Intern­ship Abroad Peru – Lydia

Profile

Name: Lydia

Age: 25

Project: Internship Abroad Peru – Primate Communication

Location: Amazon Rainforest, Peru

Duration: June until August 2021 – 5 weeks

Rating

Support from the Natucate team:

Arrival:

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Accommodation:

Internship in Peru – My review

Due to COVID, 15 long months went by from the moment I chose this project at Natucate until the day I left - the excitement grew unbearable. This stay was supposed to be my crossroads when it comes to career planning: do I stick to an ordinary office job or do I take a completely new path and pursue a career in animal research? The internship gave me a clear answer to this exact question (spoiler alert: the office clearly lost). I had the chance to experience everyday life working with wild animals.

Insights into wildlife research

The first few weeks I concentrated exclusively on working with the primates. Every day at 5 o'clock in the morning we went into the jungle to follow a group of monkeys and to observe and record their behavior. That was the main task in the “primate team”. Other tasks on this team included collecting stool samples or observing banana traps.

During my last week I also got a glimpse of the other teams. In addition to the primates, there are also teams working with rodents, other mammals, birds and bats. On these teams, the animals are briefly caught in order to take samples and measurements before they are released back into the jungle.

Don’t give up too soon!

It was incredibly exciting to get to know all these animals up close and to learn so much about working with them. However, I had completely underestimated how exhausting living and working in the jungle can be. The work is really tough and life in the station is not very comfortable. But don't worry - you get used to everything after a short time!

The most important lesson I learned in Peru is this: never give up too soon! Even if it seems too difficult at the beginning, you only have to hold out for a little while until you’ll adapt.

The internship as a true gain

But not only did I adapt, I even learned to love it. I fell in love with the forest, the animals, and the green and for the first time I had the feeling that my work was contributing something valuable to the world. This stay may have been physically very strenuous, but mentally it was incredibly energizing. In addition, there was a great social atmosphere in the station and I made friends for life.

I recommend this project to anyone who is looking for a special challenge, beautiful nature or professional prospects. You don’t need any previous experience, only the will to push yourself to your limits every once in a while.