Wildlife conservation
This volunteer program will give you an opportunity to form part of an award winning conservation team and join in the behind the scenes efforts to make real and sustainable changes to preserve and save Africa’s fast deteriorating wildlife population, fauna and flora.
from
EUR 2250
Duration: Min 2 weeks
Click price to convert
Project Summary
Your Role
Dates and Duration
Overview
Location
Accommodation
The experience consists of working with animals in a wildlife environment both on and off a 25,000 hectare Big 5 game reserve and wildlife animal breeding centre. Activities range from being hands on to observational and expose participants to key aspects of conservation, ecology and animal management with an opportunity to uplift the impoverished and create a better future for all living in and around the reserve.
This volunteer program will give you an opportunity to form part of an award winning conservation team and join in the behind the scenes efforts to make real and sustainable changes to preserve and save Africa’s fast deteriorating wildlife population, fauna and flora.
Being the first private game reserve and park to reintroduce animals ranging from elephant, lion leopard and rhino, to dung beetles and red billed oxpeckers, you will have the opportunity to work alongside the pioneering conservationists who started the reversal of damage caused to the land and animals after the early settlers shot, drove out and eradicated thousands of species due to conflict situations around safety, land usage, availability to water and value of animal hides and ivory.
This world renowned game reserve and park is known to locals and guests to be true to its name in the Shona tribes referral as “ my friend” and give you the best in all rounded African wildlife experience and an opportunity make your mark and friends for life.
This volunteer program will give you an opportunity to form part of an award winning conservation team and join in the behind the scenes efforts to make real and sustainable changes to preserve and save Africa’s fast deteriorating wildlife population, fauna and flora.
Being the first private game reserve and park to reintroduce animals ranging from elephant, lion leopard and rhino, to dung beetles and red billed oxpeckers, you will have the opportunity to work alongside the pioneering conservationists who started the reversal of damage caused to the land and animals after the early settlers shot, drove out and eradicated thousands of species due to conflict situations around safety, land usage, availability to water and value of animal hides and ivory.
This world renowned game reserve and park is known to locals and guests to be true to its name in the Shona tribes referral as “ my friend” and give you the best in all rounded African wildlife experience and an opportunity make your mark and friends for life.
Your role:
The volunteers are the link to ensuring a sustainable and positive change to the reserve environment and its conservation effort as a whole. This positively affects both humans and animals with volunteers tasks based around duties and activities required at their time of stay. As the environment is an ever changing dynamic due to often uncontrollable internal and external factors, activities and tasks may vary.
Is the work dangerous?
Yes
Is there a potential risk?
Living and working in and around wild and potentially dangerous animals can be very dangerous. We advise that all protocols, rules and regulations are adhered to and followed. A MOD (Manager On Duty) will be available at all times should there be a need for any assistance or advice.
There is an extremely high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in South Africa thus is the volunteers personal responsibility to take the utmost care in regards sexual relationships and health and safety at all times.
There is an extremely high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in South Africa thus is the volunteers personal responsibility to take the utmost care in regards sexual relationships and health and safety at all times.
Dates:
Every Monday
Flights into Port Elizabeth airport on Mondays before 1pm
Flight departing Port Elizabeth on Mondays after 12 Noon
After hours pickups to/from Port Elizabeth will incur a special transfer cost which will be confirmed upon booking request
Flights into Port Elizabeth airport on Mondays before 1pm
Flight departing Port Elizabeth on Mondays after 12 Noon
After hours pickups to/from Port Elizabeth will incur a special transfer cost which will be confirmed upon booking request
Duration:
Min 2 weeks
Additional per week:
Highlights:
- Wildlife animal veterinary work as is required at time of stay
- Assisting at Born Free Foundation Big Cat Lion and Leopard Sanctuary
- Opportunity to help at our Animal Rehabilitation and Rhino Awareness Centre
- Predator tracking and monitoring – Lion and Leopard
- Research, camera trapping and monitoring of Brown Hyena
- Walks and camp outs on Big 5 reserve with a qualified Trail or Dangerous Game field guide.
- Rifle handling on a certified range with a qualified Rifle Range Officer
- Game Counts, capture and observational exercises
- Tracking and monitoring of large herbivores including Rhino and Hippo
- Elephant population research and monitoring
- General Reserve Maintenance
- Local Community and Tribal projects and educational work
- Assisting the Anti-Poaching Unit efforts
- Eco Education, Environmental and Conservation Talks and Lectures
- Learn Bush and Game Ranging Skills on an informal basis
- Plant and Tree Nursery and Alien Plant Removal work
- Work on wildlife projects with our Conservation and Ranging qualified wildlife staff
- Gathering of evidence via Forensic Entomology and autopsy of kills or deceased animals
- Visits to other local nature resources and activities in the area.
- Assisting at Born Free Foundation Big Cat Lion and Leopard Sanctuary
- Opportunity to help at our Animal Rehabilitation and Rhino Awareness Centre
- Predator tracking and monitoring – Lion and Leopard
- Research, camera trapping and monitoring of Brown Hyena
- Walks and camp outs on Big 5 reserve with a qualified Trail or Dangerous Game field guide.
- Rifle handling on a certified range with a qualified Rifle Range Officer
- Game Counts, capture and observational exercises
- Tracking and monitoring of large herbivores including Rhino and Hippo
- Elephant population research and monitoring
- General Reserve Maintenance
- Local Community and Tribal projects and educational work
- Assisting the Anti-Poaching Unit efforts
- Eco Education, Environmental and Conservation Talks and Lectures
- Learn Bush and Game Ranging Skills on an informal basis
- Plant and Tree Nursery and Alien Plant Removal work
- Work on wildlife projects with our Conservation and Ranging qualified wildlife staff
- Gathering of evidence via Forensic Entomology and autopsy of kills or deceased animals
- Visits to other local nature resources and activities in the area.
Minimum age:
16 years, with parental or custodial approval and signature
Police clearance:
No
Special skills required:
- A love for animals and nature is of importance with a desire to have learn more, a bonus
- Participants must have and exercise a willingness to be active in physical and observational tasks
- Acknowledgement and Signature of project and house rules and regulations on arrival and available pre arrival on request. Should participants be younger
than 18 years of age, a legal guardian or custodian will need to sign on their behalf.
- Participants must have and exercise a willingness to be active in physical and observational tasks
- Acknowledgement and Signature of project and house rules and regulations on arrival and available pre arrival on request. Should participants be younger
than 18 years of age, a legal guardian or custodian will need to sign on their behalf.
Language requirement:
Ability to speak or understand English is of assistance but certainly not a pre-requisite.
What's included:
- Airport transfers
- On site Accommodation and Meals
- Tea’s and Coffee’s with on-site meals
- All project on-site program activities
- On site Accommodation and Meals
- Tea’s and Coffee’s with on-site meals
- All project on-site program activities
What's excluded:
- Any weekend or off-site extra mural weekend activities
- Towels and personal toiletries
- A deposit for key and Laundry Bag will be about R50 – refundable on return on in good order
- Cost of rifle handling ammunition – average cost of R70 per person or further pro-rata to usage
- Flight and Airport transfer costs
- Towels and personal toiletries
- A deposit for key and Laundry Bag will be about R50 – refundable on return on in good order
- Cost of rifle handling ammunition – average cost of R70 per person or further pro-rata to usage
- Flight and Airport transfer costs
Closest town:
Port Elizabeth
Surrounding area:
Transport:
Assistance and advice is given to volunteers who would like to make use of safe and reputable local transportation methods and service providers.
The use of such services is at own cost.
The use of such services is at own cost.
- Volunteers share en-suite (shower, toilet, basin) rooms on a same sex basis
- Shared opposite sex rooming requests are serviced, on availability and pre arrival request only.
- Laundry service included once weekly – we advise no high value clothing to be brought.
- Rooms cleaned incrementally in week however volunteers are responsible for cleanliness of rooms which need to be kept or maintain acceptable health
and safety standards.
- Room changes are avoided yet volunteers may experience room facility changes if operationally unavoidable.
- All rooms have built in or free standing cupboards with a safe per room or alternatively a generic safe keeping lock up facility available.
- Shared opposite sex rooming requests are serviced, on availability and pre arrival request only.
- Laundry service included once weekly – we advise no high value clothing to be brought.
- Rooms cleaned incrementally in week however volunteers are responsible for cleanliness of rooms which need to be kept or maintain acceptable health
and safety standards.
- Room changes are avoided yet volunteers may experience room facility changes if operationally unavoidable.
- All rooms have built in or free standing cupboards with a safe per room or alternatively a generic safe keeping lock up facility available.
Meals:
- 3 Meals are provided daily, with cooked breakfast once weekly
- Pre-prepared or packed meals are exercise on requirement should it be practical due to nature of exercises Lunch and supper are provided in the staff
canteen
- Water (rain) suitable for consumption is provided with Tea and Coffee daily.
- Meals are catered for and locally prepared wholesome and nutritious with availability to seasonal fruits.
- Purchase of chocolate, chips or crisps and soft drinks are available on-site
- Alcohol may be consumed on site with a suitable common storage area provided.
- Pre-prepared or packed meals are exercise on requirement should it be practical due to nature of exercises Lunch and supper are provided in the staff
canteen
- Water (rain) suitable for consumption is provided with Tea and Coffee daily.
- Meals are catered for and locally prepared wholesome and nutritious with availability to seasonal fruits.
- Purchase of chocolate, chips or crisps and soft drinks are available on-site
- Alcohol may be consumed on site with a suitable common storage area provided.
Get the latest news
