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Paraguay - Biological Research Centre

Activities : Conservation / Work Placements / Animals
Company :
Country : Paraguay
Region : South America
Duration : 28 days

Info

The Biological Station offers numerous different projects overseen by their expert team, both long-term investigations and shorter term studies with the aim to thoroughly document the flora and fauna of the reserve and its biology. Volunteers will be expected to either assist with a current scheduled project or choose a smaller scale private project from the project file which they will complete themselves under guidance.

This National Park is a park in crisis. Though the ecological importance of the reserve at a national and international level is undeniable, a lack of governmental funds means that the lands within the reserve remain in private hands 15 years after the national park? was first declared.

With the government unable to assure the continued conservation of the reserve and pressure on the natural habitats increasing, the NGO Pro Cordillera San Rafael (PROCOSARA) has assumed responsibility for its protection, employing a team of park guards and working with local communities on educational and environmental projects to ensure the continued existence of the reserve. The objective of the Research Centre is to provide a solid scientific basis to support conservationist?s claims about the ecological importance and value of the reserve.

The Biological Station offers numerous different projects overseen by our expert team, both long-term investigations and shorter term studies ? with the aim to thoroughly document the flora and fauna of the reserve and its biology. Volunteers will be expected to either assist with a current scheduled project or choose a smaller scale private project from the project file which they will complete themselves under guidance. The option for volunteers to develop their own guided research project is also available. Inventory projects of all classes of animals run all year and involve making daily lists, photography, sound recordings, capture, identification and description of live specimens etc.

Experimental and behavioural projects using both captive and wild animals are also performed, including an ongoing work to thoroughly document the nesting behaviour of the birds of the reserve. A captive butterfly and amphibian breeding project enables us to study the life cycle of these beautiful creatures and boost populations by releasing the offspring back into the wild! We encourage volunteers to publish their work in the online Journal Bellbird and guidance in scientific writing will be provided for volunteers interested in doing so.

The role of volunteers will be to help gather data by performing ongoing species inventories and behavioural studies of the flora and fauna of the park, assist with captive breeding programmes of native species and (for those that are up for it!) to play a part in the publication of articles and books which aim to bring the plight of San Rafael to the attention of the world.