Description

The magical Island of Madagascar is home to some of the world's most spectacular and least explored wildlife and ecosystems. Journey with us to northern Madagascar a mysterious land unlike anywhere else on earth. Places on this ancient, exotic island have vegetation and wildlife so strange that at times you'd even think that you were on another planet! Here you can find almost all of the world's 63 kinds of lemurs, dozens of species of chameleon including the world's smallest and largest, and strikingly beautiful wild cats called fossas.

On the Frontier-Madagascar wildlife conservation project you'll discover the huge variety of Madagascar's exotic species as you trek through remote regions of this hugely exciting island. Working alongside other dedicated volunteers, you'll monitor the distribution and abundance of species, assessing their use of the wilderness habitats and ecosystem and evaluating the impact of human populations on the Wildlife.

* What Will I Be Doing?

The main aims of the programme are to assess the biodiversity in this little-studied area and compare different habitat types and altitudes. Compiling a species inventory will involve carrying out extensive surveys of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians in the surrounding forests. This means setting up several trap sites to collect species in buckets, canopy traps and from leaf-litter extraction as well as surveys of lemurs and night walks. In addition we will also be doing mapping of vegetation, disturbance and resource-use in the area to build up a GIS map.

If this is your first time doing conservation work, don't worry! It will only take a short while for you to feel totally at home on camp and confident with the science work. Although the work is intense you'll find that living in such a beautiful and inaccessible environment alongside friends who share your passion for conservation will be the experience of a lifetime!

You'll find your team to be a fun, dynamic mix of ages (usually between 18 and 25, though no age limit applies), and experiences, with members who all share a passion about travelling in developing countries and saving endangered life. Your staff will be young, friendly individuals who are highly experienced in their field and many may have volunteered on a Frontier project earlier in their career.

Highlights

* Spot species found nowhere else on Earth.
* Empower Malagasy communities.
* Discover strange & beautiful Madagascar!
* Make lifelong friends.

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

1,600

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Written materials abroad
• Written materials pre-departure

Program Fees Include:

Before you go:
* Pre-departure support
* Travel & medical advice & documentation
* Equipment advice
* Discounted medical kit
* Free Frontier t-shirt
* FREE UK residential briefing weekend (10 week+ volunteers)
* UK residential briefing weekend (£50 per volunteer)

In-country:
* Food
* Accommodation
* Airport pick-up (if you arrive on the 1st Monday of the month)
* Internal Ground transfers & in-transit accommodation (if you arrive on the 1st Monday of the month)
* Local orientation
* Project training
* Project equipment & materials
* In-country emergency support
* 24-hour international HQ back-up

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Other

Participants Travel

Independently

Application Process Involves

• Phone/Video Interview

Frontier's Mission Statement

To conserve the world's most endangered wildlife and threatened habitats and to build sustainable livelihoods for marginalized and under resourced communities in the world's poorest countries. To create solutions that are apolitical, forward-thinking, community-driven, and innovative and which take into consideration the long-term needs of low income communities.

Year Founded

1989