Internships in Santarem, Brazil

This is a highly engaging, hands-on field research programme, led by a team who are genuinely passionate about biodiversity and conservation. The staff are extremely dedicated to discovering species and often go above and beyond their scheduled tasks. It’s not unusual for meetings or transitions between activities to pause so that everyone can observe and document a cool sighting, like a new bird. This approach fosters an environment that encourages curiosity and scientific interest. One of the programme's best features is its variety of activities and field sites, which provide exposure to a wide range of ecosystems, species and research methods. Some monitoring tasks are repeated as part of standard data collection, which maintains a methodical approach to the work and helps to build reliable long-term datasets. The overall atmosphere is welcoming and positive, balancing focused fieldwork with moments of humour and casual interaction. Short breaks, including a swim in the river, help keep the team feeling refreshed during long days. Clear, respectful and fair communication makes it easy to understand what is expected and collaborate effectively. Overall, the programme successfully combines high-quality scientific work with a supportive and motivating team, making it a truly rewarding experience.

I am a recent college graduate from the United States and spent three months volunteering with IPBio. During my time at Reserva Betary, I worked closely with the staff to create a new project for the volunteer program, in collaboration with a professor from Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Creating a new project gave me an inside look at all the effort and organization that is poured into each research project; the projects at IPBio are engaging and interesting with real world implications. I highly recommend volunteering with IPBio for anyone who has an interest in the natural world. The Atlantic Forest is an incredibly underrated and diverse ecosystem where you are guaranteed to see amazing flora and fauna. During my stay there, I saw monkeys, toucans, and several species of beautiful tanagers. The atmosphere the program cultivates is one of friendliness and comradery. Our weekends were usually filled with floating down the river, visiting caves, or taking a trip to Cananeia, a beautiful island off the coast. Volunteering with IPBio was an incredible experience in every way from the ecology to the staff to the fellow volunteers!