Project Life
Volunteer with Orang-utans In Sumatra

SAMPLE volunteer schedule may go as follows:

Day 1 - Arrive in Medan, travel to project, orientation to location, rest and recuperate.

Day 2 - Orientation to project and tasks, explore the local area.

Day 3 - Visit to orang-utan feeding platform and forest introductory trek, second visit to feeding or free-time.

Day 4 - Research tasks at base (see below).

Days 5-10 - Fieldwork with overnight stays in the forest, carrying out tasks necessary to the project's research (see below). Three meals per day and water are provided and you will stay in the same, temporary camp each night.

Alternatively: several one-day treks in the jungle to carry out tasks necessary to the project's research (no overnight camping).

Day 11 - Rest and recuperate

Day 12 - Field work data processing, debriefing.

Day 13 - Travel to Medan (AM) for afternoon flights.

IMPORTANT: the above is only an example of a possible schedule of activities. It is always subject to change based on the needs of the project. Staying overnight in the forest is not guaranteed and will be based on considerations such as weather, staff availability, number of volunteers and, most importantly, physical fitness of the volunteers.

Possible research tasks at base:

• Entering behavioural data collected by field assistants
• Organising samples of orang-utan foodstuffs and preparing for our herbarium
• Organising faecal samples collected by field assistants
• Preparing equipment for field assistants to go to the forest
• Preparing behavioural data sheets
• Preparing sample bottles for field assistants
• Shopping for project supplies in town or at the local market
• Brainstorming ideas to help the project’s promotion
• Keeping temperature, weather and humidity data records updated
• Cleaning project office and accommodation.

Possible research tasks in the forest:

• Nest counting to provide seasonally varying estimates of the orang-utan population
• Fruit trail transects to record range of foodstuffs available to orang-utans in an area
• Locating areas with a significant wild orang-utan population
• Finding and following orang-utans to collect behavioural data and faecal samples.