GoEco > Africa > South Africa > Pre-Vet Wildlife Internship
This program is now open to international volunteers!
Gain hands-on animal care experience unlike anywhere else in the world. Whether you are going on a game capture or taking a lecture on animal health and nutrition, you will be exposed to the immense variety of animals and knowledge that is available in the African environment. Perfect for pre-vet students!
Program Highlights:
Your Schedule at a Glance (Minimum Two-Week Commitment):
Arrival Day, Monday: Arrive at East London Airport (ESL). You will be picked up at the airport and transferred to the volunteer house in Chintsa. Introduction will take place on the day of arrival and training will be provided throughout the program.
Sample week – (scheduled on a rotational and demand basis).
Day 1, Tuesday: Participate on tasks such as artificial insemination and iron supplement injections, for pigs or horses (large animal practice)
Day 2, Wednesday: Capture, immobilize and transport wildlife, work with reptiles (exotic animal practice and handling) or horses, pigs, goats, sheep, dogs and cows (large and small animal practice)
Day 3, Thursday: Do pregnancy testing and vitamin supplement injections for beef cattle (large animal practice) or for horses, pigs, goats, sheep, dogs and cows (large and small animal practice)
Day 4, Friday: Participate in lambing and inoculations for sheep(large animal practice) or work in wild animal management – dectamaxing weaker animals for endo and exo parasites with a dart gun.
Day 5-6, Saturday-Sunday: Your weekends can be as relaxing or as action packed as you want! If you’re looking for some adventure, you can try your hand at quad biking and horse riding, go bungee jumping or visit the local elephant reserve.
Day 7, Monday: Community work at Chintsa East Village (small animal practice)
Remaining Weeks: The remaining weeks will follow a similar schedule of volunteering Monday-Friday and having Saturday-Sunday free. Spend your days off soaking in the sun at the Chintsa beach, take a trip to Cape Town or go on an overnight stay at a rural village, to expand on your cultural immersion. Departures are on a Monday.
What’s Included
What’s not Included
Flights, visas (if required), travel health insurance, personal expenses
Chintsa is a small town on the outskirts of the Wild Coast region of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The Wild Coast is a fascinating part of South Africa, boasting some of the most beautiful scenery and wildlife. In addition, Chintsa’s rich culture that stems from its roots as the traditional home to the Xhosa people, give this region a depth and intrigue that most visitors can’t get enough of.
This internship is designed for volunteers to receive maximum exposure working with African wildlife, agricultural livestock, and domesticated animals; however, the amount of time devoted to each is dependent on demand. You will perform daily tasks together with the general staff, and most often in the presence of a qualified veterinary nurse. The project also works with a qualified veterinarian for certain special procedures, such as game captures and medical emergencies.
African Wildlife: At commercial and private game reserves, you will have the opportunity to participate in both lecture-based learning and practical interactions. Activities/lectures may focus on:
Agricultural Livestock: Volunteers will visit a number of local farms, which typically house animals such as chickens, cattle, goats and pigs. This segment of the internship will focus on the following topics:
Domestic Animals: In many rural communities and townships throughout South Africa, animal rights are not a high priority and many domestic animals live in very poor conditions and are often abused. You will be able to make a significant impact by learning about and contributing to:
Please take note of this project’s minimum requirements:
Chintsa Beach is a beautiful area with plenty of activities for volunteers to engage in. Relaxing on the beach after a challenging week is a great option and just steps away from the volunteer house. Often from the shores dolphins and whales can be spotted. For volunteers interested in water activities, the area offers surfing, kite surfing and canoeing. If you prefer to stick to the land, join a safari trip, hike through the indigenous forests or go bird watching.
Add on our eight-day Garden Route Rd Trip to enhance your South Africa experience!
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