#Nota de F: Otro voluntariado donde te dan comida y alojamiento en una tienda de campaña a cambio de tu avanzada educación -requieren un graduado- y trabajo exigente. ¿Deberías solicitarlo? Mi opinión es que sólo si estás atrapado, sin otra salida. Si estás amargado, llevas meses sin encontrar un trabajo decente y no te llega para el alquiler con lo que ganas poniendo copas. Si es así, mete tus trastos en cajas, déjalas en casa de algún amigo y ahórrate el alquiler unos meses. Camina por la playa, marca tortugas, cuenta primates y quizá la experiencia te acabe abriendo otras puertas.
Opportunity location: Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea, Africa
Closing date: 31 August 2016
Start date: 01 November 2016; 5 months commitment.
Opportunity Description
The Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program (BBPP) is seeking an Ecotourism Volunteer (EV) to assist with research, outreach, and small-scale ecotourism activities on the southern beaches of Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea. BBPP will engage the EV for a period of 5 months during the upcoming dry season, beginning in November and lasting through March. The EV is expected to devote at least 40 hrs/week to the project, but due to the nature of the project and living conditions, hours will likely be considerably more.
The EV will work under the supervision of BBPP Research Camp Managers and other BBPP staff. The EV will split their time between coordinating field-based ecotourism and outreach activities and conducting research (see below). Typical ecotourism activities include, but are not limited to, facilitating short-term visits to research camps by tourists and students, and supporting local staff at the Ureca Nature Center, a small facility cooperatively run by the village of Ureca and the BBPP.
Typical research activities include data collection primarily on the ecology of primates and nesting sea turtles. Turtle research is conducted each evening and focuses on tagging nesting females and gathering reproductive output data on leatherback and green turtles. Researchers will walk an average of 10 km/night while patrolling the beaches. Primate surveys are conducted for 2 weeks each month along established BBPP transects together with a trained team of local survey workers. The EV is also required to participate in daily upkeep and maintenance of the camp, including preparation of meals.
All activities take place in the Gran Caldera Scientific Reserve (GCSR) in the village of Ureca or at BBPP research camps. Ureca is the only permanent human establishment within the GCSR and was historically isolated until the recent completion of a new road. As such, it remains relatively remote and isolated, with very little services or amenities. Our research camps are in remote areas with no road access, reached by hiking in and out along extremely rough terrain (between 5-13 km depending on camp). Research camp staff will be living in tents, cooking over fire, and using water from nearby streams. The diet is very limited due to lack of electricity/refrigerators. There is no internet connection or phone line. A satellite phone will be available in case of an emergency. The camp does have generators to charge research equipment, which may be used for occasional personal items.
This is an unpaid (volunteer) position. However, BBPP will provide housing (tents), food and local transportation. You are expected to provide international transportation to and from Malabo, Equatorial Guinea (± $2000 for a round trip flight from US), medical and evacuation insurance, appropriate immunizations (yellow fever) and medications (anti-malarial medications). Non-US citizens will need to apply for a visa to enter Equatorial Guinea. We will try to obtain a letter of invitation through the local university in Malabo but cannot guarantee a visa.
Qualifications:
Field assistants are expected to be at least 21 years old and are REQUIRED to have:
- B.A. or B.S. in biology, ecology, environmental science, international development, tourism management, or related disciplines
- Spanish language proficiency (minimum conversational)
- Spanish is the national language of Equatorial Guinea.
- Prior field experience in biology, ecology, environmental science, ecotourism, community development, or related disciplines.
- Physical fitness and a positive attitude towards physically exhausting work in a hot and humid climate. All assistants should be prepared for very demanding and time consuming work.
- Preference will be given to applicants who have experience in remote locations, developing countries, and/or experience working, camping, or hiking in wilderness areas.
Please send a cover letter, CV and contact information for 3 references to Dana Venditti at dmv52@drexel.edu.
***The cover letter and/or CV should clearly state that the applicant is applying for the Ecotourism Volunteer position and detail the applicant’s level of Spanish proficiency.
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Drew T. Cronin, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Drexel University
Department of Biology
3245 Chestnut St.
Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building, Rm. 503
Philadelphia, PA 19104
U.S.Phone:
+1-215
-895-6906
E.G. Phone: +240-222-032-801
dtc33@drexel.edu
Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program
Central African Biodiversity Alliance
Gonder Laboratory
drewtcronin.com
