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Rainforests of Northern Australia

With steep mountains and rolling, lush expanses of rainforest, the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area is home to more than 2,000 plant species, half of all Australian bird species, and more endemic mammals than anywhere else on the continent. Although 70 percent of the region is still native vegetation, a century of forestry and agriculture has divided much of the forest into small fragments, threatening the integrity of the processes that maintain its biodiversity. You can join a pioneering study to discover how the movement of animals within the landscape maintains rainforest ecosystems. You will help Drs. David Westcott and… more

Rainforests of Northern Australia

With steep mountains and rolling, lush expanses of rainforest, the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area is home to more than 2,000 plant species, half of all Australian bird species, and more endemic mammals than anywhere else on the continent. Although 70 percent of the region is still native vegetation, a century of forestry and agriculture has divided much of the… more

Trip at-a-glance

Price: From $2,649* per person
Lodging: all_inclusive
When: April, September, November
Number of days: 14
Group size: 10

This trip is offered by:

Earthwatch Institute

Call them at 800-776-0188 about this trip and mention you saw it at TravelDragon, or contact them.

Trip details

You will use radiotelemetry to monitor the movements of fruit-eating birds and mammals and observe their foraging and fruit-processing behavior in the field. You will also help identify and map the distribution of fruit resources with a lowland rainforest site. Animals you will see may include cassowaries, spectacled flying foxes, colorful fruit-doves, bowerbirds, and musky rat-kangaroos (the smallest, most primitive kangaroo). You will help to document the movement of animals around their forest home, identifying where and when they feed, and where they deposit seeds. Look forward to occasional visits to local towns, pubs, and swimming lakes. On your day off, you can take a day trip to the Great Barrier Reef or an excursion to see other Australian wildlife.

You will stay in a comfortable house at CSIRO's Tropical Forest Research Center, with bunkbeds, free laundry facilities, and a modern kitchen. Shared bathroom facilities have flush toilets and hot showers. Volunteers will help themselves to breakfast and bag lunches, and assist CSIRO staff in preparing a diversity of evening meals from fresh local ingredients.

As an Eons member, you'll get a free, 1 year membership to Earthwatch — a $35 value — when you sign up on any expedition. And members pay $100 less on their expedition contribution — so you save $135! Just put code EONS2007 in the comment field on the signup form, or, if you call, tell the Expedition Coordinator that you found us on Eons.

Earthwatch expedition-related costs may be tax-deductible in the US as volunteer expenses. Please check with your tax adviser.

*TRAVEL INFORMATION DISCLAIMER: Travel product and pricing information are the travel provider’s base estimates, published here as a convenience to TravelDragon users without verification by TravelDragon. Your actual price will vary depending upon length of trip, travel dates, number of traveling guests, transportation (e.g. airfare, rail passes, etc.), and optional service features such as room categories or individualized food requirements. This base price estimate may or may not include all necessary fees, taxes, government-imposed surcharges. Be sure to confirm availability, total price and trip details with the travel provider using the contact information provided here.

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