Volunteers are needed to participate on a research and conservation education project focusing on human-elephant conflict, near Ruaha National Park, Tanzania. Responsibilities will vary according to the skills and interests of each applicant but will likely involve accompanying local villagers into the National Park and using various techniques, including surveys, to help measure the effects of these visits on local peoples perceptions of wildlife, and of elephants in particular. Some opportunistic data will also be collected on the behavioral ecology of elephants in the field. Each volunteer visits Ruaha National Park once per week to participate in these day long game drives. Ruaha is the largest National Park in Tanzania and represents one of the countrys most biologically rich and ecologically important regions. Visitors can expect to closely observe elephant, lion, hippo, giraffe, zebra, impala, and sometimes also cheetah and leopard, as well as a great variety of birds and other small mammals.
Volunteers working on the project will also be asked to commit some of their time to volunteering in local schools, to teach students about wildlife and conservation. There is opportunity to teach additional subjects as well, if it is of interest to the volunteer. Additional responsibilities vary according to shifting program needs, but may include helping to build fences modified to deter elephants from raiding local farms, helping to produce films in local villages on elephant ecology and conservation, and/or reading and playing games with the local kids who visit our newly constructed village library. Finally, there may also be an opportunity to help monitor and ID elephants inside the park, though this project is currently in the development stage. This work represents a unique opportunity to gain invaluable experience living and working in rural East Africa on an elephant research and conservation project. We have recently registered the project as an international non-profit in Tanzania, where we aim to apply research findings to conservation, and human-wildlife conflict mitigation work. Thus, volunteers who work on the project during this time will have the opportunity to directly influence the development and success of this undertaking. Unfortunately, no funding currently exists to support volunteers, so a program fee of $250 per week will be required. This fee covers your accommodation, local transportation, park entrance fees, and food in the field. Please wait to submit your application materials until you are sure of your ability to cover these costs. You will also be responsible for your own airfare to and from Tanzania, as well as medical insurance and vaccinations. Because of the remoteness of the field site and the time it takes to acclimate to the region and the work, a minimum commitment of 4 weeks will be required, with preference given to those who can make longer commitments. Applications for those available to work between May 2013 and December 2013 are now being accepted; positions will be filled as suitable applicants are found. Field/work conditions: Field conditions at this site can be very challenging, with frequent exposure to poisonous snakes and crocodiles, daily temperatures frequently exceeding 90°F, and shared living quarters being cramped and very basic (ie: no running water, very basic food, and limited electricity available only to power field equipment). Research assistants on this project face and overcome unforeseen challenges, both large and small, on a daily basis. These include frequent vehicle break-downs, charging elephants, malfunctioning field equipment, and work schedules that are dependent upon the constantly shifting availability of village leaders and local park authorities. Despite the availability of local translators, the strong language barrier can also be very challenging. All of these conditions must be reconciled with the challenge of successfully completing the work, as scheduled, on a monthly basis. These challenges should not be under-estimated, but it should also be noted that many volunteers who work on the project find that they dont want to leave! Qualifications: A particular type of personality is best suited for this type of work, therefore you must have the following qualities: positive attitude, flexible, resourceful, personable, intellectually curious, conscientious, patient, able to work and problem solve independently but also work as part of a team, and a sense of humor doesnt hurt either! Required qualifications: - Interest in wildlife conservation, and education - Interest in and respect for different cultures - Fluency in English, both written and spoken - Comfortable living in remote areas under very basic living conditions Preferred: - Experience traveling or working internationally, preferably in a developing nation For more information about the project, visit our website at www.thewildlifeconnection.org and like us on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wildlife-Connection/214070011986300 To apply: Send a resume and cover letter detailing how you meet the qualifications listed above, the reason you are interested in this position, and the time commitment you can make (including rough dates of your availability) to [email protected].
