Overview

The Crocodile Research Coalition (CRC) intern mentorship is to provide young and upcoming scientists and conservationists an experience to further build a foundation in wildlife conservation, research and management. Although our focus of research is on crocodiles, we conduct research on various wildlife in crocodilian habitat, such as conducting population and behavior surveys of howler and spider monkeys. Learn more here.


Why choose us?

We accept interns on a continual rolling basis. We will not take more than 4 interns at a given time as we want to enhance the intern and research experience through a one-on-one mentorship approach to ensure interns gain an experience that provides a strong foundation in scientific research, and conservation and management. We encourage interested individuals to contact us promptly as slots are limited and fill up fast. As research projects will change, we will be in contact with interns prior to arrival in regards to the project work you should expect to conduct during your internship.

Besides conducting research, interns will also get the ability to learn about wildlife rescues and triage, especially since the CRC is the only wildlife rescue non-profit in southern Belize. Interns will also learn a bit about animal behavior assisting CRC staff in monitoring our crocodile ambassadors at our facility.

A highlight of our program for previous interns has been the participation in community outreach. CRC acknowledges the importance working alongside communities and taking the time to educate about the natural world around us. Community outreach is part of the core work of the CRC as the success of any conservation program parallels the involvement and support of local communities.

What you’ll gain

Interns will experience one-on-one mentorship on how to conduct scientific research, and how to interpret such data for conservation and management purposes. Interns will also be exposed to how to conduct community outreach in a manner that has been proven to be successful in furthering community perception of coexistence with wildlife. Our program provides a strong foundation through experience and utilizing equipment for those interested in pursuing a career in conservation and scientific research.

Long-term interns (staying with us for more than 1 month) with specific research interests are encouraged to develop small attainable projects to complete during their internship. We will work with interns to gather and analyze data for potential publication following their internship.

For more information please head to our website: https://crocodileresearchcoalition.org/intern-mentorships

For those interested in a less-intense and shorter experience with the CRC, please check out our volunteer program at: https://crocodileresearchcoalition.org/ways-to-join-us

howler-monkey-belize

About Crocodile Research Coalition

The Crocodile Research Coalition (CRC) is a Belize-based nonprofit, established in January 2016, that seeks to preserve crocodiles and their environments throughout Central America and the Caribbean to ensure the long-term sustainability of biodiversity in the region. We believe the success of our conservation efforts parallels the involvement and support from local communities, thus we are continuously working alongside with local communities and partner organizations to empower people with the knowledge of co-existence and sustainable practices to ensure the survival of crocodiles and well-being of the communities that live beside them. Our outreach also incorporates working with the local and national governments, utilizing our research to better inform policy decisions regarding wildlife and their habitat (= translational ecology).