/funding:
No salary.

Support provided for internship/volunteer positions (travel, meals, lodging):
Research assistants must pay for their own inoculations, prophylaxis, health insurance, field clothes, and personal expenses. A contribution will be made towards food and lodging at the field site and, depending on the outcome of several external grant applications, a contribution may also be made towards travel and visa costs.

Term of Appointment:
6 months

Application Deadline:
The project will start in February/ March 2009. Applications should be submitted by 3rd December 2008.

Comments:
If you are interested, please submit the following by email:
1) your CV
2) an application letter
3) names and email addresses of 2 referees

Contact Information:
Emily Lodge
School of Human and Life Sciences, Whitelands College, Roehampton University, Holybourne Avenue
London SW15 4JD
United Kingdom

Telephone Number:
+44 (0)20 8392 3549

E-mail Address:
e.lodge@roehampton.ac.uk

Lettre Tee

La Lettre Tee 117 est consultable en ligne à cette adresse : http://www.reseau-tee.net/lettre-tee.htm

A signaler ce mois ci, un Zoom "Effets du changement climatique sur l'emploi, les formations et les métiers du développement durable"...

PhD position, in the Group of Attention, Action and Perception, at

Applications are invited for one PhD student in the Group of Attention, Action and Perception (http://www.pcb.ub.es/homepcb/live/en/p2153.asp ) at the Parc Científic of University of Barcelona (Spain).

The post is part of BRAINGLOT (http://www.pcb.ub.es/brainglot/), a Spanish Research Network on Cognitive Neuroscience (Consolider-Ingenio 2010 Scheme, Spain Ministry of Science and Education). The project is conceived with an open and multidisciplinary vocation, as one of its major anchor points places the stress on the mutual influence (both in terms of cognitive and neural processes) between perception, multisensory integration, and the executive control attention.

This is an excellent opportunity for professional growth for those interested in the fields of psychology, neurobiology, cognitive neuroscience or related disciplines including computer science.

The position is available for candidates interested in conducting psychophysical studies on multisensory integration. Complementary to those, the candidate will have the opportunity to participate in research projects adopting other methodologies, such as human electrophysiology, fMRI, eye tracking, or testing neuropsychological patients, among others.

We are seeking highly motivated applicants with an interest in the Cognitive Neurosciences and who have (or are close to have) a degree in Psychology, Life Sciences, or related fields. Essential to the post are good communication and writing skills (in English). Some laboratory experience with psychophysics / experimental psychology, as well as computer programming skills, will be valued. Only applicants from the European Union will be considered.

The position is funded for 4 years, beginning as soon as possible. Approx. salary is 15,000 Eur/year (before taxes).

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Please send your applications, or any informal enquiry to Joan Lopez- Moliner (j.lopezmoliner [ à ] ub.edu) or Salvador Soto-Faraco (salvador.soto [ à ] icrea.es ). To apply, include the following information: - C.V. - the names and contact email/phone of two academic referees who would willing to write letters of recommendation - a cover letter describing your research interests Joan -- Joan López-Moliner Grup de Recerca Neurociencia Cognitiva Departament de Psicologia Bà sica Universitat de Barcelona Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 171 08035 Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain e-mail: J.LopezMoliner [ à ] ub.edu http://www.ub.edu/pbasic/visualperception/joan skype: jlmoliner phone: +34 93 3125143 fax: +34 93 402 13 63

Intergroup conflict and within-group cooperation in wild banded mongooses.

Applicant: Michael A. Cant Funding Scheme: NERC

Background:

A key objective in evolutionary biology is to understand the factors that promote cooperation in social groups1. Theory suggests that intergroup conflict is a major force favouring the spread of cooperative strategists in non-cooperative populations2-4. These models help to explain crossspecies patterns of cooperation4, but it remains unclear whether they are useful to understand individual variation in behaviour. For example, recent models predict that individuals who contribute most to intergroup aggression will also contribute most to within-group cooperation4. However, this prediction ignores possible hormonally-mediated trade-offs in the expression of cooperative versus aggressive behaviour5,6, and the possible individual and group-level benefits of a division of labour between helping or fighting7. Thus, while there is widespread theoretical agreement about the importance of intergroup competition for cooperation, little is known about how such competition shapes individual behaviour in natural populations. This project will address this shortfall in knowledge using a model mammalian system: the banded mongoose, Mungos mungo, in which there is extreme variation in individual contributions to both intergroup aggression8 and cooperative offspring care9-12. The project will be based at the long-term study of wild banded mongooses in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda13, where all protocols necessary for its success have previously been validated.

Aims:
The project will address two main questions:
1. Are there behavioural or physiological tradeoffs between intergroup aggression and helping? Data will be collected on individual contributions to two forms of cooperative care (babysitting and pupfeeding) and to intergroup aggression (using both natural and staged encounters8 ) and hormonal samples will be collected in parallel (for testosterone and cortisol measures). The data will be used to explore (i) the social and hormonal predictors of cooperative and aggressive behaviour, (ii) whether trade-offs exist between these behaviours, and (iii) whether these trade-offs may be mediated by hormonal underpinnings.
2. Does intergroup competition promote cooperation and/or role specialization? The project will include a strong theoretical element using game theory and structured population models to explore the effect of intergroup conflict on the evolution of cooperation in viscous populations such as those of vertebrates (including humans). Cant has wide experience with these models14-16 and will guide the student’s theoretical investigations alongside their empirical research.

Programme of work:
Year 1: field training and data collection (6 months), laboratory training and analysis (2 months), theoretical training and background research (4 months). Year 2: field data collection (8 months), theoretical work and data analysis (4 months). Year 3: laboratory analysis (2 months); data analysis and writing up (10 months).

Strategic relevance of the research to NERC:
The project directly addresses NERC's mission to deliver world-leading environmental research at the frontiers of knowledge. It addresses NERC's Biodiversity theme by advancing our understanding of animal behaviour in the wild, provides strong inter-disciplinary post-graduate training, and will foster valuable links between conservation research institutions in the UK and the USA. The project will also address NERC's goal of disseminating insights into the natural environment to the wider public: the applicant’s recent research on social evolution has received press and radio coverage in over 15 countries16.

Student Support:
M. Cant is ideally placed to supervise this project. He is at the forefront of theoretical research on conflict and cooperation in animal societies, and leads research on banded mongooses. Along with his post-doc S. Hodge and three full-time field assistants, Cant will provide field training, logistical support and access to the long-term database, and will offer training in the mathematical modelling of behaviour. Hormone assays will be carried out in the laboratory of with Steve Monfort (Conservation Research Center, Smithsonian Institution, USA), who has collaborated previously to analyze banded mongoose samples and has agreed to assist this project.

Details of CASE/Industry partner: N/A

References: 1. Nowak, M. 2006. Science 314, 1560-1563; 2. Hamilton, W.D. 1975. pp 133-153 in: R. Fox (ed), Biosocial Anthropology, Malaby Press, London. 3. Alexander, R.D. 1978. Ann Rev. Ecol. Syst. 9, 449-474; 4. Reeve, H.K. & B. Holldobler. 2007. PNAS 104, 9736-9740; 5. Komdeur, J. 2006. Ethology 112: 729-747; 6. Wingfield, J. C. et al. 1990. Am. Nat. 136: 829-846; 7. Wilson, E.O. 1971 The Social Insects. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass; 8. Cant, M.A., Otali, E., & F. Mwanguhya. 2001. Ethology 108, 541-555; 9. Cant, M.A. 2003. J. Zool. 259:115-121; 10. Gilchrist, J.S. 2004. Behavioral Ecology 15, 952-960; 11. Hodge, S.J. 2005. Proc Roy Soc Lond B 272:2479-2484; 12. Bell, M.B.V. 2007. Current Biology 17, 717-721; 13. Cant, M.A. 2000. Anim. Behav 59:147-159; 14. Cant, M.A. & R.A. Johnstone. 2000. Am Nat. 155, 406-416; 15. Johnstone, R.A. & M.A. Cant. 2008. Am Nat.172, 318-330. 16 Cant, M.A. & R.A. Johnstone 2008. PNAS 105, 5332-5336.

Application details
You should have (or expect to gain) a 1st class or high 2:1 class degree and excellent academic references. Applications only accepted from UK/EU nationals. UK citizens and EU nationals who have been resident in the UK for 3 years prior to the start of the studentship will receive both fees and stipend scholarship, other EU nationals will receive a fees scholarship only.
Applicants should send a covering letter explaining your suitability for this post, along with a CV including contact details of two academic referees to:
Mrs S. Mudge,
Postgraduate Secretary,
School of Biosciences,
University of Exeter,
Geoffrey Pope Building,
Stocker Road,
Exeter EX4 4QD
or by email to BS-PGadmissions@exeter.ac.uk
The closing date for applications is 28th November 2008. We aim to interview short‐listed candidates in the week commencing 12th January 2009