Volunteer Information Pack: Cebu Whale Shark Research & Conservation 2018 - Squarespace

Volunteer Information Pack:

Cebu Whale Shark Research

                   & Conservation

                            2018

  www.lamave.org

Project:                Cebu Whale Shark Project
 Location:               Cebu, the Philippines
 Starting date:          Year around
 Cost per month:         $450
 Key requirements:       21 years old or older, minimum 3 months commitment,
                         Comfortable to free-dive to 7m

Who is LAMAVE?

Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines (LAMAVE) is independent non-
profit non-government organization dedicated to the conservation of marine megafauna and
the marine environment in the Philippines. We strive for conservation through scientific
research, policy and education.

Introduction to the project

LAMAVE has been monitoring the whale shark provisioning at Cebu since early 2012. Our aim
has been to understand how provisioning might effect the behaviour of whale sharks as well
as the socio-economic implications such an activity and industry can have on the local
community, and region. We are now monitoring the population of green and hawksbill turtles
that use the area where the whale sharks are fed daily, and how their behaviour might shed
some light on habitat use by turtles in the region.

Training/what you learn

By the end of your time here, you will be very knowledgeable in whale shark and turtle
biology, ecology and research techniques that can be applied to these species. Photo-ID is a
great non/minimally-invasive technique to study a wide array of taxa. You will learn how to
do this effectively on both whale sharks and turtles, and learn how these data can be used to
understand residency patterns, and how these sharks/turtles might link up to other areas.
You will also learn how to study their behavior though focal follows so that we can get a
better understanding of behavior of individual whale sharks and how humans and whale
sharks interact with one another. During your land days, you will help us input data; manage
these datasets, backup, etc. Every Monday we host ‘Journal Club’ when a member of the
team will present a paper of their choosing, or appointed to them by the Project Leader. You
will be able to develop/train your presentation skills, as well as your reasoning and

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interpretation skills. Journal Club is designed for everyone to learn and critically think about
the scientific literature.

   •
Daily life/Typical Working Day

Typically our day starts around 6am (some starting at 8am) and continues till around 4pm
with a break for lunch. We currently conduct hourly in-water surveys from 7am till 1pm,
which include photo-ID of both Whale sharks and turtles, as well as focal follows. For those
who are assigned a land day, they can use this time to catch up on data entry or conduct
other tasks to help push the project forward. You can also use that time to prepare lunch for
the rest of the team. After 4pm is free time and time to socialize unless you are the chef of
the evening! Each member of the team takes it in turn to cook a culinary masterpiece of their
choosing. Dinner is served at 7pm and everyone helps to wash dishes so that we can start
film night, go outside and study the stars, play board games or even sing karaoke at the local
bar on celebratory occasions.

Volunteer Requirements

Please ensure you meet the following criteria:

       • At least 21 years old

       • Minimum commitment of 3 months

       • Fluent in English

       • Able to work independently and as part of a team

       • Comfortable living in a shared home and in a remote setting with extremely basic
       amenities

       • Willing to work long and irregular hours if needed

       • A degree in marine science, zoology, environmental sciences or related subjects are
       preferred

       • Excellent swimming/snorkeling skills and ability to free-dive to 7m

       • Strong interest in Whale sharks, Turtles, research and conservation

 Equipment required                              Recommended general packing List

                                              www.lamave.org

•   Mask                                        •   Towel
     •   Snorkel                                     •   Small dry bag/ziplock bag for
     •   Free Diving Fins (Free diving fins are          electrical
         now mandatory)                              •   Long (smart/jeans) trousers (for
     •   Leggings and a long sleeve rash                 formal occasions)
         vest/ rash suit (for protection from        •   Sunglasses
         the sun and stingers when in the            •   Sunscreen (not allowed when
         water)                                          snorkelling or diving)
     •   Knee length board shorts (must be           •   Insect repellent
         worn during surveys)                        •   Casual clothing
     •   Rash guard (must be worn during             •   Swimwear
         surveys)                                    •   Rain coat
     •   Hat & Sunglasses (polarized if              •   Waterproof camera (for days off)
         possible)                                   •   Protective Hat
     •   Laptop (this is essential for work)         •   Thin, long sleeved tops and trousers
     •   Dry bag                                         recommended to protect against
     •   Small backpack                                  biting insects
     •   Phone that is capable of running            •   Personal First Aid Kit
         WhatsApp                                    •   Torch
                                                     •   Travel adapter
We strongly recommend to bring all required gear from home.

Insurance

All volunteers are required to have medical insurance. The study sites for the projects are
often in remote areas. All medical services in the Philippines need to be paid for by individual
volunteers. Costs vary from PHP50 for a consultation at the local hospital to PHP 8000 for a
full CTI scan in most hospitals. Volunteers that contract a contagious disease, that may put
other volunteers and staff at risk, may be asked to depart from the project study site for health
reasons until appropriate health clearance.

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Dress Code

Volunteers continue to represent LAMAVE, even after work is finished, therefore, we enforce a
dress code that is consistent and inoffensive to the local community and culture.

Shorts - hot pants and very short-shorts are forbidden. Shorts must be at least mid thigh in
length. Shorts that reach just above the knee are preferred.

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The $450 a month Contribution

Being a non-profit organization, we request a contribution of $450 USD per month to help
cover the project’s costs (Accommodation, three meals a day, transport to and from survey
sites and a LAMAVE uniform).

Other costs

Visas

On entering the country most visitors are allowed to stay in the country for 30 days without
applying for a visa, but please check the terms for your nationality. Before the 30 days are
over you must travel to an Immigration office to renew your visa. The first renewal lasts for 30
days and costs approximately 3000PHP. If you plan to stay in the country after this visa date,
you will need to renew again and will be required to purchase an i-card (a tourist identity card)
with your visa. This will cost approximately 6000PHP for the i- card and a 1-month extension.
*Please note this information was correct as of the 30th June 2016 and may be subject to
change.

Rules and regulations

Grounds for dismissal

Volunteers may be asked to leave the project if they display inappropriate behaviour or attitude
that disrupts work, the living environment or portrays a negative image for the organization.
Grounds for dismissal can also be as a result of release of sensitive information to media/social
media platforms. Dismissal is at the Principal Investigators discretion. The use of drugs during
the placement is prohibited and will result in immediate dismissal.

Days off

Each team member will be given a dedicated day off each week to relax or travel. Days off can
be spent taking in the many wonders and unique culture of the Philippines.

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Holidays and visitors

As a volunteer you are contracted to assist LAMAVE for a minimum of 3 month, therefore
should you wish to have time to explore the Philippines further (which we strongly advise
you do!) please plan time before or after your stay with us, as during the three months
placement we do not allow volunteers to take additional days off.

How to apply?

Email us a covering letter and a copy of your CV to volunteer@lamave.org

Remember to:

   •   State the project you are applying for in the email subject e.g. Cebu Whale Sharks
       Project
   •   State the starting date
   •   Tell us why you want to join the team and any other relevant information in your
       covering letter.
   •   State if you are Filipino and applying for one of our Scholarships.

                                            www.lamave.org