Volunteer Toucan assistant in Costa Rica

I am currently seeking multiple volunteers to assist me in tracking toucans
for movement and home range quantification in a fragmented landscape in
Turrialba, Costa Rica, as part of my dissertation research on seed dispersal
at the University of Louisiana Lafayette. So far, over 30 volunteers have
participated in the project since the beginning of 2012.

POSITION: Volunteer (unpaid) field assistants

DURATION: Currently, I am looking for volunteers for anytime in July and
August 2012 and during the fall, but I am accepting volunteers on a rotating
basis as late as spring 2013. A minimum commitment of 6 weeks is
appreciated. Applications will be considered immediately.

STUDY SITE: The campus and adjacent farm of the Centro Agronómico Tropical
de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE). CATIE is located at the edge of
Turrialba, at about 2,000 ft (600 m) above sea level on the Caribbean slope
of the central valley in Costa Rica. Additional information on the study
site can be found at: http://www.catie.ac.cr.

QUALIFICATIONS: Assistants must be in good physical condition and willing to
work in the field for up to 9 hours a day on weekdays, with weekends off,
often in hot and humid weather. Preference will be given to applicants with
the following skills and experience, but they are not necessary to apply:
radio telemetry, mist-netting, tropical seed and plant identification,
tropical field experience, GPS, Spanish.

LIVING CONDITIONS/EXPENSES: Volunteers must be able to cover their own
lodging, living expenses, and transportation to and from the study site.
However, the cost of living in Turrialba is relatively inexpensive. Most
volunteers are housed near campus in Turrialba in a large and comfortable
shared house with internet and modern conveniences. Temperatures range from
the mid 60s (F) to the mid 80s.

MAIN DUTIES: Assistants will be tracking toucans in a landscape of tropical
forest fragments and agricultural habitats such as pasture, sugarcane,
coffee, and chocolate plantations. Additional projects are also developing,
but assistants will gain valuable experience in the following methods:
-radio telemetry
-canopy and songbird mist-netting
-behavioral sampling
-tropical bird identification
-GPS use

Those interested should send a current CV or resume to Landon Jones at
lrj1327@louisiana.edu with “Volunteer Toucan Assistant” in the subject line.