News from the field 60 - UPDATED! (April 2009)

CONTENTS:
1. Field Update
2. Positions available to work on tiger conservation with Wildlife Trust of
Bangladesh
3. Call for VOLUNTEERS!!

(1) FIELD UPDATE: This time last year we were having a good thunderstorm at least once a day. This year, however, the rain clouds have not appeared. As far as I can tell it is hottest it’s been in April for the last 5 years (up to 43 C). It is so hot in fact that it has forced the tiger project into a drastic course of action that it would never have previously considered; we have bought a fridge! It may be the cheapest, smallest fridge in Khulna (possibly in the world) but it is now a valued member of the team and never fails to deliver cold water when we need it. The field teams, however, can only dream of cold water as they fry on top of the boats and get cooked in amongst the trees.

In an extension to the prey survey, this month Hasan lead a team along the boundary area of the sundarbans to assess the prey levels there and to try and identify factors that may explain the distribution of livestock killing by tigers. They managed to do a total of 129 transects along the boundary, using three teams of data recorders, assistants, and Forest Guards. In this case the lack of rain was a bonus because the teams were recoding prey pellets and tracks which may have been washed away by a heavy storm.



Meanwhile, the rest of the tem have been busy with a totally different type of survey. Naser, Suprio, Alam, and Mizan are conducting a study to assess the current protection status of the Sundarbans. If that sounds like a big undertaking, that’s because it is. There are different parts of the survey but the main bit of field work involves visiting every single guard post in the Sundarbans to catalogue all the resources available for forest protection and to assess how the forest is currently being patrolled. They have to document every building, jetty, boat, and staff and look at how often each guard post are patrolling. The idea is to use this baseline information for the Forest department to then decide how they would like to change or improve the current protection levels. So far the survey has done all of the eastern part except for Dubla. They couldn’t make it to Dubla because the boats they were using could not cope with the rough conditions of the rivers closer to the sea face. There are strong southerly winds whipping up the waves, so much so that both teams were at times at some risk. Naser’s team got caught on a sand bank in the Boleshwar river with waves crashing over the side until they were able to free themselves and a nearby Forest Department trawler came to the rescue. Suprio and Alam also got smashed around in the river coming down the Sela river past Teachar and Sapla posts. Naser put it simply enough when he got back to Mongla to refuel; “perhaps we shouldn’t do surveys in May next year”. But the team are not going to quit half way through a survey and have decided on what they call “the bigger boat and life jacket strategy”.



Out of the forest, the team has been boosted by another addition to the WTB staff; a Forest Department ACF (Modinul) has joined us to apply his considerable experience in co-management for tiger conservation in the Sundarbans. He spent his first week attending meetings and traveling throughout the local communities bordering the forest to make contacts in the villages and to start understanding all the issues. In Satkira he met up with the boat-based tiger response team of Goni and Jihad. The response team have had a tough season, having to respond to many cases of tiger attacks, sometimes having to help retrieve bodies from the forest, and other times giving first aid and transport to injured persons. They must have the most dangerous job in the forest.

The next month will see the end of the protection survey (hopefully without further high seas adventures) and a lot of report writing of all the activities the project has done since January. If anyone has any rain they would like to donate to the project please send it to us as soon as possible.


(2) WANT TO WORK IN TIGER CONSERVATION? The Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh is looking to recruit staff in Bangladesh to help them develop their conservation efforts. The following positions are currently available:

Position: Conservation Programme Coordinator Start date: 1st April, 2009 Duration: 2 years. Work description: This is a challenging role supporting the Conservation Programme Manager in the management of all WTB tiger projects to drive an integrated and successful conservation effort. Duties will include: strategic planning; preparing proposals and liaising with national and international donors; developing and monitoring project workplans and budgets; establishing project management processes; managing projects and teams; preparing financial and programme status reports; developing strategies for sustainable funding models. On the job training will be given during the first two years with a view to promotion to the position of Conservation Programme Manager in year three. The role will be based between Dhaka and Khulna, with occasional field trips. Applicants will have an excellent academic record with a first class undergraduate degree in any discipline, although preference is for a background in management or another social science. MS is desirable. Most important is a proven track record in project and programme delivery. Excellent organisational and prioritisation competence, attention to detail, and leadership skills. Closing date of application: 31st May 2009 and selected applicants will be invited for interview.

Position: Research & Forest Protection Coordinator Start date: As soon as possible. Duration: 2 years. Work description: This role is supporting the WTB Research Manager in the management of research efforts aimed at informing tigers conservation in Bangladesh. Duties will include developing, implementing, and evaluating a research strategy focused on tigers in Bangladesh. The work will also include: fundraising, training, methodology design, and coordinating the research team’s field activities. On the job training will be given during the first two years with a view to promotion to the position of WTB Research Manager in year three. The position will be based in Khulna with lots of field work and occasional trips to Dhaka. A MS or PhD is required in a relevant subject, and field experience is desirable. Other requirements include strong analytical and decision making skills. GIS skills and experience of ecological research are highly desirable.
Closing date of application: 31st May 2009 and selected applicants will be invited for interview.

Position: Participatory Management & Community Outreach Coordinator FILLED

Position: Participatory Management & Community Outreach Officer Start date: May-June, 2009 Duration: 2 years. Work description: Support Coordinator to liaise with the local communities bordering the Sundarbans and the Forest Department to help design, develop and implement participatory management initiatives aimed at improving tiger conservation in the Sundarbans. Requirements: Experience in co-management work. Excellent communication skills. Fluent in Bengali and able to write reports in English. Closing date of application: May 31st and selected applicants will be invited for interview.

Position: Awareness & Education Coordinator Start date: Oct, 2009 Duration: 1-2 years. Work description: Design and implement local, national and international conservation strategy and associated programme aimed at increasing awareness of tiger conservation issues. Requirements: Excellent Bengali and English communication skills. Proven writing skills and some previous relevant experience. Applicant must able to work well in a team, have proven leadership skills, and have both strategic level and implementation level ability. Closing date of application: 30th Sept, 2009 and selected applicants will be invited for interview.

Position: Awareness & Education Officer Start date: Nov, 2009 Duration: 1-2 years Work description: Assist Awareness & Education Coordinator to design and implement projects. Requirements: Must be prepared to travel throughout Bangladesh and spend considerable time in local communities bordering Sundarbans. Fluent in Bengali with good spoken English. Closing date of application: 30th Oct, 2009 and selected applicants will be invited for interview.

Application process: Please Email (1) CV, (2) one written page describing why you think you would be good for the position and your motivation for the work, and (3) an example of a report or other piece of writing you have written in English, to wildlife@citechco.net. Include your contact mobile phone number so that we can contact you if needs be, and be prepared to have an interview in Dhaka.

If the correct applicant for a position is not found, the deadline will be extended.

All successful applicants will undergo a 2 months probationary period before starting their official appointment in the position.

Potential salary is dependent on applicant's skill and experience. Details will be provided to successful applicants. All positions are full time positions with the Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh.

(3) Call for VOLUNTEERS! We'd really like to build up a database of volunteers from both inside and outside of Bangladesh who can help with tiger conservation activities. The idea is that we will build a list of those of you who would like to help together with your email contact details, and then when opportunities to help arise, we can send out a group email to see if any of you are available to help!

We particularly call out to Bangladesh students who would like to get some experience in the field in Sundarban as we sometimes have spaces available on our field surveys. These could also develop into ideas for your MS or PHD. Or there might be those of you up in Dhaka who would like to help - we have activities based in Dhaka too.

Some ideas for those of you outside Bangladesh: we'd really like to hear from people who have skills in web design and who could help us to rennovate our website; also, any medics out there who would like to help us to develop a first aid manual which provides a specialist set of first aid methods for dealing with tiger attack victims. Plus any other ideas you can all think of!

So please do write to us on tigerdata@gmail.com if you'd like to volunteer, including: how you'd like to become involved (e.g. sundarban field work, project work based in Dhaka, a remote piece of work that can be done from abroad e.g. the website), the skills you have or would like to develop, and what time you have free.

Adam Barlow & Christina Greenwood
Khulna

And remember to write with ideas on how you could help to save tigers in Bangladesh to tigerdata@gmail.com.