Elephant research and conservation

Volunteers are needed to participate in an elephant research and conservation education project near Ruaha National Park, Tanzania.  All necessary training will be provided.  Responsibilities will vary according to shifting program needs but will include a combination of the following:

• Monitoring and identifying elephants residing inside the park; this growing database will allow us to monitor the local elephant population over time.
• Working with local farmers to build and erect barrier fences that are strung with beehives to protect crops from elephant raiding. 
• Help with teaching environmental education to children both in schools, and in informal outdoor settings.  
• Help to identify and inventory plant and animal species found along elephant corridors.
• Use GIS to map elephant corridors and human elephant conflict events.
• Help to develop a growing network of libraries in local villages.

All volunteers will also have the opportunity to participate in game drives inside Ruaha National Park, for an additional fee.  Ruaha is the largest park in Tanzania and represents one of the country’s most biologically rich and ecologically important regions.  You 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.       

A program fee of $250 per week covers your accommodation, local transportation, 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 October 2013 and March 2014 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 95°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). Volunteers 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 don’t want to leave! 

Qualifications:

Above all, you should be adaptable, personable, and have a generally positive and optimistic attitude.  A sense of humor doesn’t 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 smais@rams.colostate.edu.