Biodiversity Research and Wildlife Release Center

We are a non-governmental; non-profit organization that develops and supports projects in environmental education and scientific research on biodiversity; ecology as well as on the behaviour of species of fauna and flora of Brazilian ecosystems. In addition to the research and education activities; our mission is to encourage conservation; management and sustainable use of natural resources; and promote the development of eco-tourism and cultural projects.

IPBio partnered with a wildlife release center; named FreeWildlifeBrazil Celine; also located on our reserve; which care for wild animals rescued from illegal animal trafficking by environmental authorities; and take steps to reintroduce wildlife to their natural habitat. Come and volunteer with us so that we can conserve the Atlantic Rainforest and the wildlife within. Below is a list of research as well as other roles IPBio and FreeWildlifeBrazil Celine offers. For more information; download the volunteer package on our website.

Research Roles:

Bioluminescent Mushroom Research: There are approximately 71 species of bioluminescent mushrooms in the world and Iporanga holds 12 species making it the region the highest concentration of bioluminescent mushrooms in the world. IPBio wishes to develop a protocol that allows us to grow them in the lab under controlled conditions. Our cultivation program conducts experiments on: substrate compositions; sterilization method; inoculation method; and fruiting techniques to optimize the process of cultivation.

Biodiversity Research Assistant/Eco-Volunteer Role: contains a range of activities which are conducted in a group. The majority of these tasks are field activities so this is for volunteers who like to be outside and enjoy physical activity. Not all these projects occur at the same time as various projects are seasonal. Tasks of an eco-volunteer are not limited to the roles below but we have listed the main areas that the eco-volunteer will participate in:

• Tree Inventory: we study the biodiversity in different areas of the reserve to assess forest well-being. In the process we can understand the distribution of fruit tree species which is particularly important for Celine. Why? Imagine you are releasing a parrot which only eats a certain fruit and it only grows between June and July. Therefore you should only release this parrot during these months to ensure it has available food which will increase the chances of a successful release. Moreover; these birds are tagged and monitored after their reintroduction to the wild to ensure they are adapting well and therefore identifying fruit trees in the area will increase the likelihood of finding the bird to monitor their progress.
• Garden Day: as a group we help out in the gardening; construction or maintenance of the reserves grounds. This is hard but rewarding work!
• Mushroom Inventory: we search for new species of mushrooms in order to identify them; photograph them and collect their spore prints which are like a mushrooms finger print. In addition; we do searches at night to find bioluminescent mushrooms which light up the floor in an avatar-like fashion.
• Tadpole Research: we have various projects related to tadpoles and often we need the help of volunteers to collect these tadpoles.
• Bird Inventory: explore the forest strategically in order to inventory species of birds on the reserve as well as understand their distribution patterns and their seasonality.
• Mammal Monitoring via Camera traps: we have cameras filming 24/7 in the forest but all his data needs to be sorted. Volunteers are tasked with watching the footage; organizing the photos of mammals and identifying the species.
• Fish Inventory: many birds are aquatic and live on the banks of rivers waiting to scoop up a fish. We study the biodiversity of fish in order to support the birds Celine releases and sometimes we need to bring them back a tasty snack.

Non-Research Volunteer Roles:

• Photographers/Movie Producers: IPBio uses cameras for research on wildlife and as a result our biologists developed a passion for photography and filmmaking. Our interest in the interplay of photography; research and education lead to the creation of OBBIO – Observatory for Biodiversity; which captures footage aimed at producing eBooks; documentaries; and educational videos as well as using the images for research purposes. For example; our videos have been sold to Discovery Channel. Videos about the volunteer program are also needed every month as well as great photos for the website.
• Reserve Maintenance and Gardening: We always needs help maintaining the grounds; trails; animal enclosures; vegetable patch and microclimate greenhouse so if you are interested in getting your hands dirty then we always have a job for you. Moreover; we have many gardens so planting flowers and tree as well as watering them and keeping their patches weed-free is essential. This job requires volunteers who are willing to conduct heavy physical activity.
• Communications: Help raise awareness about the Institute and its projects. Support our communications by: improving our website and social media; creating informative videos; setting up material to inform students and universities about courses we offer; writing grant and fundraising; seeking partners for our Institution.
• Volunteer Coordinator: IPBio currently has a full-time staff member dedicated to the management of the volunteer program; however; with this increase in capacity we are looking for a Volunteer Coordinator who can support the Volunteer Manager in organizing the daily tasks of volunteers. The volunteer coordinator must be able to learn about the various projects quickly and have leadership qualities. The volunteer coordinator is in a position our authority and thus must accept the responsibility that comes with this role.

Ongoing Project That May Need Volunteers: The amphibian and bioacoustics role depend on if we have a current project occurring with a partnering professor AND if that project is even a project which a volunteer can even help in as some tasks only require action once a month or require speaking Portuguese so we can never guarantee these roles. Therefore; anyone who applies to these roles must be aware that they may not even participate AT ALL in these roles and will be directed completely into being an ECO-VOLUNTEER. Only apply if you are okay with that!

• Amphibian Research: IPBio conducts research on amphibian reproductive habits and embryology. Volunteer accompany the development of tadpoles and frogs in captivity. This role is not always active as it is project based so depends on if research projects are coming to an end or new ones are starting. Moreover; even when active; the amount of work hours the role will occupy can vary substantially depending on the needs at the time. Therefore; amphibian researcher applicants are also applying for the eco-volunteer role and depending on the needs at the time they may work fully as an eco-volunteer or be placed into running amphibian projects.
• Bioacoustics Research: IPBio received a grant from Wildlife Acoustics whereby they donated 2 bioacoustics recorders and software to analyze the data. We are attempting to understand peak activity times for different species throughout the 24 hours in a day. This study will be conducted over the years to develop monthly/seasonal peak activity period for species. In addition; IPBio wishes to create a `sound bank´ of all the species on the reserve.

Email us your CV/resume and clearly state the position (or positions) you are interested in to imran@ipbio.org.br and we will get in touch with our volunteer package containing further details!

Volunteers will stay at the Darwin Guest House; situated on the reserve itself; which accommodates up to 13 people in 8 rooms although of maximum capacity for the program in 10 volunteers at a time. The extra rooms are there for researcher or during transitions of new and old volunteers arriving where we may need extra beds. All rooms have air conditioning; a closet space and electricity outlets. The house has 3 bathrooms with hot showers; a washing machine and has a fully equipped kitchen. Our town is called the Cave Capital of Brazil so volunteers often visit our state parks to explore the caves. Hike into the dense forest and visits to waterfalls are also common activities. Tubing; big balloons; are used to drift down the rivers; some of the river route are 3 hours long! After work volunteers can swim on the reserve deck; organize dinners; watch movies; read and go wildlife watching. On the weekend we often have a barbecue or organize dinner at a restaurant. Often there are social events or parties in the community that volunteers can go to.