Game Reserve Conservation

Highlights

• Supporting important conservation work with a passionate and dedicated team.
• Hands on work on reserves and assisting wildlife vets when necessary.
• Seeing South Africa’s famous Big 5 animals.
• Learning more about anti-poaching as well as survival in the bush.
• Taking part in important research topics.
• Getting personal support from the volunteer coordinator.
• Experiencing amazing tours and adventures in and around the Garden Route.
• Making new friends from all over the world.

Project information

This conservation project aims to rehabilitate agricultural land and develop a long term self-sustaining natural environment, create community awareness, expand the existing reserve and continue their successful free roaming cheetah research. They work with surrounding farms on the reserve to ensure these objectives and goals are met. The core aim of this project is to return the land to its natural state and ensure a self-sustaining, functional ecosystem.

You take part in all research on various wildlife species in the reserve. The project has numerous research projects running and all data is collected and compiled into a detailed monthly report. The project team makes sure that the volunteers get training in all the fields of work they will be involved in from tracking courses to approaching animals on foot. Hard work is also part of a normal day with projects such as alien bush clearing and soil erosion control.

Your role

You will work from Monday to Friday (8:30 - 17:00). Weekends will be your free days.

Every day is different and will consist of both lectures in the reserve and practical conservation work. The schedule board is updated every day and will provide you with details for the next day’s activities. A morning briefing is done every morning and debriefing done every night to go over the daily activities.

Your roles and responsibilities could include:

• Game tracking
• Tracking & monitoring of released cheetahs
• Elephant research
• Lion monitoring
• Anti-poaching night patrols
• Training on approaching wild animals on foot
• Mineral and medical darting, when needed
• Overnight Survival Camp (4 week stays and longer in summer, weather and group dependant)
• Community involvement, e.g. sustainability & conservation
• Wildlife immobilization when needed
• Wildlife nutrition monitoring and feeding when needed
• Game counts and species recording
• Marine education (optional extra)General reserve duties: soil erosion control, vegetation rehabilitation and road & fence maintenance.

It is important to note that this description serves as an example only. The daily tasks and challenges depend on the volunteer, the time of the year and the work that needs to be done. The final job description can therefore vary substantially from the above.

Accommodation

You will stay in a communal volunteer house on the reserve. The house has four dorm rooms that sleep between 3 and 6 per room and two shared bathrooms. There is a fully equipped communal kitchen with a microwave, BBQ facilities, oven and a washing machine. The house has great views over the reserve, a fireplace and a bar. There is also a separate cottage that sleeps up to 6 people with one bathroom and a small kitchen. For an upgrade fee, you have the option to stay in a single luxury tent, with a bed and electricity, elevated on a wooden deck overlooking the reserve. The bathroom (toilet, basin, shower) is outside and shared. There is a pool table, TV and WiFi available (limited, no streaming or Skype). Laundry is done once a week by the house manager. The washing machine is readily available in the volunteer house should you require it more often.