Ecological Field Assistant and Conservation Volunteer - Cyprus

KUSKOR require a small team of dedicated field assistants to help with an expanding diversity and number of research and conservation activities during October 2017 to May 2018.

Responsibilities of the team

Our main areas of work are with birds and as such the main responsibilities are currently:

• Undertaking breeding bird censuses including passerines, raptors and waterbirds.
• Monitoring sea bird colonies on remote islands by boat.
• Producing, erecting and monitoring nest boxes for target conservation species, particularly European Roller.
• Monitoring wetlands.
• Shore watches, migration counts and some boat based sea bird and marine vertebrate surveys.
• Supporting the local ringing team and ringing teams from abroad with mist netting effort and where suitably qualified, leading ringing teams.
• Habitat management eg. clearing invasive species, installing floating islands for birds.
• Producing short docuclips to promote the work of the NGO, managing social media and fund raising.

Through our partner NGO Society for Protection of Turtles (SPOT; www.cyprusturtles.org), the team will also undertake regular patrols of study beaches across North Cyprus to monitor stranded turtles, cetaceans and monk seals. The team also responds to calls from the public and from fishermen who regularly report dead or injured sea turtles. This will include lab work as suitable specimens will be necropsied, diet analysis undertaken and samples collected.  There may be opportunity to assist in the attachment of satellite transmitters to sea turtles.

Volunteers

We are looking for fit and healthy volunteers that do not mind sharing dorm accommodation. You must be able to get on well with other people and be prepared to cook and clean. In addition, knowledge of Turkish would be invaluable. You do not have to be a science student, graduate or ornithologists. However, those volunteers with experience in ornithology, particularly in bird identification, will be viewed most favourably.

Volunteer duration 4-8 weeks

Volunteer costs £650 toward basic food and accommodation in Cyprus.

Team Leaders

If you wish to apply for a team leader role, please state this in your application. Team leaders will have a full and valid driving licence, experience working as part of a team and preferably of managing small groups. Experience in identification of birds is essential, preferably not restricted to UK and ideally Mediterranean and or the Middle East. Candidates with ringing permits will be viewed particularly favourably as will any applicants who have previously volunteered on the Marine Turtle Conservation Project in Cyprus. 

Team leader duration 2 to 7 months

Team leader costs None.

How to apply

Download an application form at http://www.kuskor.org/joinus. Complete and attach to an email to damlabeton@gmail.com with cc to rtes201@exeter.ac.uk. Include “Cyprus Volunteer” and your name in the subject line.