Activities: Marine Mammal course in Belize!

Ecology, Behavior & Conservation of Marine Mammals, A Unique Field Course in the Drowned Cayes, Belize

DATES: May 26 - June 8, 2010 (inclusive of travel)
INSTRUCTORS:

Caryn Self-Sullivan, Ph.D., Bruce A. Schulte, Ph.D., Katherine S. LaCommare, M.S.
LOCATION: Spanish Bay Conservation & Research Center at HP Adventure Lodge, http://belizeadventurelodge.com/
COSTS: $2595 includes, housing, meals, field trips, ground & water transfer fees, research & materials fees; DOES NOT include airfare, books, tips, or credit hours
DEADLINES: Early Registration ($50 Discount) & and Deposit due March 1st, 2010
MINIMUM / MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE: 8-24 students
REGISTRATION: http://www.sirenian.org/CourseSyllabus2010.html

Want to be a Marine Mammal Biologist? Or a Behavioral Ecologist? Here's your chance to join our research team for two intense weeks of total immersion into the world of Animal Behavior, Antillean manatees, bottlenose dolphins in Belize! You will become totally immersed into island living, the study of ethology (animal behavior) and the biology of manatees and dolphins through lectures and learning activities, literature review, debate, projects, and field research. This unique field course combines an overview of the ecology, behavior, and conservation of sirenians and cetaceans with hands-on manatee & dolphin research in the Drowned Cayes, Belize. You'll spend 3-4 hours on the water each day learning about the environment as we explore a labyrinth of mangrove islands, seagrass beds, and coral patches searching for elusive manatees and charismatic dolphins. You'll collect behavioral and environmental data and learn about photo-id techniques; you'll develop a Fact Sheet or Activity Booklet about a related topic to be published by the Hugh Parkey Foundation for Marine Awareness & Education and/or Sirenian International. Extra-curricular activities include diving or snorkeling at Turneffe Atoll, and exploring an ancient Maya City.

This unique course has a work load equivalent to 4 university credit hours and is divided into 4 major components: lectures and learning activities (~1 hour per day), independent reading and assignments (~2 hour per day), data collection in the field (~4 hours per day), project development (~1 hours per day) and debate/group discussion of reading materials (~1 hours per day).

Want credit towards your degree? No problem! Sign up for independent study with an advisor at your school and pay the appropriate fees. The course has 70 contact hours and is comparable to a 4 credit university course. Just have you advisor contact Dr. Self- Sullivan (cselfsullivan@georgiasouthern.edu) to discuss the requirements for credit. Remember, if you are interested in getting independent study credit for this course at your school, you must make arrangements IN ADVANCE with BOTH your advising faculty and the course instructor. Credit hour fees must be paid directly to your school and you must fulfill any Study Abroad requirements at your school.

COURSE CONTENT OVERVIEW (Lectures & Learning Activities)

- The Order Sirenia: Manatees and Dugongs of the World
- The Order Cetacea: Whales and Dolphins of the World
- The Local Research Project: Manatee & Dolphins of the Drowned Cayes
- Animal Behavior: Ethology and Behavioral Ecology - The Scientific Perspectives
- Ecology - Interactions between Manatees, Dolphins, and their Environment
- Marine Mammals under Human Care in Zoos and Oceanariums
- Marine Mammal Science: Research Design, Data Collection Methods,
- Analysis of Data, and Interpretation of Results
- Marine Mammal Conservation and Advocacy: The Status of Extant Marine Mammal Species

RESOURCES

We recommend two books (optional) as primary resources on manatees and dolphins:
- The Florida Manatee: Biology and Conservation, by Roger L. Reep and Robert K. Bonde, University Press of Florida
- The Bottlenose Dolphin: Biology and Conservation, by John E. Reynolds, Samantha D. Eide, and Randall S. Wells, University Press of Florida

A selection of primary literature will be sent to you in electronic format in advance of the course. Students are required to print out these articles and bring them with them to Belize.There is also a library of books and archived journals, including Society of Marine Mammalogy, Animal Behavior, and Conservation Biology journals, in our library onsite in Belize.

COURSE FEE & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The course fee of $2595 includes all transportation, course, field trip, and living expenses from your arrival at the PWG airport in Belize on May 26th to your departure on June 8th. You are responsible for tips, insurance, and round-trip airfare to Belize (BZE).

REGISTER EARLY: SAVE $100 WHEN YOU REGISTER and PAY IN FULL BY March 1st
SAVE $50 WHEN YOU REGISTER and PAY DEPOSIT BY March 1st

To register for course, please visit http://www.sirenian.org/CourseSyllabus2010.html

For more information on the course, please email caryns@sirenian.org or cselfsullivan@georgiasouthern.edu

For more information on the instructors, please visit http://sirenian.org/caryn.html and http://bioweb.wku.edu/faculty/Schulte/Default.asp

For more information on the facilities, please visit http://belizeadventurelodge.com/

Download a Course Flyer at http://sirenian.org/CourseFlyer2010.pdf


Caryn Self-Sullivan, Ph.D.
President & Co-founder, Sirenian International
Visiting Assistant Professor, Georgia Southern University
Mobile: 540.287.8207 | Fax: 540.242.9196
Email: caryns@sirenian.org or cselfsullivan@georgiasouthern.edu