Dolphins Field Course
Dolphins Field Course Description
A minimum number of 4 participants is required
| LOCATION | KalkaraMarina- Take Off, University of Malta – Maltese cliffs | ||||
| N. of PARTICIPANT | Min 4 max 8 | ||||
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Our mission is to merge education, public awareness and scientific research, throughout capacity building and ecotourism to achieve conservation of the marine biodiversity and environment.
The Dolphins of Malta Research Project (DMRP) is a long-term monitoring program for research and conservation of the Common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), which requires a lot of effort, resources and technologies.
This course will allow you to participate in field activities and learn about research in marine mammal science. At the same time, your contribution will be crucial to support the project directly.
EcoMarine Dolphin Field Course is a one-week program that introduces the participants to our Dolphins of Malta Research Project (DMRP) and the rich Maltese environment. This is a perfect way to begin, whether you are interested in pursuing a marine mammal science career or simply want to spend a pleasant and gratifying time learning about marine wildlife in a beautiful environment.
Unlike other similar courses, we want you to enjoy your staying in Malta, for this reason we arranged our program in a way that will let you have plenty of time to spend for your favorite activities!
Combine business with pleasure!
The course includes boat and land-based research, as well as seminars, lectures, video presentations and other related activities, surveying a wide range of knowledge on dolphins and whales and their conservation.
Official language
The official language for this program is English, so we recommend a good spoken and written level.
What will you get from this experience?
- Experience in on-field research and data collection
- Basic knowledge of research techniques and equipment
- A deep understanding of the ecology of marine mammals in the Mediterranean
- An insight into the importance of education, public awareness and the role of ecotourism to promote positive change and to create new job opportunities in the conservation field.
- Learning to work as part of a team and in a multicultural environment
A good physical condition is required to safely run fieldwork both on land and on the boat, together with a high tolerance to hot weather.
A personal binocular is mandatory to carry out the observation, while a laptop and photo camera is recommended but not strictly necessary.
Reviews
THE COURSE
2023
1/05/2023 – 5/05/2023
19/06/2023 – 23/06/2023
Price 700 euro Book Now
Timetable
Monday afternoon 3 hours lectures
Tuesday all day boat-based survey
Wednesday 2 hours land- based survey and 2 hours lectures
Thursday all day boat-based survey
Friday 2 hours land based survey.
The schedule is flexible depending on the weather conditions. The boat-based surveys will be held with the better sea and weather conditions possible. In case of adverse weather conditions the land based surveys will be preferred.
Although no previous experience in research is required, we encourage:
- A true interest in the program and in the marine world
- The willingness to learn and contribute to the research
The official language for this program is English, so we recommend a good spoken and written level. Furthermore, a good physical condition is required to safely run fieldwork both on land and on the boat, together with a high tolerance to hot weather.
A personal binocular is mandatory to carry out the observation, while a laptop and photo camera is highly recommended but not strictly necessary.
The course includes boat and land-based research, as well as seminars, lectures, video presentations and other related activities, surveying a wide range of knowledge on dolphins and whales and their conservation.
Research activities
Surveys are conducted from a boat and from observation stations on land. During the EcoMarine Dolphin Field Courses, we collect data about bottlenose dolphins the environmental conditions and the presence of other animals, such as birds and turtles. Such data will be shared with local NGOs and governmental bodies such as the Environmental Resources Authority for the safeguard of the local biodiversity.
Boat surveys are carried out on a 45 ft sailing boat, while land-based surveys are conducted from established points on the island of Malta.
You will therefore actively take part in the research activities in spotting, observing, counting and recording data about the animals, with the supervision of an expert EcoMarine researcher.
Boat surveys will occur during dedicated research days and during EcoMarine Wildlife Spotting Tours so that you will be also involved in our environmental education program and be in charge of spreading awareness on the delicate status of the Mediterranean Sea and its inhabitants.
According to the programme and the weather conditions, participants can be involved in data entry or in the photo identification process.
Vivi l’essenza del mare, ammira i colori e i paesaggi straordinarie delle isole maltesi durante l’ora più romantica del giorno.
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