Please note this experience is volunteer and requires a project fee (see below), which covers room, board, in-country transport, and food for workdays. Additionally, participants must provide own transportation to Belize. We have worked with numerous students to apply for external grant funding and to obtain university credit.
We are seeking 5-10 motivated field assistants per 30-day period for our wildlife study in Belize, Central America. The data gathered in the field contributes to a non-invasive study focused on predators (jaguars, pumas, and ocelots) and their prey species to research long-term demographics of felid and other wildlife populations and the impacts of landscape, habitat, and anthropogenic effects such as selective/sustainable logging at multiple sites across Belize.
Interns will gain extensive field experience setting up large remote camera grids across tropical broadleaf and/or tropical pine forests, orienteering with GPS, map, and compass, maintaining field vehicle, gear, and house, conducting trail maintenance via machete, working/living with a small/medium team, and organizing and entering data to maintain a database.
Job includes EXTENSIVE driving and hiking on dirt roads and trails to remote camera stations. Field assistants may be required to carry heavy equipment, and will hike long distances through rough terrain, and bushwhack through thick vegetation. Work will also include shared data entry, camp and vehicle maintenance, and other errands and household chores.
Rustic living conditions in a tropical environment (meaning hot and humid weather, snakes, and biting insects). Field assistants will be living in close living quarters with their co-workers and will be expected to help out with group cooking, cleaning, and other basic field-house chores.
For more information please email: Darby Lugo_McPhail (dkm5ek@vt.edu), David Lugo-McPhail, and Dr. Marcella Kelly (makelly2@vt.edu).
