Wildlife welfare and research

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Overview

South Africa often faces the problem of conflict between humans and animals. This is due to many factors such as farming and land development just to mention a few.

The Private reserve offers a second chance towards wildlife who require help and protection. The aim is to release as many animals as possible after their rehabilitation or recovery, and those animals who can not be released back in to the wild welcomes the reserve as their new home.

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Important information

Arrive & depart from George
Minimum age requirement of 16
Volunteer for 1 – 12 Weeks
Airport transfers included
All transport to project included
Accommodation provided
Meals provided
Price starting from 910€ (2020)

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Applications are free
24 hour response time
2-week period to accept service offer

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As a volunteer in the project, you will play an important role in helping the various wildlife animals have a pleasant stay at the reserve. You will help the reserve in several aspects of every day tasks, becoming part of their team. All training is provided to you and there is always a dedicated volunteer coordinator who looks after your needs!

The other aspect of volunteering at the project is research. Expect to get involved in research areas such as determining the state of health, observing the animals mating behavior and many more.

Working days can be long and warm and every long with everyday providing a lot of activities. You will have the chance to meet like-minded individuals from all over the world, and possibly build friendships which will last a lifetime.

Summary of tasks:

Tasks are divided into groups and rotation takes place every day. This ensures that each volunteers gets the opportunity to take part in every activity:

Food preparation and feeding
Maintenance of fences
Supervision and care of younger animals
Assisting with construction of new buildings and/or stables
Research – Analysis of video recordings, installation of new cameras, data collection, animal counts, etc.

The Meerkat station

The reserve has set itself the goal of protecting the habitat of the Meerkat population located in the area. Meerkats normally live in harsh conditions of the open and semi-desert plains of Southern Africa. They are famously known for their upright posture and social demeanor.

Summary to tasks relating to the Meerkat program:

• Determining the survival rate of Meerkat babies
• Measuring the size of the area of the animals
• Determining the litter size
• When and how Meerkats set up their own family
• Life span of the Meerkats
• How often do females give birth each year?
• Type of insects they eat
• Research social behavior

The working hours:

Work days are Mondays – Fridays (8 hours each day) with enough breaks and free time
Saturdays various activities are offered
Sundays are leisure time

Important facts regarding the project:

Any special features to keep in mind when choosing this project? You should be physically able to complete all tasks and of course have a big passion for animals. Please keep in mind that the project work may be exhausting.
Should I bring Malaria medication? The project is located in a Malaria-free region of South Africa. No medication needed.
When did the project start? The project was founded in 2006.
How many volunteers can participate? 20 volunteers at any given time.

Volunteers will stay in large tented accommodation. (maximum 4 people per tent of the same sex) These tents cannot be compared to normal tents which can be found on camp sites. They are large and fitted with comfortable beds. The tents are equipped with a bathroom (Shower, toilet and sink) with electricity also provided.

You will receive 3 meals per day:

Breakfast (Cereals, bread etc.)
Lunch (Pasta, wraps, burgers etc.)
Dinner (Meat with vegetables and rice etc)

Tea & Coffee are available the whole day. You can also buy snacks from a small shop located at the project.

Please be sure to inform us of any dietary requirements you might have. (Vegetarian etc.) The project is able to cater for all dietary needs of a volunteer.