Volunteer as a Research Assistant on a Cetaceans Research Team

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The experience

Volunteers will receive an introduction to the most common methods and techniques to study cetaceans and marine fauna.
Various lectures will be delivered to participants on cetaceans, bottlenose dolphins, photo-identification: technique, use and practical application, sea turtles’ ecology and conservation
Field work (weather permitting) will consist of boat and land-based monitoring surveys and laboratory of photo-identification.

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What you offer

20 hours of help per week

Animal Care: Help look after and take care of animals.

Social Work: Help with volunteer work in local projects and communities.

Additional fee required

Amount: € 550 One time

Description: The extra fee is used to pay for the cost of equipment use, apartment expenses, training and supervision. Remind that the booking fee is not refundable.

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What you get

2 days off per week

Shared Dorm: You will have a bed in a shared room, which means you will share the same room with other travelers.

Use our equipped kitchen: Feel free to use our kitchen and make your own delicious food.

Certificate: Get a certificate of completion after you finish your experience.

Basic Internet Access: Basic speed internet for you to work remotely

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Requirements

Intermediate English

Over 18 years old

Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers

Travel insurance

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What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

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Program Details

This is a great opportunity to get involved in cetacean research and enjoy marine biodiversity while gaining fieldwork and lab experience and helping support cetacean research and conservation. At the end of your course, you will have:
Learned different methods for studying marine mammals in the wild and gaining practical experience in cetacean field research.
Have a deeper understanding of cetacean ecology, biology, behaviour and physiology.
Learn to recognize several cetacean and reptile species of the Mediterranean region.
Have a good understanding of standard procedures in fieldwork data collection and further possible analyses that can be developed.

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Activities & Shift

Theory lessons will take place from 9.30 am - 12.30 pm and 2.30 pm - 5.30 pm. The daily schedule might change if good weather conditions will allow for fieldwork to be conducted. In this case, participants will be informed the day before.

Fieldwork (including boat-based surveys if possible) can be scheduled at any hour, it can start at sunrise or end at sunset.
For
*Land-based survey to monitor bottlenose dolphins and other marine fauna
*Boat-based surveys on small boats (5-8 hours long) using binoculars

*REMEMBER these cannot be guaranteed as they are dependent on weather conditions. The project coordinator will decide daily if there are favourable sea-weather conditions for these activities to take place. If these activities will not be conducted due to unfavourable weather, they will be replaced by lectures on various aspects of the cetacean research.

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Rules

Participants must be of good health. Boat-based surveys and the use of binoculars at sea might cause seasickness. Before fieldwork, a briefing about tasks and safety rules will be provided to the interns. *Personal Insurance is mandatory, insurance during field work is covered by the extra fee (see Extra Fee section) *
Suggested qualities: Be highly adaptable and flexible as fieldwork is weather-dependent and our plans can change several times in one day
Ability to stand several hours in the sun or cold weather on a 5m boat even with not ideal sea conditions
Strong motivation and interest in cetaceans and research.

In the accommodation smoking is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.