We have two programs for people that are interested in coming to Peru to help the project, volunteer expeditions and project assistants:
Volunteer Expedition
The following background information covers our project and the research we will be carrying out starting January 2012 and mid February 2012. To receive an application pack with more information that you will need to participate in the project, please contact Nina Poletti at nina.poletti@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
What is the Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey Conservation project?
This project was started in 2007 and is based in La Esperanza, Peru, an area with high density of the critically endangered yellow-tailed woolly monkey. We work with many communities living between the Cordillera Colan Nature Sanctuary and the Alto Mayo Protected Forest, to work towards forming a protected cloud forest corridor between these two reserves. The project combines the creation of community-run reserves with scientific census work within the proposed reserves, a reforestation program using native tree species that are beneficial to humans and wildlife, environmental education, and the development of markets for native agricultural products and handicrafts made in the local area. Please read about what the project has achieved in our newsletters available on our website!To help the project grow and achieve even more, we are now recruiting teams of volunteers whose support will ensure we can collect data more effectively, help maintain the tree nurseries, and spread our conservation message into more local communities. The volunteer program also helps bring employment and financial benefits to the villagers of La Esperanza.
Why do we need you?
We need volunteers to help collect vital research data for conservation. The yellow-tailed woolly monkey (Oreonax flavicauda) is one of the 25 most endangered primates in the world, and vital information is needed on its geographic distribution, abundance and biology. We need as much data as we can get on this largely unknown monkey, and we couldn’t collect it all without the involvement of volunteers. The data are used to assess the yellow-tailed woolly monkey’s population status, to monitor the state of the habitat, report on problems, and document the effectiveness of our conservation efforts. We need fit and enthusiastic individuals to join our team and help us collect these vital data.As well as field research, the project supports a reforestation project in La Esperanza and in surrounding villages. Volunteers will help carry out important maintenance tasks in our community-operated tree nurseries to ensure this successful initiative continues to function and grow.
Finally, we at the Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey Project believe that conservation efforts must involve the local communities at all levels. We need enthusiastic volunteers to bring the conservation message to the children of La Esperanza, through teaching and outreach activities in schools.
We offer challenging six-week-long programs of field research and environmental education, together with visits to Gocta waterfall, the third largest in the world and situated at the heart of the cloud forest, and to the ruins of the Chachapoyas citadel of Kuelap. We provide you with training in field methods, a window into a career as a conservation biologist and, hopefully, an unforgettable experience!
How much does it cost?
In return for a donation of at least £900, NPC will cover the costs of your accommodation, food, your visits to the waterfall and to Kuelap, and your local travels for the 6-week-long expedition with the Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey Conservation project. Your donation provides much needed funds that help NPC run all aspects of the expedition, including the wages of the local guides who will help you in you work and any specialized equipment you will need.What now?
If you think you’ve got what it takes to work in the Peruvian cloud forest and would like to offer your help to our project, please apply to our 2012 expeditions!Again, the application pack can be requested by email at nina.poletti@gmail.com.
Please note that places on the expeditions are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so the sooner you book your place with us, the greater your chance is to take part in these exciting expeditions.
Please take the time to read the Frequently Asked Questions; they will contain answers to many of your queries. You can see photos of past experiences here. If you have more questions or would like to talk to our volunteer coordinator, please email Nina at nina.poletti@gmail.com.
Project assistants
To be an assistant you must have a good level of Spanish, stay on the project for a minimum of 2 months (3 months or longer is preferred), and have proven experience in one of the project’s parts (biology, education, sustainable development, or reforestation). You will become part of the staff or do you own research under our supervision. To apply for an assistant position, please contact us.