Volunteer at this unique programme and experience grass roots black rhino and elephant conservation. Play an important role in the game park and provide support for the anti-poaching and game park teams. Interact with black rhino and elephants, learn about game park management and get involved in vital anti-poaching activities.
What sort of things will I be doing?
No two days on this project are ever the same and in addition to working with the elephants and rhino, you will get involved with daily jobs around the game park and give support to the dedicated anti-poaching team. This project is very hands on, so come prepared to get tired and dirty!
Rhino Conservation
Support the dedicated game park staff and rhino handlers in the daily care and protection of the black rhino. You will help gather data and information about rhino behaviour, help with the morning and evening feeding of the rhino, clean and maintain their night pens and help release them into the game park in the mornings. You will also help educate the local schoolchildren about the importance of rhino conservation.
Elephant Conservation
You will be working closely with the elephant guards and handlers to help support the elephant herds within the game park. Volunteers will be responsible for monitoring and observing browsing behaviour, cleaning and maintaining the elephant beds and helping stimulate the elephants, e.g. teaching them anti-poaching and tracking.
Conservancy Management
This project aims to give volunteers an insight into the running of an African game park and enable them to really contribute to the ongoing projects and daily activities which are so important to the conservation of the wildlife. This includes activities such as monitoring animal herds e.g. health checks, monitoring pregnancies and baby animals; feeding nutritional supplements to large mammals; game counts; reforestation and removal of alien species; road maintenance and fireguard burning.
Anti-poaching and Security
A large part of the volunteers role is to support the anti-poaching team in keeping the park safe for the animals and people who live in and around its boundaries. Volunteers will get involved with providing manpower for snare sweeps, anti-poaching patrols, fish-netting patrols as well as helping with fence patrols and fence repair. Volunteers also help to deliver an anti-poaching message to local schoolchidren.
Community Education - School Programme
An important part of wildlife conservation is to encourage children to appreciate the importance of living with wildlife and show how humans and animals can live together and benefit one another. Volunteers will help teach lessons on different animal species and the importance of caring for the environment, plus they will help the local schools with their vegetable gardens and tree planting projects.
This project is a unique opportunity for volunteers to get an insight into hands on wildlife conservation, particularly focusing on black rhino and elephants, and get closer than you ever thought possible to these magnificent animals!