Host Organisation: Field Projects International Course Dates: Dec. 11 - 23, 2017 Location: Sundarbans and Lawachara, Bangladesh Application Deadline: Nov. 6, 2017 Course Link: https://fieldprojects.org/course/bangladesh/
Course Description: This two-week field course in Bangladesh will provide hands-on experience in the ecology and conservation of unique wildlife species in two highly biodiverse ecosystems: Lawachara National Park, a tropical evergreen forest in northeastern Bangladesh, and the Sundarbans Reserved Forest, the world’s largest mangrove forest in southwestern Bangladesh. The overall objective of the course is to introduce students to tropical wildlife, and their habitat, taxonomy, natural history and biogeography, with an emphasis on the conservation challenges and prospects faced by these animals. Additional topics covered are wildlife monitoring, evergreen forest ecology, mangrove forest and estuarine ecology, and applied conservation biology. During the course, theory will be delivered through lectures and in-house discussions, followed by hands-on activities to practice field methodologies. Course Highlights: -Participate in a multi-day boat-led expedition into the Sundarbans Reserve Forest, the world’s largest contiguous mangrove forest, with a chance to see endangered species like the Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), salt water crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus), the Ganges (Platanista gangetica) and Irrawaddy (Orcaella brevirostris) dolphins, and the critically endangered river terrapin (Batagur baska) endemic to the area. Nowhere else in the world can you find P. t. tigris in a mangrove habitat. -Explore Lawachara National Park, containing semi-evergreen and mixed deciduous forests, home to the endangered western hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock). -Learn from a course instructor with diverse expertise in tropical biology field research, from albinism in the fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) to the molecular phylogeny of South Asian Softshell Turtles. He has also conducted numerous herpetological surveys in the area, discovering two new lizard species sightings records in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. Course Topics: This course will provide you with basic field skills as well as in-depth exposure to the conservation and ecology of the diverse wildlife and habitats of Bangladesh. These include: -Forest navigation and orienteering, on and off trail -Maintenance of an up-to-date field journal -Identification of common wildlife species -Tropical evergreen and mangrove forest ecology -Upkeep of detailed and accurate wildlife sightings lists -Planning and conducting a wildlife biology research project -Mammalian natural history and breeding strategies -Migration and navigation in birds -Impact of climate change on the diversity and population densities of tropical herpetofauna -Mammalian, avian, herpetofaunal survey methods Faculty: AHM Reza, PhD, is a wildlife biologist by training and an Associate Professor of Biology at Delta State University where he coordinates wildlife management programs under the environmental science degree. He has degrees in zoology and wildlife biology and a Ph.D. in wildlife sciences. He is an expert on biodiversity monitoring in Bangladesh and has taught field courses through Delta State University and Operation Wallacea. Eligibility: -You must be at least 18 years of age at the time of the course. -You must have medical insurance, and provide proof of such insurance to us to complete your reservation. -We have no citizenship requirements. Anyone is welcome to apply. You must obtain visas independently if necessary. -You do not need any training in biology – our course is structured to accommodate people from a variety of backgrounds. -Courses have a maximum capacity of 12 participants. If you are concerned that you will lose your spot, please contact us to confirm how many spots we have left. Program Costs: The fee for this course is $2600 and includes the following: -Food and lodging for the entire course. -Round-trip travel to Sundarbans Reserve Forest and Lawachara National Parks within Bangladesh. -Experienced instructors and field equipment. This course fee does NOT include: -International travel to and from Dhaka, Bangladesh. -Travel or health insurance (proof of health insurance is required for course attendance). -Rubber boots, binoculars, flashlight and insect repellent (all of which are required to take this course). Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Support: FPI can now provide a peer-to-peer crowd funding platform for all field course students. You will be able to make your own fundraising page to share with your contacts and social networks. At the end of the fundraising period, FPI will issue a discount code to you for 100% of the funds that you have raised. You would then enter this code as you make your final course payment. If you raise enough to cover all (or part) of your initial reservation fee, you would be refunded that portion as well. https://fieldprojects.org/participate/peer-to-peer/ Course Dates: Dec. 11 - 23, 2017 Location: Sundarbans and Lawachara, Bangladesh Application Deadline: Nov. 6, 2017 Course Link: https://fieldprojects.org/course/bangladesh/
