Hi everyone,
on behalf of the Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute BDRI, I am pleased to announce that our centre is currently accepting internships applications for the Summer-Fall term (a minimum of 60 days of participation between June - November 2011) 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 four diverse research projects:
1. 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.
2. Mediterranean bottlenose dolphins societies: 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.
3. "Large whales & Dolphins off Sardinia Island" Data are collected from multiple platforms including shore and research vessel based platforms. The behaviour and distribution of large cetaceans (fin whales and sperm whales) observed off Sardinia is still unknown. While some animals could be in migration between the Ligurian and Thyrrenian Sea others could be mainly engaged in foraging activities in specific period of the year in this area.
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). As a number of students are unemployed people are unable to meet our program and travel costs, BDRI has developed a financial resource to support some of them.
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:
Send cover letter or inquiries by email to the Research Chief, Mr. Bruno Diaz Lopez, at info@thebdri.com. Please indicate in your cover letter the dates you are available.
Selected scientific publications by BDRI:
1. Díaz López B., in press. Whistle characteristics in free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Mediterranean Sea: influence of behaviour. Mammalian Biology DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2010.06.006
2. Díaz López B. & Shirai, J.A.B., 2009. Mediterranean common bottlenose dolphin's repertoire and communication use. In: Dolphins: Anatomy, Behavior, and Threats, A.G: Pierce & L. Correa (Eds.), Nova Science Publishers, New York.
3. Diaz Lopez B., 2009. The bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus foraging around a fish farm: Effects of prey abundance on dolphins' behaviour. Current Zoology (Acta Zoologica Sinica) 55(4):243-248.
4. Diaz Lopez B., Bunke, M. and Shirai, J.A., 2008. Marine aquaculture off Sardinia Island (Italy): ecosystem effects evaluated through a trophic mass-balance model. Ecological Modelling 212: 292-303.
5. Diaz Lopez, B., Shirai, J.A.; Bilbao Prieto, A. & M?ndez Fern?ndez, P., 2008. Diving activity of a solitary wild free ranging bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Journal of Marine Biological Association U.K. 88(6): 1153-1157.
6. Diaz Lopez B. and Shirai, J.A., 2008. Marine aquaculture and bottlenose dolphins social structure. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology 62(6): 887-894.
7. Diaz Lopez B. and Shirai, J.A., 2007. "Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) presence and incidental capture in a marine fish farm on the noth-eastern coast of Sardinia (Italy)" Journal of Marine Biological Association U.K, 87, 113-117.
8. Diaz Lopez, B., 2006. "Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Predation on a Marine Fin Fish Farm: Some Underwater Observations". Aquatic Mammals 32(3): 305- 310 pp.
9. Diaz Lopez, B., 2006. Interactions between Mediterranean bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and gillnets off Sardinia. ICES Journal of Marine Science
63:944-951 pp.
10. Diaz Lopez, B., Marini, L., Polo, F., 2005. The impact of a fish farm on a bottlenose dolphin population in the Mediterranean Sea. Thalassas 2005, 21(2):53-58.
