Brazil Pantanal Research and Conservation

Background – Why we need volunteers
Our on site staff conduct research in partnership with a local University working to help conserve the stunning area and wildlife that inhabit it. The savannah, forests, lakes and rivers of the Pantanal are home to many species, including caiman, peccaries and the endangered hyacinth macaw. The region is valued by environmentalists for its abundant and highly visible wildlife and its potential role as a genetic reservoir for small, isolated animal populations.

Despite increased human interference during the past 50 years, the Pantanal ecosystem is considered to be one of the most well preserved biomes in Brazil, it was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2000. From a conservation perspective, its preservation in the past has resulted from a favourable combination of environmental and socio-economic factors. However, recent changes have pushed some aspects of this fine balance to its limit.

The researches evaluate the direct and indirect impacts of a changing cattle industry on key species, and their resources, in the Pantanal. Conservation efforts targeting landscape species help maintain regional biodiversity and ecological integrity, because the species chosen use large, diverse areas, have significant impacts on ecosystem structure and function, and are vulnerable to human-related environmental threats. By comparing pristine regions with cattle-impacted sites, we will identify biodiversity losses, recommend habitat restoration measures, and alter cattle management to increase efficiency and profitability while protecting biodiversity.

Volunteer activities
Data on fruit foraging will be collected on fresh peccary paths. On these paths, we will observe feeding stops, or foraging bouts, the fruits eaten, and the frequency that they stop to eat a particular fruit. We will count the number of foraging bouts for each fruit and then calculate proportions of each fruit type consumed. With this information, we can have a measure of the fruits that are most frequently consumed each season. We will also try to identify the species that consumed the fruit using the signs left by the animal while eating the fruit.

Peccaries will not be the only animals that will be recorded during a census. With the help of volunteers, a greater proportion of the region can be censused regularly. Volunteers will record the presence of any animal they encounter on a trail, and will also watch for fresh tracks or other animal signs.
New trails will be opened and marked every 50m. Opening new trails requires first an investigation of the area to make sure it is feasible to open a trail in that location. Once this is accomplished, the trail can be opened. A rotation of tasks will occur, and so volunteers will participate in all aspects of the project. Volunteers will spend up to 5 - 10 hours in the field, and should be prepared to walk 5 - 10 km/day.

The team will usually be divided into small groups of 2 or 3 and volunteers will have a great diversity of tasks, and will also participate in other ongoing projects being conducted at the area, including the aquatic ecology, Caiman research and working alongside scientists. Volunteers will also spend their time censusing caimans and fishes using hook and line in larger, deeper aquatic habitats. In the lab, they will sort and organize aquatic samples and equipment and enter data.

Accommodation
The lodge is very comfortable: and has a library, apartments with air conditioning, restaurant, pool, laundry, laboratory, electricity, phone/internet, and local musicians. There are various separate bedrooms with about 4 beds in each.

Volunteers will be divided among the available bedrooms. The quality of the food is excellent, featuring traditional Brazilian dishes including rice and beans, meat, and fresh fish caught from the river. Vegetarian meals are excellent as well. The main meal will be served at lunch in the traditional Brazilian style and may include meat, fish, vegetables, salads, rice, beans, and pasta.

Volunteers need to have a moderate fitness level and be prepared to walk about 5-10 km per day in very hot and humid conditions (during the wet season). You don't need to be a scientist or have any special qualifications - everyone can take part and there are no age limits whatsoever. You will be trained on how to collect the data we need, identify animals for the census, radio tracking, and the data needed while we capture peccaries.