I decided to volunteer with PLT in Paraguay because it was the only project that allowed me to conduct my own research into herpetology in the neotropics. It was also considerable cheaper than other organisations and it was the best fit for me at a time when I wanted to gain some scientific research experience in an unfamiliar environment. Paraguay was perfect for this, being so remote and unknown a country.
Alumni Spotlight: Jonathan Clegg
Program:
Volunteer and Intern CoordinatorPhotos
Jonathan Clegg is a 23-year-old masters student living in Brussels, Belgium from Bristol, England. He volunteered in Paraguay from October - December 2010.
Why did you decide to volunteer with Para La Tierra in Paraguay?
Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer.
My work involved conducting surveys on herpetofaunal abundance and diversity in three different habitats so I would get up early and search one of the transects I had set out at the beginning of my time at Para La Tierra. In between surveying, there was time to relax and swim in the Laguna, kayak, or simply explore other areas of the reserve.
How has this experience helped you grow personally and professionally?
The research experience I gained in Paraguay proved invaluable as I used it to get a seasonal herpetologist job working for Operation Wallacea in Honduras (a job I still have now). I have began to learn Spanish after leaving South America also and believe the experience prepared me for working and collaborating with local guides as I do now in Honduras.