Hi everyone,
on behalf of the Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute BDRI (
www.thebdri.com), I am pleased to announce that our centre is currently accepting internships applications for the Winter-Spring term (a minimum of 60 days of participation between February - June) in Sardinia Island, Italy.
BDRI's researchers are engaged in the conduction of a long term study about the ecology and behaviour of wild unrestrained bottlenose dolphins and the potential effects of human activities (fisheries, aquaculture and tourism) in their distribution and behaviour. An internship period with the BDRI offers an invaluable exposure to boat based field work,marine mammals research, intensive training and mentoring in marine biology. Undergraduate and postgraduate students could present their BDRI's personal research project as their Thesis if requested with the application.
Internships can be used for academic or vocational purposes, but students are solely responsible for making all arrangements for receiving relevant credit(s) as a result of completing the internship.
Interns can expect to participate in and learn a variety of facets of marine mammal research as research assistants in three diverse research projects:
1. Mediterranean bottlenose dolphins societies project: We will take and analyse identification photos, study group structure and composition to refine details of dolphin societies and responses to human activities at sea. Volunteers assist with data collection onboard helping to locate, photograph and keep track of bottlenose dolphin groups. Back at the lab volunteers restock field supplies, analyse photos and transcribe data collected.
2. Mediterranean bottlenose dolphin's repertorie and communication use: Knowledge of how individuals within a population communicate and what they are communicating can generate information ranging from measures of habitat use, social relevance, geographical variation, cultural transmission to genetic fitness that can be applied to conservation. Bottlenose dolphins are extremely vocal mammalian species and vocal communication plays an important role in mediating social interactions. Although many vocalizations have been before described in the literature, their association with specific behaviours linked with human activities provides additional contextual information about their potential use as communication signals.
3. Human activities & Dolphins: how to use ecosystem models to address the impacts caused by the interactions. An ecosystem modelling approach becomes an interesting tool to examine the impact of fisheries and aquaculture on bottlenose dolphins and vice versa. Within the many types of software available, Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) is a reliable and convenient tool to examine the long-term responses of bottlenose dolphins to human induced changes in system energy flow and biomass. Mass-balance models are built to characterize the role of dolphins in a coastal ecosystem conditioned by human activities.
There is no compensation for these internship positions and successful applicants will be responsible for their own transportation expenses to and from the research camp (Sardinia, Italy).
There is no deadline to apply. However, approved applications are accepted on a first-come, first serve basis. Apply early! Start and end dates are flexible. Positions are open until filled. Successful candidates will be ready and willing to learn, self-motivated, and flexible. Prior field research experience is recommended but not required.
Please download the internships general information at:
and the application from:
