Marine Mammals Research Association, or DMAD, was founded to contribute to the improvement of the scientific knowledge on marine mammals and for the conservation of marine biodiversity. There is a lack of information and scientific effort in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin, therefore the project aims to fulfil the gaps of missing long term studies in the area by conducting systematic research on cetacean abundance, distribution, behaviour and site fidelity. This is a great opportunity to discover the ecology and behaviour of dolphins and whales species, and to be a part of a multicultural team breaking ground in cetacean research on the eastern Mediterranean.
We are looking for enthusiastic, motivated and hard-working individuals to join our team. We have places starting from August until the beginning of 2016. Minimum commitment is one month, but we recommend at least two months for a fuller experience. People who have the will to stay longer (from 3 months onward) will have a discount, as well as gain training on specific subjects such as GIS for cetacean ecology and statistical software’s.
Volunteers will be responsible for collecting and entering sighting and behavioural data during boat and land surveys. Volunteers will be trained on setting up the theodolite and how to use it, taking dolphin pictures, identifying dolphin individuals through Photo-ID techniques and using various software’s such as Pythagoras, Logger and Imatch.
Land based surveys are conducted in the cliffs of Antalya, and boat based surveys are conducted on average three times per month, on various locations.
The working hours varies from 6 to 12 hours per day and the day starts early. The typical week is divided into 3 days of fieldwork, 2 days of office work, and 2 days to explore or relax in the beautiful Turkish Riviera.
These positions are unpaid and require a contribution fee of 700 Euro per month. This will cover your accommodation, transportation during the projects. Transportation to and from Antalya is the responsibility of the volunteer, as well as food costs (this is around 75 euro per month or less, per person)