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Field Methods in Primatology Crash Course
Organization: Para La Tierra (www.paralatierra.org)
Location: Pilar, Paraguay
Time Frame: Rolling Applications
Dates: Jan 12th to Feb 2nd 2020
Credit: May be eligible for University Credit
The Field Methods in Primatology Crash Course is a 3-week comprehensive introduction to field primatology with particular focus on the hooded capuchin (Sapajus cay) in the Paraguayan Atlantic Forest and the black-&-gold howler monkey (Alouatta caraya) in the humid Chaco and urban environments. The course offers budding primatologists the perfect opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a range of field techniques in distinct environments. Paraguay is often overlooked in terms of conservation and scientific research but is home to some of the world's most endangered habitats.
The course is led by Fundacion Para La Tierra’s (PLT) primatologist Rebecca Smith. Rebecca is the leading primatologist in Paraguay and is a PhD candidate with the University of Aberdeen. She has extensive experience working with primates in captive and wild settings across four countries and has studied the hooded capuchin in the Paraguayan Atlantic Forest for the past 5 years. She has published several papers on the behaviour of the hooded capuchin, presented her research at 4 international conferences and completed courses in the use of animals in research and primate rehabilitation.
The course introduces students to primatology through lectures, field exercises, discussion groups, active participation in Paraguay’s only long-term primate field study, and independent research. The course begins in the city of Pilar in Para La Tierra’s Centro IDEAL base. You will participate in a series of workshops including primate taxonomy, study design, primatology in Paraguay and Atlantic Forest conservation, as well as be introduced to Pilar’s urban howler monkey population and learn a variety of data collection techniques. You’ll travel to the Paraguayan Atlantic Forest at San Rafael “National Park”, participating in the ongoing long-term capuchin research project, while learning field skills including, but not limited to, camera trapping, VHF telemetry and primate habituation techniques. The final week is spent in Pilar and will include lecture and practical work relating to distance sampling and census methods, non-invasive biological sample collection, parasite analysis and social network analysis. During the final four days you will use your newfound skills to plan and carry out your own study on the urban howler monkeys, before presenting your results to the group.
Fundación Para La Tierra is a conservation NGO focused on the conservation of Paraguay’s endangered habitats through scientific research, community engagement and environmental education. PLT runs the country’s only long-term primate research project, and Paraguay’s first intensive primatological field course.
Qualifications/Experience
This course is perfect for undergraduates who are thinking about a career in primatology, tropical conservation or studying animal behaviour. You must be at least 18 years old.
For more information and to apply send your CV and a cover letter to Karina Atkinson at [log in to unmask] or visit our website at https://www.paralatierra.org/fieldcourse. You’ll be notified by email within a week if you’ve been selected for an interview.
Tuition/Fees
$1,995 for course tuition, three meals per day and an afternoon snack, lodging at the Centro IDEAL and PRO COSARA research stations, course materials and expert instruction. Airfares to Paraguay, travel insurance, vaccinations and the hotel on the first night are not included. Partial scholarships are available.
Start and End dates.
The course runs from January 12th to February 2nd, 2020. You must arrive in Asuncion the day before the course starts. Applications are being considered as they come in. There are only 5 spots remaining and we will keep applications open until they are filled. We are accepting eligible applications on a first come first serve basis.