Condor Conservation, December – Volunteer Biologists

Assistant field biologist volunteers needed for research into the Andean condor in the north of Ecuador.   The condor conservation project is a collaboration between Fundación Galo Plaza Lasso, the Community of Zuleta and Fundación Zoológica del Ecuador (the parent organization of Quito Zoo), and is part of Ecuador’s National Strategy for Conservation of the Andean Condor. 

The condor is a Critically Endangered Species in Ecuador.  It is believed that there are fewer than 50 wild condors left in Ecuador, and 17 in captivity.  The project aims to understand more about condor behavior (both wild and captive) in order to identify factors impacting on condor survival and the actions needed to save the species from extinction.  Project components include captive breeding with plans for future reintroduction, observation of wild condors, community education and raising awareness. 

Volunteer biology students/graduates can help with data collection (behavioural observation) for research and habitat conservation.  Volunteers will make detailed observations of the behavior of wild and captive condors.  The project aims to conserve the condors’ páramo habitat and inventory other wildlife in the area, so volunteers may also be involved in cataloguing camera trap photos (often of Andean bears, as well as the condors), tracking wildlife or recording data from transects.  This is a great opportunity to gain practical experience in data collection in the field and may qualify as an internship or field experience for the purposes of some degree courses.

Applicants must be studying or have studied biology, zoology, wildlife conservation or a similar subject at university level for at least a year.  Minimum age: 20.  Volunteers need to be reasonably fit, able to walk at altitude, and have good attention to detail for data collection.

5-week placement starting 30^th November.  Other opportunities also available for November (4 weeks – 1 place only), or for 2013.

For more information and how to apply, download the information pack from  http://fundaciongaloplazalasso.org/en/voluntariado/volunteer-conservation-biology/ or email volunteersfgpl@yahoo.co.uk . Please quote reference SDSep12Dec when applying.