Big Five & Hyena Monitoring in South Africa
Go for an African Adventure with the Big Five monitoring project in South Africa. You will be monitoring and researching South Africa’s Big Five – lions, elephants, buffalos, white & black rhino, and hyenas. You will be heavily involved in important conservation work to make sure the animals are healthy and the land is well balanced.
Monitoring the Big Five in South Africa
You will spend your days tracking, spotting, recording and observing the movements and behavior of these African animals. The data you collect will be used to create files on the animals and monthly reports. Then, the park coordinators will be analyze and monitor these reports.
Big Five Monitoring at the National Park
This project is responsible for all the conservation work and record keeping for the National Park Section, and the volunteers it receives provide its only source of income. Your participation is so important for the long term success of this project. Like your memories, your contribution will last for a long time.
If you have always dreamt of experiencing the wilderness of the African plains and you love animals, this project is for you.
Start Dates & Arrival
- Location of project: Limpopo province
- Arrival airport: Johannesburg (JNB)
- Available from 2 to 12 weeks.
- The volunteer programs in South Africa start on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month.
Orientation for Volunteers in South Africa
Orientation takes place at 5pm of the arrival day. Therefore, you should plan to arrive before 4:15pm. If you can’t make it, we suggest you fly in a day early. We can arrange airport pickup and extra night of accommodation
Fees
- The program fee is paid directly to the host organization.
- All of the projects incur a registration fee of US$ 199.00 on top of the program fee.
- Please note that this project Big 5 and hiena monitoring does not have transfer from orientation to the project included. It is provided but it is extra, costs RD (SA Rands) 1.500 each way
What is included in the volunteer program fee?
- Airport Pickup
- Orientation
- Accommodation for all projects
- Support from local staff & Program supervision
- In-country 24/7 support throughout your stay
- In-country administration costs
- Donation to support the local project
Accommodation & Meals
- Shared dormitory room in volunteer house on the park section; a couples room with ensuite bathroom is also available on request if available.
- Food: Self-catering – food is provided. Volunteers will cook following a menu and do the washing up on a rotary basis with the other volunteers.
Qualifications and Requirements
- You must be 18+ years old.
- All participants in our volunteer in South Africa programs must have adequate travel insurance and are required to provide a criminal background check to local staff on arrival in South Africa or during orientation,
- You must love animals and be dedicated to working to take care of them.
- You will be expected to be up and out early in the morning and sometimes, depending on lion activity, you will be working late into the night.
- You must be prepared to learn new skills such as radio telemetry, navigation techniques, animal and plant identification, ground tracking and tracking collared animals.
- You must realize the enormous responsibility that comes with working with animals in the wild.
Wildlife Volunteering Experiences
Caring for Orphaned Animals in South Africa: Ricardo Ramajo from Brazil
Animal Volunteering in South Africa: The Most Wonderful Three Months of My Life!
Wildlife Volunteering in South Africa: Pedro Henrique with his new friends
Unforgettable Experience with Elephants in South Africa
Volunteer in South Africa with the Vervet Monkeys
South Africa Volunteer Programs
Find out about all the programs to volunteer in South Africa here.
There are many fascinating opportunities for wildlife volunteers: In Cape Town you can choose whether to go for a marine biology internship at the Aquarium, or to help abandoned cats and dogs in a township. Moreover, close to Port Elizabeth volunteers take care of injured or orphaned wildlife.
Volunteering with Animal Conservation
Visit our page with all the Animal Volunteer Abroad Programs.