Grant to support students’ Amazon adventure

A group of 16 Charles Darwin University environmental science students will travel to the Amazon rainforest later this year with support from a $40,000 grant.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Council on Australia Latin America Relations grant will assist the students during a new two-week field intensive along the Amazon River.

CDU researcher Dr Carla Eisemberg said the trip aimed to strengthen links between Australia and Latin America, with students observing wildlife management programs in the region.

“The Northern Territory shares similarities with the Brazilian Amazon as they both have tropical environments and are considerably remote,” Dr Eisemberg said.

“Many of the species living in each region share close relations with each other, as they were once linked together by the ancient Gondwana subcontinent.”

She said the students would travel between two scientific research sites to observe efforts used to protect the giant South American river turtle, one of the world’s largest freshwater turtles.

Dr Eisemberg said the students would also practice field techniques including turtle satellite monitoring, radio and sonar tracking, nest monitoring using temperature loggers, and adult trapping, tagging and micro chipping.

CDU’s Brazilian Amazon Field Intensive unit has been organised in collaboration with the National Institute for Amazon Research and the Amazon Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.