New Programs for Summer 2017

For this course, our focus will be mostly on the titi monkeys and tamarins present at our field site as we will investigate primate behavior and social relationships, parasite ecology, vocal and olfactory communication, and other related topics. Our courses emphasize field activities that promote direct inquiry and the hands-on application of classroom lectures. Participants will learn behavioral observation methods, conduct primate follows, participate in feeding and playback experiments, learn basic navigation and orienteering, explore regional conservation issues, and much more.

This course is ideal for biology students seeking specialty training and field experience, those interested in tropical ecology and conservation, and/or individuals from any background who want to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of primates.

Course Dates: June 5th – June 18th, 2017

Registration: Course size is limited, spots are filled on a rolling basis until April 16th, 2017

Course Fee: $2100 (includes all meals at the field station, lodging, and transportation from Puerto Maldonado to the field site and back)

More Info: https://fieldprojects.org/participate/courses-2/primate-health-communication

The first portion of this course will explore basic bird biology, as well as the diversity of avian species in the Amazon. This will include both daily exercises and nightly lectures focused on avian natural history, evolution, and taxonomy. Next, we will focus on survey methods, which are crucial for understanding population declines due to climate change, habitat loss, and other causes. Conservation actions aimed at preserving avian diversity and the habitats they share with other species depend on information gained through the techniques we will practice, such as deploying mist nets or conducting point counts and line transects.

Finally, we will examine basic interactions between birds and their habitats, review and analyze research articles, weigh conservation issues and strategies, and discuss the implementation of ornithological projects in the wild.

This course is ideal for biology students seeking specialty training and field experience, as well as bird enthusiasts of any background who want to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of avifauna.

Course Dates: June 16th – July 3rd, 2017

Registration: Course size is limited, spots are filled on a rolling basis until April 16th, 2017

Course Fee: $2250 (includes all meals at the field station, lodging, and transportation from Puerto Maldonado to the field site and back)

More Info: https://fieldprojects.org/participate/courses-2/tropical-ornithology

Herping enthusiasts, biologists, and tropical ecologists alike will benefit from this unique opportunity to explore and learn about the natural history, anatomy, ecology, and conservation of Neotropical frogs, salamanders, snakes, lizards, and turtles, all while living at an active research field station in Peru.

This course will give participants advanced training in field techniques relevant to tropical biology research, with special emphasis on field exercises over classroom-based lectures. Students will use drift fence and leaf litter sampling, conduct transects, make audio recordings and more. We will also read and discuss selected literature on tropical ecology, applied research, and conservation issues pertinent to the the Madre de Dios region of Peru and beyond.

Each day, there will be early morning and late evening guided hikes into the rainforest aimed at helping participants to develop proficiency in correctly identifying reptiles and amphibians, as well as recognizing the microhabitats where they are found. Participants will learn and be expected to adhere to best practices in biosecurity and safety while examining reptiles and amphibians in the field. On each hike, we will include a secondary focus for that day’s lecture and lab. These labs will highlight conservation of local herpetofauna, alongside the study of natural history.

Special attention will be given to the roles of chemicals in herpetological studies, focusing on defense, food capture, aboriginal use, and modern pharmacology. Participants will also learn about the field of herpetology in general, exploring career options and implementing their own conservation and research proposals.

Course Dates: May 25th – June 7th, 2017

Registration: Course size is limited, spots are filled on a rolling basis until April 16th, 2017

Course Fee: $2100 (includes all meals at the field station, lodging, and transportation from Puerto Maldonado to the field site and back)

More Info: https://fieldprojects.org/participate/courses-2/field-herpetology

Research Assistantship Programs:

Tamarin mating systems are exceptionally flexible, ranging from pair-bonded monogamy to polygamy, even within the same species. Tamarin vocalizations, which encode information on the producer’s age, sex, and reproductive status, may be integral to identifying mates and guiding dispersal. We aim to catalog the vocalizations of emperor and saddleback tamarins, and test if calls can identify potential mates. We also collect data on adult scent gland morphology and scent-marking behavior, another main form of communication among tamarins. Participants will conduct full- and half-day follows of individually tagged primate troops, recording context-specific vocalizations alongside non-vocal forms of communication. Research Assistants will also learn to perform playback experiments.

Learn about the Primate Communication program:
http://fieldprojects.org/research/primate-communication

Primates are often heralded as a group of mammals that rely more on their vision than their olfactory senses. Tamarins are a particularly special group in which to examine the role of vision because they display a sex-biased variation in color perception. We use feeding experiments to test the reliance of tamarins on vision, olfaction, and taste in the wild. We also explore sensory ecology in relation to a variety of stimuli, such as familiar/unfamiliar alarm calls, urine, or scent-gland compounds. Participants will learn how to conduct the experiments, record behavioral data, and perform basic data analysis in the field.

Learn more about the Sensory Ecology program:
https://fieldprojects.org/research/sensory-experiments

Parasite infections reflect environmental change, community interaction, animal behavior, and population stability. This program, launched in 2012, is now one of the most comprehensive studies of gastrointestinal parasites in South America. We use microscopic and genetic tools to evaluate parasite infections in non-invasively collected fecal samples. With baseline data on parasites from 11 primate species, we can monitor if and how climate change may be altering parasite-host relationships. Those joining this program will help us collect longitudinal data on the local primate assemblage, and usher in data from new taxonomic groups. Among many questions we hope to tackle with these data, our primary goal is to expose new ecological linkages between neotropical animals.

Learn about the Community Disease Ecology program:
https://fieldprojects.org/research/disease-ecology

This is a training program targeting students with an interest in wildlife handling, zoology, or veterinary science. This program trains students to participate in an annual mark-recapture program primarily focused on two species of tamarin in southeastern Peru (Saguinus imperator and Leontocebus weddelli). Each participant will handle upwards of 25 animals, gain valuable knowledge of their biology, learn to record morphometrics, collect and process a variety of samples, and become competent in several roles that are vital to a successful to a health screening program.

Learn more about the Wildlife Handling program:
http://fieldprojects.org/research/wildlife-handling

New FPI Programs for 2017