Gain vast experience in animal care as you volunteer at a world renowned wildlife rehabilitation center in South Africa!
Program Highlights:
Your Schedule at a Glance (Minimum two-week commitment):
Arrival Day, Monday: Arrive at Eastgate Airport (HDS), Hoedspruit. You will be picked up at the airport and taken to your accommodation at the wildlife rehabilitation center. Your accommodation is within the grounds of the center so take some time to explore and get settled in before you begin your volunteer work the following day.
Days 1-5, Tuesday-Saturday: Volunteers feed the animals, create enrichment activities, perform health checks and clean and maintain the property in the mornings. Big projects, such as cleaning out predator camps, are completed in the afternoon, before attention is given once again to the animals that you have been allocated to care for that day. The day finishes with the cleaning of the clinic, in preparation for any nighttime emergencies.
Day 6, Sunday: Sundays are free for volunteers to relax after some basic chores
Group excursions are sometimes organized to surrounding areas, however they are strongly dependent on the present needs of the center.
Remaining Weeks: Remaining weeks will follow the schedule of volunteering Monday-Saturday and having Sundays mostly free. Departures are on Monday.
Program Highlights:
- Gain experience working with various wildlife species, including eagles, vultures, leopards, wild dogs and hyenas
- Provide care to orphaned animals during baby season, which is November-March (subject to availability)
- Join in rescue and release efforts of injured and rehabilitated animals when possible
- Improve of the lives of those animals who cannot be released through various enrichment activities
Your Schedule at a Glance (Minimum two-week commitment):
Arrival Day, Monday: Arrive at Eastgate Airport (HDS), Hoedspruit. You will be picked up at the airport and taken to your accommodation at the wildlife rehabilitation center. Your accommodation is within the grounds of the center so take some time to explore and get settled in before you begin your volunteer work the following day.
Days 1-5, Tuesday-Saturday: Volunteers feed the animals, create enrichment activities, perform health checks and clean and maintain the property in the mornings. Big projects, such as cleaning out predator camps, are completed in the afternoon, before attention is given once again to the animals that you have been allocated to care for that day. The day finishes with the cleaning of the clinic, in preparation for any nighttime emergencies.
Day 6, Sunday: Sundays are free for volunteers to relax after some basic chores
Group excursions are sometimes organized to surrounding areas, however they are strongly dependent on the present needs of the center.
Remaining Weeks: Remaining weeks will follow the schedule of volunteering Monday-Saturday and having Sundays mostly free. Departures are on Monday.
Location of the Project:
33 km from Hoedspruit, Limpopo Province
Project length:
Min 2 weeks - Max 8 weeks
Arrival Airport:
Eastgate Airport (HDS), Hoedspruit
Volunteer Work:
Handling of the animals, daily cleaning, food preparation, feeding and maintenance work
Age:
18-80
Number of Volunteers:
Up to 20 international volunteers
Important Note:
There is limited availability for certain dates June through August, please inquire before registration.
What's Included
Accommodations:
Volunteers will stay in shared rooms
Food:
Three meals a day are included
Airport Transfers:
Included on arrival day and departure day
Support:
Comprehensive and professional pre-departure travel guidance, 24/7 GoEco emergency hotline, experienced local field team.
What's not Included
Flights, visas (if required), travel health insurance, personal expenses
Limpopo Province, 33 km from Hoedspruit.
This center is a non-profit organization, open to the public and relying completely on public support. Mission Project Volunteers will be involved in many aspects of conservation and animal care under professional supervision. Wildlife is brought to the center from all corners of South Africa, and once healthy enough, are re-introduced into their natural habitats. Those animals that cannot be returned to the wild due to the nature or extent of their injuries are cared for at the center and are used to educate the many people who visit us each year, both from across South Africa and abroad. Another important function of the center is breeding. The center has successfully bred and released into the wild the endangered crowned eagle, serval, and many others.
Volunteers will be involved in many aspects of conservation and animal care. They will also work and live with volunteers and professional staff from around the world. If a volunteer wants to enhance his or her chance to see baby animals, we recommend they come from November-March which is our baby season.
Some of your tasks may include:
Please note that, due to the nature of rehabilitation work, nothing is predictable or guaranteed, including which types of animals are at the center at any given time.
Volunteers will be involved in many aspects of conservation and animal care. They will also work and live with volunteers and professional staff from around the world. If a volunteer wants to enhance his or her chance to see baby animals, we recommend they come from November-March which is our baby season.
Some of your tasks may include:
- Hand-nurturing of orphaned animals from cheetah cubs, to birds, to warthogs
- The care and welfare of the permanent residents who, due to the nature of their injuries, cannot be released back into the wild
- Daily cleaning of animal enclosures, scrubbing their bed mats and feeding the animals
- The treatment and care of sick and injured animals
- Assisting with the upkeep of the center such as road maintenance, removal of alien vegetation, etc.
- Attending call-outs to capture animals for relocation or to be brought into the center for treatment. This may be by darting or humane trapping.
- Wildlife veterinary work, which would be mostly observational
- Game capture and relocation when appropriate
Please note that, due to the nature of rehabilitation work, nothing is predictable or guaranteed, including which types of animals are at the center at any given time.
Internet:
There is Internet access at the volunteer house for a small fee
Laundry:
A laundry service is available.
Accommodations:
Separate male and female accommodation are provided (2 - 6 to a room) in a comfortable brick bungalow. There are shared bathrooms with a hot shower and flushing toilets, as well as a large kitchen and living area. Linens are provided, but please bring your own towel.
Food:
Three meals are provided per day. Lunch is served at the volunteer house. For dinner, volunteers get a bush ride by vehicle to and from the lodge, which gives them a chance to see nocturnal animals in the evening. Twice a week volunteers go out for dinner, once to Moholoholo Ya-Mati (no extra charge), and once to a local restaurant , which is not expensive but is at an additional cost. This is optional and if you do not want to join, you can notify the coordinator who will arrange a meal at the lodge.
Please take note of this project's minimum requirements:
- Basic level of English
- Good physical fitness
- Motivation to work with animals
- Immunizations (please consult your doctor)
- Rabies vaccination is strongly recommended due to the nature of the work at the center
Quiet time is on Sundays, and although volunteers still tend to the feeding of all the animals, there is ample relaxation time. If volunteers want to get active, educational trips can be organized for an extra fee to nearby attractions, including the stunning Kruger National Park.
Add on our eight-day Garden Route Road Trip to enhance your South Africa experience!
Add on our eight-day Garden Route Road Trip to enhance your South Africa experience!
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