I am looking for a volunteer to work at the Budongo Conservation Field
Station in Uganda for 4 months, starting in mid-June 2023 (in a
month!!!).
ProjectI am studying sleep in wild
chimpanzees, trying to assess different sleeping patterns between
individuals. I am also interested in the ecological, endogenous and
social factors underlying these patterns and how they can impact fitness
and cognition.
Field SiteThe Budongo
Conservation Field Station is located in North-Western Uganda, above
lake Albert, which forms the border between Uganda and the Democratic
Republic of Congo. The forests is home to multiple chimpanzee
communities. For more info, see
http://www.budongo.org/about/Budongo
is fairly large field site which usually hosts multiple researchers at a
time. We share the camp with local staff. Living conditions are quite
basic: you'll have your own room equipped with a bed, a mosquito net, a
closet and a desk. Food is mostly vegetarian. Solar panels provide
enough power to charge equipment, depending on the weather. Mobile
reception usually allows to send WhatsApp messages and have Zoom
meetings quite properly, better connection can be found in villages
close by. You can leave the camp twice a week, once to go to Masindi,
the closest town, when you can buy additionnal food in supermarkets if
you want, and any other stuff you need; and once on Sunday to go to a
very nice place with a pool and a bar.
TasksThe
volunteer will collect observational data through daily focal follows.
We follow one individual chimpanzee throughout the day, collecting
general behavioural with a focus on sleep and napping. At dawn, we place
an infrared camera on a pole above the nest to film the chimp while
he/she is sleeping.
The volunteer
will always be with a local field assistant in the forest, and will
assist in setting up the camera.
Work in the forest is demanding.
We follow chimpanzees from morning till night (but the volunteer will
have the opportunity to only work half days sometimes), often covering
long distances in a day. This not only requires consistent focus, but
physical fitness. The forest is often covered in thicket, parts of the
forest are swampy, making it difficult to get ahead. The applicant
should not be bothered by mud, insects or anything else that is typical
in a rainforest.
Costs covered- One round trip (including flights and transport from airport to camp)
- Camp fees and food
-
Costs not covered: internet, additional trips either in Uganda or
internationally, health insurance, COVID PCR test, visa (50 dollars).
Requirements
- Ability to stay focused and motivated
- Physical fitness
- Resilience to isolated living
- Awareness for and acceptance of cultural differences
- Good at working (and living) in groups
- Open communication
- Fluency in English
- Previous field experience is always a plus
If you are interested, please contact me via email
clara...@unine.ch or via WhatsApp
+33 6 45 81 29 71. The position needs to be filled as soon as possible!
Clara Hozer