Amphibian Researcher in Brazil

A really organised and hands on volunteer experience where they give you all the advice and teaching necessary whilst still allowing you the freedom of independent research. I learnt more about ecology in 3 months that school could teach be in 3 years. Just brilliant!

My time in Brazil was incredible, and I already want to go back. Situated in the Atlantic Forest, the Reserve was the most beautiful place I have ever lived. With vegetation everywhere, birds flying overhead all day long, and a river right behind the house to swim in after work, the living situation was ideal. The house had a great kitchen and even had AC in each room. I loved the work I did with amphibians, and the research aspect was perfect for me. It was even better, however, that we got to fully immerse in amphibians twice a week, but also help on every single other project they has going on. We did something different each day of the week, which kept it interesting and fun-and allowed me to get great experience in all sorts of biological work! One of the best parts of the program, however, were the activities we did in our free time. The volunteer coordinator made these particularly easy to coordinate too. If we told him the week before we wanted to do something, he would arrange guides and transportation for us. We got to explore caves, go to the beach, float down the river on tubes, see waterfalls, and really explore the region. I would highly recommend this program and hope I can go back one day!

I spent 6 weeks at IPBio in the summer of my 2nd year studying biology at university. My experience was incredible, the organisation is doing such incredible things and it so great to know that the work you do as a volunteer is actually being used for scientific research. The atmosphere at the reserve is super welcoming and the staff are supportive and relaxed. This makes the work really enjoyable, particularly for the role of Eco-volunteer (which I had), which means that you get to participate in a multitude of projects, so that you never get bored. I found it to be a perfect combination of practical work experience as well having an amazing social aspect. There are stunning caves, waterfalls and hikes in the area as well as an unbelievably friendly local community. I honestly can’t put into words how much I enjoyed my experience, taking home to many incredible memories and making life-long friends.

My name is Chandler Nelson and I am from Arizona,USA. I was attracted to Reserva Betary's program because of the uniqueness, and it definitely came through. There are countless experiences in the field that I couldn't imagine happening anywhere else. The research itself is interesting and continuously changing and gives an insight on how real conservation efforts happen. Although going into it I felt very out of my league, the staff were kind and extremely prepared to help me learn and apply skills needed to have an awesome experience. I am a Portuguese speaker and feel that it really helped me but being culturally immersed with weekend outings and mingling with the staff was one of my favorite and most memorable parts of my time here.

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I really enjoyed working at the betary reserve. There are lots of activities to be a part of, including fish inventory, habitat monitoring, mushroom inventory etc., and, as a volunteer, you are involved in all the steps and get to learn a lot. Working in the amphibian lab was my favourite part as I have always wanted to work with frogs and I got to work in a lab for the first time, doing relevant studies on tadpoles. The staff are very supportive and open to discussing your ideas. The volunteer house is very well equipped, despite several power cuts, and all the people volunteering with me were amazing people to live and work with. There are some restaurants and bars in the local area and in the local town, which volunteers can go to in their free-time.

Hello I'm Eva and this year I spent three months at IPBio as an amphibian researcher. My time there has been unforgettable and unique, I loved every second of it. First to the program, as an amphibian researcher I divided my time between working with tadpoles and frogs and the regular projects done by the eco-volunteers. If you're staying for more than two months I would recommend doing a specialization but for a shorter period of time it's also very rewarding going there as an eco-volunteer. They have various projects which all contribute to the whole. The working days were really enjoyable, the projects enable you to get to know the beauty and diversity of the atlantic rainforest and truly connect with it. As a volunteer there you really see the value of your work, everything you do truly contributes! Then there is the place we live, the volunteer house is right next to the centre and therefor in the midst of the forest and yet it has all the comforts of home, a kitchen, desk in every room, fan or AC, TV, hammocks outside and (shitty) wifi. The staff is also very friendly and always ready to help or for a nice talk. In your free-time there are so many wonderful activities, floating down river on a tube (boia-cross), exploring the various caves, going to see waterfalls, or a night out to Sal's place or into town. And best of all, marvel at the beauty of the milky way, fireflies, glowing larvae and bioluminescent mushrooms. I would go back there anytime! oh and if you go there, say hello to the hummingbirds for me.

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I came here to do my internship as an amphibian researcher. I can only describe my stay as amazing and breathtaking. It is amazing to see all the biodiversity around the reserve and be part of incredibly interesting researches. I met the most amazing people from all over the world with which I've done some fun excursions and activities. I would certainly recommend to jump into this experience. If I could, I would stay here forever!

My name is Matt and I’m from Wales, UK. In the eight weeks I spent at IPBio, I focused on working with tadpoles in the lab and I also set up a new camera trapping project. Every day is packed with adventures and good times, I can assure you of that! You hear the sounds of the jungle every day, and never know what sights you will see. There are surprises around every corner. The volunteer house is modern and has everything you need. There’s a range of weekend activities available including floating down the river on a rubber tube and exploring awesome caves! I highly recommend IPBio, they are one of the best volunteering opportunities out there!

This experience was great in several ways. I always wanted to do my share in protecting biodiversity and discovering wild life. So when I heard about IPBIO I planned to go there. Done, I was there for a month and it surpassed my expectations. First, I was surprised how nice and welcoming Brazilian people are. Then the landscape is crazy; jungle, mountains cave and waterfalls are everywhere. About IPBIO; the working activities are nice and diverse - we can participate at mushrooms inventory, birds, tree inventory even fish. Mammals you can inventory by using the camera traps are also amazing. But the most interesting aspect is to live with people from everywhere, different languages and areas but all super nice !

My time at IPBio was an amazing first abroad experience! During my two month stay, I served as a research assistant for the numerous amphibian studies, as well as an eco-volunteer, assisting with various other projects in the field. Every day, I spent either the morning or the afternoon in the lab with tadpoles and frogs; I collected data like length and mass, as well as examining some under a microscope to assess their health and take photos. I had the opportunity to write up new research protocol for the studies, and I also got to participate in one night collection of frogs to inform our understanding of the biodiversity on the reserve! The other half of my day was spent in the field, overseen by the lovely and super knowledgeable Marleen, collecting data for a variety of other projects at IPBio. One of my favorites was the pond habitat monitoring, which was set up by a fellow volunteer during my time at IPBio. Lily created a monitoring system to track the health of a variety of aquatic habitats on the reserve, and once a week we would collect data from one of the ponds, rotating through them over the weeks. My favorite part was probably identifying the macro-invertebrate species in each pond, which required us to sift through a small sample size that we collected, picking out a variety of insect larvae, tiny crustaceans, snails, and aquatic worms to identify. I also assisted in sorting through loads of camera trap footage, which led to watching a little family of birds basically grow up before my eyes, as they passed in front of the same camera consistently for upwards of a month. My fellow volunteers during my stay were all so interesting and wonderful, and it was an honor and pleasure to get to know them, for whatever the length of time our paths crossed. The staff were all amazing and so knowledgeable in their respective fields. Marleen taught me so much about field biology and data collection, Henrique taught me loads about birds, and Anna was so helpful answering all of my questions in the lab. Being my first trip out of my home country, Imran was so supportive and answered my questions every step of the way, all the way up until I got off the bus at the Reserve the day I arrived. I was more than pleasantly surprised to find my room even had its own AC unit, which was a total luxury! And I don’t even know how she does it with all of the tromping around in muddy boots we do, but Adriana keeps everything on the reserve sparkling clean 24/7, and always greets you with an equally sparkling smile. Not only is everybody on staff excellent at what they do, they are so much fun to just hang out with! When you are not involved in the exciting and interesting projects on the Reserve, you will not lack for activities to occupy your time! There are so many amazing trips to be taken on your weekends off, and it is 110% worth it to budget out some extra money to take at least one or two. Whether you take a day to lay out on the beach in Cananaeia and watch dolphins play just meters from shore, or hike deep into the jungle to swim in remote waterfalls and explore captivating caves, you will NOT be disappointed. Being an Ecology and Environmental Science student in the US, I was drawn to IPBio’s projects in general, but had no special interest in amphibians. After my time volunteering, I have decided to go on for my masters and hopefully become a PhD candidate in herpetology down the line! I had no idea how much I would come to love and be inspired by a single family of animals, as well as the places they live. They are fascinating creatures and I think anyone who has the chance should get to know them a little better; they are an important bioindicator for many biomes, and can tell us so much about the health of the environments they inhabit. So, thank you IPBio for igniting this passion in me, and for giving me the opportunity to find it! I hope to return soon, and see all of the wonderful people (and frogs) I got to know during my stay. Obrigada, Brazil <3

I worked at IPBio for two months this summer as a volunteer from the United States. I am currently going into my third year of college working on a degree in Biology. I was looking for an opportunity to do research that complimented my school work and gave me experience in my future field when I ran across IPBio. It was exactly what I was looking for. I worked on a variety of different projects during my time here at IPBio. I wrote research papers and carried out experiments investigating the food preference one of the rare endemic frogs here in the Atlantic Forest as well as setting up a long-term monitoring of local tadpoles to track the progression of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis both for the research institute itself and for a professor at UNICAMPI, Brazil. I was also responsible for feeding the animals in the aquarium and terrariums. I have seen myself gain confidence working in the field and in the lab. Working with the animals here has been an amazing experience that has helped me realize that this is what I want to do with my life! Every morning, I woke up, cooked breakfast, and walked 30 seconds to work. Living in the volunteer house on the reserve meant that I was always surrounded by nature. I have spent countless hours during and after work wondering through the forest, marveling at the stunning biodiversity and beauty of the life here. On clear nights, the milky way lights up the sky and the stars provide enough light to walk without a light. It feels like something out of a dream. There really is no way to put into words the beauty both on the reserve and the surrounding area. IPBio is located just outside PETAR, a national park with hundreds of caves and waterfalls. On the weekends, I visited some of these caves with other volunteers. Every trip I took blew me away. The guides were extremely friendly and the sites were all magnificent. I realize that it is very cheesy, but the past two months here really have changed my life. The hospitality and selflessness that everyone has shown me has inspired me, and the scientific realizations that I have made will hopefully lead to future studies back at school and a career in biology. I would recommend this program to anyone who is even remotely interested in science, loves the natural world, and is ready for an adventure!

Very good experience! Reserva betary, where IPBIO is situated, is a beautiful place where you can enjoy wild nature in the Atlantic forest. Moreover it is very close to PETAR state park which is famous, among other things, for the beautiful caves that you can find there. I have been working with frogs biodiversity which allowed me to enjoy long hikes in the forest and also to earn some knowledge about the animals who live here in the reserve. The closest town, Iporanga, is a lovely place with only in the middle of the forest and it is also nice to go there to just hang around. The staff is very friendly and sometimes we hanged out all together after work in town. Very recommended.

I am in love with Iporanga, the forest and the people at IPBio! I studied biology at UQAM in Montreal, Canada, and wanted to apply my skills with my desire to travel abroad. I was pleasantly surprised to find a voluntary role related to research as this is very uncommon and when the volunteer coordinator got back to me with all the helpful information that I needed to make my trip a reality I accepted quickly as I realized this organization was serious. Three weeks later I was in Brazil studying frog biodiversity of the Betary Reserve. This place is paradise and now I really don’t want to leave and have already made plans to come back soon. When I arrived I was thrilled to find a fully functional research lab (with an aquarium and greenhouse), a lovely cabin where volunteers can stay with hot showers and a cozy kitchen. It was a real luxury considering I was heading into the middle of the forest. But what really makes this place is the people. The whole team is so warm, helpful, patient and really want to support your learning and they make sure you get the most out of your stay. They became my friends fast and we organize weekend activities together like visiting caves or waterfalls. My role studying frog biodiversity is so interesting and a lot of fun. 3 times a week I go out in forest 9am to 12am tour the pitfalls to identify the presence of frogs. I really enjoy walking through the forest and I am always accompanied to make sure of my safety and so we can chat. The rest of the day, I analyse existing videos of frogs or I have Portuguese lessons with a great tutor. I will never forget the smell of the forest and the mornings when you get up to the sound of birds singing and even howler monkeys chattering. All I know is that I will come back as soon as possible.

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