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.