VICTOR VALLEY COLLEGE SUMMER HERPETOLOGY FIELD COURSE IN TIMOR-LESTE

Where: Oecussi and Manufahi Districts, Ataúro Island, Timor-Leste
When: 20 June to 8 July 2010 (tentative)

During this course, students will conduct fieldwork to survey for amphibians, turtles, and reptiles in three remote areas of Timor-Leste, a small country in the Lesser Sunda Archipelago. Students will get an introduction to reptile, turtle, and amphibian biology while learning to do fieldwork in a remote, logistically challenging setting. In this National-Geographic-meets-Survivor setting, students on previous trips have discovered over ten species new to science. Beyond the science, students will experience what life in one of the world’s poorest countries is like, and they will be part of a greater educational ideal by helping to train local participants. Logistics in the country will include accommodation in forest huts, travel by Troop Carrier 4x4, and some strenuous hiking through rice paddies, secondary forest, primary forest, and costal wetlands in a humid tropical environment. The course fee is all-inclusive at $3495.00 (including airfare).

For further information on this trip contact

Dr. Hinrich Kaiser
Department of Biology
Victor Valley College
Victorville, Claifornia
760-912-5605 (cell)
kaiserh@vvc.edu

This would be one of the first things that I would do if I ever won a lottery ticket. I wonder if there might be some really big Crocs(and of course, some interesting venomous snakes)in the vicinity? Seriously, this sounds like an interesting opportunity, to be certain. Thanks for posting this, Mr. Liutz. Sincerely, Jon Davidson .