Home 2-week expeditions Brazil - jaguar, puma, ocelot

Lost world: conservation of jaguars, pumas, ocelots and other species of Brazil’s Atlantic rainforest through research and community resource management. Price/dates/status This expedition was honoured in The Independent’s "Best Six Volunteer Career breaks" list. This conservation volunteer expedition will take you to the Atlantic rainforest of Brazil to study jaguars, pumas, ocelots and an array of other species. You will share this jungle expedition experience with a small international team, alongside the scientist and expedition leader. You will assist local conservation efforts by continuing research in this unstudied area of forest and gathering key information vital for the protection of this highly endangered habitat and its resident species. You will be walking on jungle paths looking for tracks, kills, scats and the animals themselves and setting camera traps for them, or helping with biodiversity survey work. You will also be interacting with the local community through interviews and by assisting to set up sustainable ways of harvesting and processing forest produce. PRICE = Expedition contribution (land only per slot) £1190 (approx. €1290 | US$1950 | AU$2130). Please note: expedition contributions are quoted in British pound sterling and the approximate Euro and US Dollar equivalent. Try the XE currency converter for other currencies and an up to date Euro and US Dollar exchange rate. Where does my money go and other money questions. Dates 2011: 15 - 27 May (12 nights). Team members can join for multiple slots (within the periods specified). How long can I join for? Status Green: Expeditions of status green have spaces available. Terrain Mixed terrain of forested mountain highlands, meadows and streams. Weather expected during expedition Generally warm, tropical & humid, but not too wet because the expedition takes place during the dry season. There may also be spells of chillier weather. Expedition base Our base camp is a wooden cabin with a kitchen, storage rooms, toilets and showers, and single or double dome tents pitched on wooden platforms and dotted around the cabin. Team size Up to 12 team members + 1 scientist + 1 local biologists/guides + 1 expedition leader.  Skills & prerequisites required None. You don't need to be a scientist or have any special qualifications - everyone can take part and there are no age limits whatsoever. Can laypeople really be of help to serious research & conservation projects? Fitness level required Ability to walk about 5-15 km per day in mountainous rainforest terrain up to 800 m altitude. Those of lower fitness level can monitor wildlife at lower altitude near base camp. Will it be for me or am I too old/young/unfit? Team assembly point Curitiba, a regional centre in Brazil, easily reachable by aircraft or bus from São Paulo. What about carbon neutrality and other environmental and social impact? Who books my flights? And finally Our expeditions are not about playing the primitive, neither are we a military style 'boot-camp'. Our expedition leader and the local scientist will be by your side and we believe strongly that we get the best out of our expedition teams by making them comfortable, safe and well fed. You won’t be living in the lap of luxury, but we will do our best to make you feel comfortable and at home in your working environment, as this is the key to a well-balanced and successful expedition. Details This expedition is the only ongoing conservation project for conservation of the Atlantic Rainforest jaguar. The portion of the Atlantic Rainforest encompassed by the study site, including the Environmental Protection Area of Guaratuba (APA of Guaratuba), is known for its outstanding beauty, with densely forested mountain ranges and nearby mangrove lowlands reaching the Atlantic Ocean. It harbours one of the few jaguar populations surviving in broad-leaved Atlantic Rainforest. Data collected by the expedition will form the basis for the management and protection of jaguars and a wide array of wildlife species and their habitat, within a highly threatened ecosystem. Aims & objectives (1) To initiate ground-breaking research work on large cats (jaguar, puma and ocelot) in Atlantic Rainforest habitat. (2) To monitor the presence and variation in the distribution of large cats as well as their major prey (peccaries, pacas, armadillos, deer, etc.) from tracks left by animals and photos obtained from camera-traps. (3) To collect data on wildlife in order to monitor habitat quality, wildlife diversity and distribution. This will include the trapping of small vertebrates (such as lizards, snakes and frogs) and small mammals (rodents and marsupials). Please note that all animals will be released back into the forest after trapping & recording. (4) To test resource management methods as a means to increase the value of existing natural forests, boost community participation in forest conservation and improve local livelihoods. This will be done by experimentally introducing techniques to harvest and process non-timber forest products (mainly açaí) in the local community. Background The Environmental Protection Area of Guaratuba (APA of Guaratuba) study site is dominated by the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil, one of the most endangered ecosystems on Earth. It is hard to overstate the importance of this ecosystem in terms of conservation. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, most scientists rank the Atlantic forest as one of the top three priorities for global conservation efforts. Very little of the Atlantic Rainforest remains, and what does is highly fragmented. Despite this, it still maintains extremely high levels of diversity and endemism. The forest, which once spread along the Atlantic coast and much of southern Brazil, is now reduced to fewer than 8% of its original extent because of intensive human occupation, beginning with sugar cane plantation in the 1500s and later coffee plantations. Jaguars, which need large areas for their territories, have declined dramatically in step with the reduction in the total size of the Atlantic Rainforest, as well as its habitat quality. Biosphere Expeditions is assisting local conservation efforts by fostering research in this unstudied area of forest, gathering key information vital for the protection of this highly endangered habitat and its resident species. Community conservation strategies have also been incorporated based on previous findings, and as a result, team members will also work hand-to-hand with locals in a first attempt to showcase the sustainable use of the fruit of the palm heart tree (açaí). This fruit produces a juice with a high market value, but this potential is poorly explored. The ‘juçara’ palm heart is native and endemic to the Atlantic Rainforest, and is threatened with extinction. Its unsustainable harvesting may be responsible for the decline of many threatened species, including one of the jaguar’s favourite prey, the white-lipped peccary, which has a diet that is highly dependent on palm fruits. Illegal harvesting of palm heart is also a source of conflict between members of the community and environmental agencies. Biosphere Expeditions will thus have a key role in reporting important biodiversity findings in one of the most pristine areas of a vanishing ecosystem, and at the same time deliver practical solutions involving community-based conservation of the remaining habitats.   Study species Species that are relevant to the surveys are puma (Puma concolor), jaguar (Panthera onca), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), tapir (Tapirus terrestris), collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), paca (Agouti paca), white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) and red brocket deer (Mazama americana), all of which are threatened to some extent at national level and of special relevance as flagship residents of a highly threatened ecosystem. Other species include large and medium-sized mammals: The coastal rainforest is home to a considerable array of animal and bird species and we may encounter the following mammals: howler monkey, capuchin monkey, various armadillo species, common opossum, tayra, jaguarundi, capibara, southern river otter, anteater and various deer species. All in a subtropical rainforest environment.   Small mammals, birds, frogs, reptiles and other vertebrates: In these groups, there is no particular focus as all species will be recorded as part of the expedition’s biodiversity survey and for later identification by experts.   Typical day Activities are usually decided the night before and then confirmed in the morning, depending on the weather. The whole set-up of the expedition is quite flexible so that you can participate according to the weather conditions, your skills and general fitness and how you feel on the day. On most days the team will have an early start and split into small groups to check trails for tracks recorded in track traps, to install and retrieve camera-traps and review photos obtained, and to set up and review live-traps for the wider biodiversity survey work. Another day activity is to help local people collect and process fruits from the wild palm-heart in the nearby community kitchen, as a means to stimulate sustainable use of natural resources. For all these day activities you will be out for most of the day with a lunch pack and return to base in the afternoon to get some rest and have a shower and a snack until dinner is served around 18:30 by our cook. After dinner we will gather to talk about the day, go through the data collected and plan for the next day.   For those who want to, there are also overnight activities with night wildlife survey walks (as many species are active at night and can only be seen then) and attempts to call jaguars in order to illicit a response for data logging. Those wanting to take part in the overnight activities will carry their camping equipment into the forest to establish small advanced research camps somewhere in the forest.   Research area Brazil is located on the Atlantic coast of South America and is the largest country on the continent. Two thirds of Brazilian territory is located within the Amazon basin. In addition to the Amazon, the Atlantic rainforest extends for about 3,500 kilometres along the coast with an area of over one million square kilometres. The Atlantic forest ecosystem is recognised as one of the most unique habitats on Earth, with numerous endemic species. It is one of the so-called world “hotspots” of biodiversity, with over 400 vascular plants per hectare, 50% of which are endemic. Animal diversity is also high: 215 species of mammals have been recorded, 73 of which are endemic; and out of a total of 183 species of amphibians, 91.8 % are endemic. Although biodiversity is very high, the status of many individual species is precarious. A recent estimate showed that 171 out of 202 species of vulnerable animals from Brazil are from the Atlantic forest. The study area is situated on the southernmost range of the jaguar in the Atlantic Rainforest, encompassing the Environmental Protection Area (APA) of Guaratuba. The Saint-Hilaire/Lange National Park, located within the APA and by the edge of base camp, comprises 25,000 hectares of protected Atlantic forest.   The park was named after the French naturalist Saint Hilaire, and the Brazilian environmentalist Roberto Ribas Lange. Early settlers crossed the mountain range in search for silver mines, inspiring the alternative name ‘Serra da Prata’ (Silver mountain) name. The park was created quite recently (in 2001) and as such is not well known or studied.   Partners Our main partner for this project is Projeto Puma, a Brazilian non-profit research organisation founded by our expedition scientist and specialising on big cats. Other partners include the Environmental Police of Parana State, Parana Environmental Institute (IAP) and the National Park authorities. We also work closely with local communities & schools. Corporate support comes from Land Rover & Swarovski Optik. Maps   Map of the region and study site.     Google map of all Biosphere Expeditions study sites, expedition bases, assembly points, office locations, etc.   Pictures Jaguar caught in a camera trap.   Puma caught in a camera trap. Ocelot caught in a camera trap. Tapir (another primary study species of the expedition).  Red brocket deer (primary study species). Paca (primary study species). Collared peccary (primary study species). Capybara. Armadillo. Tree frog. Blue-headed parrots. Butterflies at base camp. Moth at base camp. Ocelot tracks near base camp.   Study site.   Study site. Study site. Study site. Recording a puma track. Setting a camera trap. Setting a camera trap. Cutting a transect trail. Marking a transect trail.  Recording data.  Interviewing locals. Visiting a local school to talk about jaguar & puma. Setting a track trap.  Having a rest in the forest. Data entry. Data entry enjoying a caipirinha, the national drink of Brazil.   Expedition base: cabin in the background (with a rain shower evaportating off the roof), dome tents on platforms in the foreground. Another view of the expedition base. Inside the base camp cabin. Expedition base: dome tent (and expedition leader's hammock in the background).  Expedition base: dome tent.  Our field cook hard at work.  Dessert from the forest. In the evening.  Chilling out at base. Chilling out near base.  Rest after a hard day's work! Expedition Land Rover in action. Expedition Land Rover in action. Expedition Land Rover in action. An expedition team. More images on Biosphere Expeditions'    Video  Setting a camera trap for jaguar & puma. Research work: gearing up; working with GPS; walking, cutting and marking trails; tracks and track traps; boat surveys; interviews and data entry. Landscapes of the Atlantic forest study site. Watch more Brazil expedition clips on YouTube.   Press A game of cat and mouse in English  View article 433.28 Kb Auf der Spur des Jaguars in German  View article 984.82 Kb   Feedback "Biosphere Expeditions' initiative was crucial in initiating our jaguar and puma conservation programme in the Atlantic rainforest of Brazil. Without them this programme would not exist. Their approach is a perfect match between research and conservation and we are delighted to work with them." Dr. Marcelo Mazzolli, Projeto Puma & local scientist, Brazil. "All I can say is: GO! I had a really great time with them. They are well organised, they take care of you, I always felt safe and part of the research effort, the food was great, as were the people and nature. I'm already saving up for my next expedition." Sabine Akermann, 44. Feedback from team members about their experiences and reasons for coming (on/from various expeditions). “Congratulations for the Biosphere Expeditions idea and the way the staff carries it through with their enthusiasm. I came across you on the internet by chance and your information materials and the way my questions were answered persuaded me to dare come on the expedition. Once in the field my expectations were more than fulfilled. The team was great, as was the food and I gained a real insight into how wildlife research and conservation works on the ground. I'll be back!” Helmut Schneilinger, 57. "The Brazil expedition was such a wonderful experience for me. Spending two weeks in the rainforest almost virtually cut off from the outside world was a huge change from normal life. We were very well looked after by the Biosphere team who made sure we had every opportunity to fully participate in all the expedition activities. One day you would be setting camera traps and the next paddling in a canoe to survey another area. The food was freshly cooked everyday and in plentiful supply. Evenings were spent socialising by lamplight or simply relaxing to the jungle sounds. We were made to feel fully involved at all times and that what were were doing was making a real contribution to local conservation." Martyn Roberts, 50. “I liked the mixture from the staff of being serious and also lots of fun – and the way they took care of us.” Helge Eek, 52. “I really enjoyed the level of involvement, diversity tasks and also meeting local people as part of our work.” Sharon Flloyd, 43. Briefing The expedition briefing contains very detailed information on this expedition, including instructions on how to get to the assembly point, what you will be doing whilst on expedition and who your expedition leader and scientists will be. You can access briefings via the Download Centre. Join Go on, you know you want to