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GYC2266 - Elephant Research Country: Sri Lanka Cost: £1466.00 Please note: Flights/Transfers/Visas/Insurance Cost Includes: The price includes accommodation and food but does not include flight, insurance, kit, pickup from airport or visas    Duration: 4 weeks Company Rep Nearby: All the time 0845 344 7511 or

 

	This placement would suit... Any one with a passion for Elephants. If you think of animals in Sri Lanka, the first thing you probably think of is the endangered Sri Lankan elephants. You will have the chance to make a difference by getting first hand involvement into conservation of these amazing mammals. The conflict between wild elephant and man in Sri Lanka is an ongoing issue, and volunteer efforts through research will see you helping and assisting the dedicated research team in their work, to the impacts of the elephants in the local area. During this programme you will be out in the field with the researchers tracking and monitoring this amazing species. The programme is offered for 4 weeks throughout the year. Sri Lanka is a tropical island of 65,610 square kilometres (km2), a global biodiversity hotspot and considered to be one of the worlds’ most biologically rich per unit area which recently had over 250 new species of amphibians discovered. The globally significant biodiversity of Sri Lanka is currently threatened due to extensive habitat loss and unsustainable use of natural resources. The animal most affected by these activities is the endangered Sri Lankan elephant. By integrating innovative concepts the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society has pioneered several community-based human-elephant conflict resolution projects in Sri Lanka. Through these projects the SLWCS is helping local villagers to perceive the elephant as an economic asset rather than an agriculture pest that is a threat to their livelihoods. The SLWCS projects are making it possible for elephants and people to share the same space. It has been realised that there is an immediate need to develop a baseline biological and ecological database on the elephants in these areas, along with a human impact study to obtain a proper understanding of how these threats affect the ecology of the elephants. To ensure that such a field study program, once initiated, continues to function over the long term a Field Scouts Program (FSP) has been developed. The goal of the FSP is to recruit qualifying village youth, and train them to conduct field observations and surveys thereby making sure that there is participation and support for the program at the local level. To sustain these projects we have established a paying volunteer program that will help fund them over the long-term. The placements will be from 4-12 weeks throughout the year. The main project objectives are: - Help protect the Sri Lankan elephant by developing and providing management strategies for its conservation.  -  Focus on the human aspects of human-elephant conflict, and try to resolve them with the participation of the villagers who are victims of elephant crop raiding. By helping the farmers to initially protect their crops and property, the project will be building the credibility and integrity of the conservation process in the communities whose support is essential and crucial to the long-term conservation and management of the Sri Lankan elephant.  - Develop processes to integrate community participation into human-elephant conflict management. - Develop an integrated human-elephant conflict management process which can be applied island-wide wherever there is conflict. - Develop village level community networks and provide facilities for them to share and exchange ideas, information and experiences in regard to their efforts to resolve HEC. Field visits between project villages will increase the awareness of villagers and help build relationships and networks to support the resolution of HEC island-wide. - Bring economic relief to the farmer and help raise their standard of living by helping to stop crop depredation by elephants. A farmer who can reap the benefit of his endeavours would be more tolerant of the elephant, and more willing to help towards its’ long term conservation.  - Increase public awareness as to the plight of the elephant and help garner their support for its conservation.  - Develop activities that would help the farmers to benefit from the elephant. Introduce the concept of ecotourism. Such activities will help to show the elephant as a resource rather than a liability and a deadly adversary. - Develop the project as a model for possible replication in other range countries of the Asian elephant.  - Give the larger international non-scientific community a first hand experience of what it means to live around such a large and potentially destructive animal and still desire to conserve elephants for our future generations. While the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWLC) is capable of protecting the elephant and other wildlife within the protected areas, ensuring the long-term survival of such a large and highly mobile animal as the elephant, especially outside the network of protected areas though difficult is critical for the long-term conservation of the Sri Lankan elephant. Thus there is a need to change to some innovative approach to elephant conservation in Sri Lanka if elephants are to survive in significant numbers outside the system of protected areas. Project Life Field Conditions Please be prepared for basic living conditions. You will be staying in a project field base that consists of a central dining hall, kitchen, a small library, veranda and garden. Team members will share rooms with other volunteers. Basic modern amenities such as showers, porcelain toilets and solar power are available. All meals will be prepared for the team and vegetarians can be catered for. Clothes can be hand washed at the base. Whichever SLWCS field camp you will stay at they all have modern bathrooms, clean kitchens and shared sleeping facilities. You will be at least 4 hours from the closest internet cafe and may have irregular mobile phone coverage in parts of the core study area. Volunteers The volunteers will be split into smaller teams and partnered with the Field Scouts to conduct research in the field. By observing the Field Scouts and sharing the activities the team members will be able to further master the techniques very quickly. Additionally working with the Field Scouts will acclimate them to the local customs as well as provide them with opportunities develop an understanding of each other’s cultures. The teams will be assigned tasks to accomplish everyday and these tasks demand groups to work as teams. The evenings will be relatively quiet (for rest after a tiring morning of field work in the hot environment) but there will be elephant observation, tree hut monitoring and data entry tasks depending on the current project needs and logistical considerations. All of these activities will help to develop a strong team spirit among the volunteers and Field Scouts. Walking in the jungle and forests to collect data could be dangerous sue to the presence of wild elephants, sloth bears and other wild animals. Programme Start Dates Programmes start on the first and third Monday of each month. Volunteers must make their own travel arrangements to Colombo airport in time for the pick up to be transferred through to the project camp. 0845 344 7511 Worldwide Experience offers volunteers a unique conservation opportunity to work on some of Southern Africa's premier private game reserves or leading marine ocean research projects. A conservation placement is the ultimate life changing experience gives you the chance to give something back and make a difference to the natural environment.