E C O V O L U N T E E R P R O J E C T
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E C O V O L U N T E E R E X P E R I E N C E Field research on H U M P B A C K W H A L E S Caravelas, Bahia, B R A Z I L 2010 Auspices & co-operation: INSTITUTO BALEIA JUBARTE ECOVOLUNTEER PROGRAM You can freely download this project file and files on other projects from the homepage for this project within the Ecovolunteer website: http://www.ecovolunteer.org/ (or from the national ecovolunteer domains). As it is necessary for participants in this project to be able to communicate in English (or Portuguese), this text is provided only in English. The text of this brochure is developed in cooperation with the project staff. Annually, under the supervision of the staff the text is updated. Nevertheless you may experience some changes in the field compared to the brochure text. It is inherent to wildlife research programs that during the operations incidentally changes are necessary because of unexpected results, bad weather conditions, behaviour by the wildlife, etc. Be prepared for such changes. (Last update January 2010) Please help us: If you happen to find any of the information below no longer to be valid, or when you have useful additions, then kindly report so to: Ecovolunteer Program: [email protected]. That way we shall be able to provide better information to future participants. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Humpback Whales, Caravelas, Brazil, 2010 Page 1 / 33 © http://www.ecovolunteer.org Contents PREFACE ..................................................................................................... 5 1 HUMPBACK WHALES .................................................................................. 6 2 THE HUMPBACK WHALE INSTITUTE IN BRAZIL ............................................... 7 3 HOW YOU CAN HELP ................................................................................... 8 4 CARAVELAS ................................................................................................ 9 4.1 The Abrolhos Bank and the humpback whales ................................................ 9 4.2 The Caravelas program .............................................................................. 10 5 PRACTICAL TRAVEL INFORMATION .............................................................. 12 5.1 Period ...................................................................................................... 12 5.2 Prices ...................................................................................................... 12 5.3 Date ........................................................................................................ 12 5.4 Participants .............................................................................................. 12 5.5 Included in the price .................................................................................. 12 5.6 Not included in the price ............................................................................ 13 5.7 Flights ..................................................................................................... 13 5.8 Insurances ............................................................................................... 13 5.9 Conditions for participation ......................................................................... 13 5.10 Swimming and snorkelling ........................................................................ 14 5.11 Money .................................................................................................... 14 5.12 Photo / film ............................................................................................ 14 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Humpback Whales, Caravelas, Brazil, 2010 Page 2 / 33 © http://www.ecovolunteer.org 5.13 Attainability ............................................................................................ 14 6 ABROLHOS ARCHIPELAGO AND THE CORAL REEFS ....................................... 15 6.1 What is coral? ........................................................................................... 15 6.2 What is a coral reef? .................................................................................. 15 6.3 Where are coral reefs found? ...................................................................... 16 6.4 Is coral vulnerable? ................................................................................... 16 6.5 Why is coral important? ............................................................................. 16 6.6 Why is coral important? ............................................................................. 16 7 ADVICE ON PERSONAL TRAVELLING NECESSITIES ........................................ 17 8 LITERATURE ............................................................................................ 19 8.1 On humpback whales ................................................................................. 19 8.2 On whales in Brazil .................................................................................... 19 8.3 Recommended guides on cetaceans: ........................................................... 19 8.4 Some interesting (semi-) scientific articles .................................................. 19 9 GUIDELINES FOR OBSERVATION ............................................................... 21 10 SOME RULES OF CONDUCT ....................................................................... 23 11 SOME USEFUL WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS ................................................ 24 12 PRACTICAL TIPS ..................................................................................... 29 12.1 Electricity ............................................................................................... 29 12.2 Special days ........................................................................................... 29 12.3 Tips ....................................................................................................... 29 12.4 Inoculations ........................................................................................... 29 12.5 Medical services ...................................................................................... 29 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Humpback Whales, Caravelas, Brazil, 2010 Page 3 / 33 © http://www.ecovolunteer.org 12.6 Climate .................................................................................................. 30 12.7 Money .................................................................................................... 30 12.8 Opening hours ........................................................................................ 30 12.9 Passport and visa .................................................................................... 30 12.10 Prices .................................................................................................. 30 12.11 Language ............................................................................................ 31 12.12 Tax-free shopping ................................................................................. 31 12.13 Telephone ............................................................................................ 31 12.14 E-mail ................................................................................................ 31 12.15 Time ................................................................................................... 31 12.16 Safety ................................................................................................. 31 12.17 Water .................................................................................................. 31 13 YOUR PARTICIPATION CLIMATE NEUTRAL ................................................... 32 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Humpback Whales, Caravelas, Brazil, 2010 Page 4 / 33 © http://www.ecovolunteer.org PREFACE This project offers you a unique opportunity to work with the most charming giant of the sea, the humpback whale. Fortunately, these friendly, social and inquisitive animals have not lost their trust in humans after centuries of whaling and you will be able to observe them from up close. When you participate in this project, you support the protection of these whales with your time, your energy, and your donation. At the same time, you will see the humpback whales in their natural environment and a specialist will accompany you to tell you everything there is to know about these beautiful animals. During your stay at the project, you will be in the middle of the richest coral reefs system in the South Atlantic Ocean. A small converted fishing boat or a schooner is used for the research and in your time off, depending on the route, you can swim amidst the coral reefs and turtles! _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Humpback Whales, Caravelas, Brazil, 2010 Page 5 / 33 © http://www.ecovolunteer.org 1 HUMPBACK WHALES Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are large baleen whales: one of the five largest species of cetaceans in the world. These friendly, sluggish moving