Primate Research Internship, Kenya

There are a variety of research study programs available to join at Colobus Conservation at any one time. Interns and volunteers will be allocated to specific projects or duties dependent upon the individual's relative experience, current openings and the volunteer's interest.

Though research experience is interesting for us, we are looking also for people from a diverse background including but certainly not limited to teachers, photography, GIS, botany, editors/writers, artistic ability, sales ability, carpentry etc.

Activities

Just a few of the activities and research projects recently and currently being carried out include:
Cleaning and feeding the resident monkey cages;
Caring for infants;
Colobus feeding and home range ecology;
Colobus census;
Baboon home range analysis;
Baboon feeding ecology specifically looking at use of artificial food stuffs (i.e. rubbish pits);
Enrichment in the primate enclosures;
Hotel primate pest assessments.
Research projects change regularly due to immediate needs of the organisation. We prefer to assign a priority project to a volunteer based on that person's experience and interest. Volunteers conducting research, should expect to spend half days in the field, often on private and hotel properties. Training & supervision in appropriate research techniques are provided.

Other upcoming projects include

Fecal analysis on the different primate species in Diani;
Survivorship of saplings in the re-forestation project.
Research for your Degree Study Colobine Digits

Recent students:

In prep. Andrea Donaldson, Durham University, PhD. "Survivorship of released vervet monkeys".
2012: Noah Dunham, The Ohio State University, Master's Degree. "Postiional Behavior and habitat use of Peters' Angola black and white colobus monkey (Colobus angolensis palliatus) in structurally distinct areas of the Diani Forest, Kenya".
In prep: Noah Dunham, The Ohio State University, Phd.. "Food selection, fallback foods, and conservation of Kenya's Angola black and white colobus monkey".
2015: Kelly Martin, Oxford Brooks University, MSc Primate Conservation. "A study of people's perceptions towards primates among different socioeconomic groups in Diani beach, Kenya".
2004: Julie Anderson, University College London, Phd. "Habitat fragmentation and metapopulation dynamcs of the Angola black-and-white colobus (Colobus angolensis palliatus) in coastal Kenya".
2015: Andrea Jacobs, Durrel Institute of Conservation and Ecology, The University of Kent. "Factors affecting the prevalence of road and canopy bridge crossings by primates in Diani Beach, Kenya".

We also are set up as a field site for your undergraduate, master's and doctoral degree research. The infrastructure and support from Colobus Conservation is an ideal base to launch your field work. Because of our unique situation of having access to many well habituated groups of all species in Diani, a plethora of unique behaviorally and ecologically important topics can be studied.

Please contact us and provide a short summary of your research interest and dates available and we can work together with you and your supervisor to provide the information necessary for your field work to be a success.

Location

Volunteers are based in the beach resort town of Diani, Kenya. Carry out wildlife and forest conservation overlooking the beautiful white sand beaches and clear waters of the Indian Ocean while enjoying warm evenings dancing by moonlight at the local hotels and restaurants. All with the security of good quality hospitals and pharmacies near-by.

Requirements

Volunteers must be at least 22 years with experience in any field or with at least one degree. No upper age limit is set though one needs to bear in mind the physical demands of the volunteer positions.