Marine Mammals Research & Conservation

Internship details

On this virtual internship in marine conservation you will assist with researching dolphin populations and behavior, working alongside expert marine scientists researchers to support dolphin conservation in Greece.

Scientific research into marine mammal populations plays a guiding role in conservation efforts in the Mediterranean Sea, and remote marine conservation internships have a key support role in producing data. Interns are placed with leading NGOs to support conservationists and scientists working to preserve populations of local whales, dolphins and porpoises.

Remote interns aid the NGO by helping to analyze and interpret marine mammal sightings data, which is used to influence local conservation and environmental management strategies. Example projects that remote interns may expect to focus on include:

Photo identification

Photo-identification is a common technique that allows researchers to identify individuals of the dolphin species Delphinus delphis. The NGO has a large library of photos collected over the past 20 years, but only a small part of this library has been processed.

By analyzing photos and using distinguishing features of dorsal fins, such as pigmentation patterns, scarring, and notches, interns can help to provide accurate data on the change in Delphinus delphis population numbers. This is important information that provides feedback on different conservation techniques over a period of time.

Assessing pod structures

The number of calves, juveniles and adults within a dolphin pod reveals valuable information about the success of breeding grounds and seasons over the space of many years. Remote interns assist the collating of data by analyzing the pod structure of dolphin sightings from boat surveys. Interns create informative maps using the information, so must have experience using GIS to create these maps.

Population monitoring

Drone technology provides a modern way of observing whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans) with minimal human disturbance. Interns can join drone research projects via livestream or use recorded video and images to identify mammal species and behavior. This information is used to compare cetacean behaviour collected from boat surveys to identify the effects of human presence.

In all cases, interns should expect that the initial phase of their remote internship will focus on gaining some introductory knowledge. You may start by gaining an understanding or overview of what you can build upon, develop, learn, and contribute. Ensure that you ask questions and provide feedback during the introductory period, so that your supervisor understands how you’re progressing. This will help them to better understand important details, such as how quickly you learn, what you find challenging, what you find interesting, etc.

Understand and expect that individual internship experiences vary. Therefore, if you’re at a more introductory level, you should reasonably expect a more introductory internship. Likewise, if you’re interning for a shorter duration, you will have a different experience from someone who is interning for a longer duration. Placement preferences are considered but always subject to availability.

Career Benefits