In 2008 there will be just three of us to continue the parrot project's duties. Sam Williams and Rowan Martin are PhD students who are now into their 3rd field season. Assisting them this season will be Rhian Evans a hard working Welsh environmental science graduate, and rock climber. You can help the Bonaire parrot project through sponsoring a Rhian.

Throughout the season there will be other volunteers working with the parrot project over short periods. These volunteers will be encouraged to write a guest blog and share their experiences. Volunteers always bring something new to the project. Areas of expertise include plant ecology, animal behaviour, radio tracking and climbing.

 

 

The Bonaire parrot project benefits from having volunteers because it will enables us to search for, and monitor, more nests thought the year. Observing a greater number of nests improves the accuracy in estimating reproductive success, poaching intensity and behavioural patterns, which are fundamental to our research and future conservation management. By having a strong team of volunteers on the parrot project we also have a bigger presence on the island and this further helps raise awareness of the parrot’s endangered status.

On the next page there's a introduction to Rhian our long term field assistant for 2008