Conservation Assistantships working with wild macaws in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest in Peru

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Would you like to live in the middle of the Amazon rainforest as part of a fantastic multicultural team while helping to preserve wild macaws? Add to that learning a new set of skills and gaining great field experience at one of the longest-running parrot projects in the Americas? If this sounds good to you, come and join our team of dedicated volunteers!
For over two decades, we’ve been working in the lowlands of southeastern Peru, led by Drs. Brightsmith and Vigo-Trauco from Texas A&M’s Schubot Center for Avian Health. Our research focuses on the breeding ecology of wild parrots and macaws in Tambopata, a region critical to conservation since 1999.

Volunteers are the backbone of our work, contributing thousands of hours to understanding these incredible birds. Whether you’re passionate about wildlife, have a background in biology, or are just eager to gain field experience, we welcome you to be part of this rewarding journey.

With various programs designed for all experience levels-from birdwatching enthusiasts to graduate-level professionals-there’s an opportunity for everyone who’s responsible, enthusiastic, and ready for an adventure in conservation. Are you ready for a hands-on conservation experience in one of the most biodiverse places on Earth? Come join us in making a real difference!

We have different volunteer assistantships programs that require different levels of experience from amateur enthusiasts and birdwatchers to graduate-level professionals. Volunteer activities vary according to the position.

LONG TERM VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT

You will be trained to identify all parrots by sight and sound in the area. To conduct wild parrot censuses in the forest and at claylicks, locate foraging parrots and enter data into computers. During the macaw breeding season, you will be trained to climb trees using rope systems and observe macaw behavior around nests. Activities include cooking and campsite set up.

SHORT VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT

These assistants will be quickly trained to help our field team to work with ropes to be part of the team that stays on the ground when we monitor macaw nests and chicks. You also are trained to monitor macaw behavior around their nests and to be part of our claylick monitoring team. Activities include cooking and campsite setup. Due to the short length of stay, volunteers will have only minimal involvement in activities requiring higher training levels like parrot censuses and tree climbing.

QUALIFICATIONS
LONG-TERM VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT REQUIREMENTS:

Previous field experience previous experience working with birds; Degree in Biology, Ecology, Forestry, Wildlife Sciences, or related careers or close to graduation.

Additional Requirements: good physical condition, able to carry a 40 lb (18 kg) pack over moderate terrain for up to 2 km, and no fear of heights (Dec-Mar). Good disposition for facing new and challenging situations, able to work in a team under stress. Have both life and accident insurance coverage.

SHORT-TERM VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT REQUIREMENTS

Previous experience observing animals in captivity or in the wild; appreciation for nature and wildlife.

Additional Requirements: Average physical condition, ability to walk 2 km over moderate terrain, good sense of observing animals, ability to stay seated for long periods of time, and some background knowledge of birds in general. Have both life and accident insurance coverage

ACCOMODATIONS

Our headquarters are located in the Malinoski Biological Station which is located right where the Malinoski river joins the Tambopata River. The station is a two-story wooden house with electricity generated by a gasoline generator and 75 Gb internet. The rooms are for two people and bathrooms and showers are shared. The first floor has a large area for common use of the different teams of researchers who stay there.

COST
Essentially, volunteering is free. We take care of research permit costs, cover the costs of all staff, work to maintain training material, and also deal with all correspondence and various aspects of project management. However, our budget does not extend to being able to pay for all aspects of volunteer participation. As such you only need to cover food, accommodation, and other services provided by the field station. The costs are very reasonable. The daily fee is according to the position and experience: * Long-term assistant: 30 USD/day

* Short-term assistant: 45 USD/day

*A one-time processing fee of $30 will be added for all volunteers.
This rate covers food (3 meals per day) and accommodations (bedding is provided). All volunteers will be charged an airport transfer to be picked up ($20) or dropped off ($10) at the airport plus an extra cost to be transported to the port in private transportation ($45). Once a volunteer was accepted, they will be sent an invoice by email from Texas A&M University. Upon receipt, the volunteer needs to pay 20% of the total cost of their stay. This non-refundable payment is required to hold the reservation for the assistant. The remaining 80% of the payment should be made at least two weeks before the assistant arrives at the release site. Arrangements can be made if assistants wish to pay in cash in the country. However, prior permission from the coordinator is needed. Changes to the daily fee may apply according to availability and season