Voluntariado en el Kalahari con roedores

Cooperative breeding in Damaraland mole-rats (Fukomys damarensis).

We are looking for voluntary research assistants to help with our research on the completely subterranean, highly social Damaraland mole-rat (Fukomys damarensis) in the Kalahari. 1 position starting as soon as possible and one position starting later this year; duration: 6 months.

The position entails assisting in several studies on social evolution
and hormonal effects on social behaviour of mole-rats. We are
interested in the effects of hormonal variation on allo-parental care
and the effects of variation in the social environment on behaviour and
physiology in mole-rats. The research assistant will be involved in all
steps of the experiments and will mainly work in the laboratory with
our captive mole-rats which are housed in large semi-natural tunnel
systems. The responsibilities include behavioural observations,
hormonal measures (blood sampling, urine sampling), obtaining
morphological measures by X-Ray, and hormonal manipulations. The
laboratory is situated in the Kuruman River Reserve in the southern
Kalahari, Northern Cape province of South Africa. Occasionally the
research assistant will have the possibility to assist in trapping wild
mole-rats in the surrounding nature reserve.

The successful applicant will work in a team of 5-10 persons and will
receive extensive training to acquire the skills needed for the above
mentioned data collection. The research station is also the home of
several other projects studying meerkats (www.kalahari-meerkats.com),
cape ground squirrels, pied babblers, forktailed drongos and hornbills
resulting in a stimulating scientific environment. Around 20-30
research assistants are based at the station year round. Research
assistants will learn a range of skills such as remote sensing of
behaviour, endocrine sampling techniques, behavioural observations,
data handling and management.

Applicants should be enthusiastic, willing to work hard and keen to get
involved in a research project in a remote location.

We provide accommodation, and research assistants are paid a monthly
allowance to cover their personal costs and food. Domestic travel to
the field site can be covered but we cannot provide an international
airfare, travel insurance, or visa fees for applicants from overseas.

Applications received until the 3rd of June 2017 are ensured full
consideration for the position with earlier staring date. Later
applications will be considered for the position staring towards the
end of this year (flexible staring date). Please apply by email
including a cover letter and a CV.

Please apply to or contact for further information:

Markus Zottl and Philippe Vullioud, University of
Cambridge, mz338@cam.ac.uk or philippe.vullioud@gmail.com