Here Sharon Ringel takes us through her very own life-changing experiences at the Phinda Wildlife Research Project earlier this year:

"My Phinda Research Volunteer Experience was my first trip ever to Africa and one that has left me with incredible memories to cherish forever. I was drawn to Africa after watching television programs on Game Reserve Management, and was enthralled by the work they were doing to conserve and manage wildlife there.  I fell in love with the Rhino specifically and just had to go see them in their natural habitat and get a better understanding of what their plight is like there.  I chose Phinda to also work with the Big 5!  I was not prepared for what I was about to experience, as I underestimated the impact a trip like this can have on your life.  It has changed me in so many ways!

My first day at Phinda I met JR (the resident Wildlife Monitor), who I and the other volunteers would spend the next 3 weeks with.    On our first monitoring patrol through the reserve we saw an 8 member herd of Elephants.  There was a matriarch with a radio collar on and several other adults and calfs in the group.  They were walking right next to the vehicle, so close you could have touched them. It was a particularly neat discovery to see how quietly they navigate through thickets or on roads, with barely a sound.  I learned later during my trip how hard it truly is to find these majestic animals despite their enormity.  I was next surprised to see how protective they were of their young.  It was hard to get a glimpse at first of the young calfs, as they were often at the underbelly of their mom or between several cows.   Being my first ever interaction with Elephants, I was beside myself with excitement, it was more than I ever expected on day 1. I had no idea what more was in store for me over my 3 weeks there, and every day was even more exciting than the last.  

Over my 3 weeks there I learned to use telemetry equipment to track Leopard and Ele’s, to identify tracks of Lion, Leopard, Ele’s for tracking purposes, participated in Biopsy darting on Lion, and Rhino, participated in a Lion tranquilization darting (for DNA collection so 2 young males could be sold to an interested party) and I learned to identify Rhino through ear notching count techniques.  We collected valuable data on animal counts, GPS locations, as well as sex, age and size of them and catalogued this data in their archives.   The research we were participating in was primarily long term data collection, and observation of animals on the reserve (health, watching for injuries, snares). The data we collected is used by the reserve to control populations, predator/prey balance, monitor habitat requirements and maintain reserve biodiversity.   I was also fortunate enough to be able to spend an afternoon with the Anti-poaching team on the reserve and was enthralled with their commitment and dedication to their cause, despite its dangers.   During my time at Phinda I observed almost every type of animal on the reserve including the Big 5, as well as Kudu, Nyala, Impala, Giraffe, Warthogs, Hyena, Waterbok, Crocodile, Hippos, Zebra, Duikers, Vervet monkeys, Jackal and many special birds including Marabou, Burchells coucal, and Bee eaters.  It was a breathtaking 3 weeks and I met some tremendously special people along the way!  

My 3 most exciting experiences:

• Tracking Ele’s to a water hole where eventually over 40 of them arrived one by one to take in some mud baths and water on their way through this area of the reserve.  In this particular interaction I witnessed young bulls play fighting with their tusks, water showers the Ele’s would indulge in, more baby Ele’s than ones heart can enjoy, but greatest of all was the 8 different Ele’s that came right up to the Land Rover and where I was face to face with these magnificent animals.  The trunk of one bull Ele in an effort to figure out what I was, came within inches of me as he navigated his trunk towards me.  There is nothing more special than that experience I had at Phinda with these Ele’s.   

• Lion tranquilizing.  With a prospective buyer for 2 young male lions, our job was to find them and capture their DNA so their health, sex and general welfare could be determined.  We went to an area where they had been spotted and we located them there. With a warthog kill tied to a tree, animal distress calls being played on a speaker; it took literally 2 minutes for the lions to start appearing.  In all there were 6.  The lioness was the first to the kill, and then her sub adult cubs arrived one by one. It was very thrilling to hear the groans and growls of the gorging lions.  Very intimidating and very real, noises that did not stop throughout the entire feast and we were just feet away from the chaos.  The 2 males of interest were in perfect position for darting, the darts hit their target, the lions slumped to the ground and our work began.  They were moved onto the back of truck so work could be done safely on them 50 feet away from the others.  Clippings from their ears were taken and put into vials, their general body condition was analyzed, eyes were checked and then I had my opportunity to touch, and get pictures with the lion.  I picked up his paw, surprised at how heavy it was, and then I lay beside him to show how big he was.  It was a truly amazing experience I will not soon forget.  

• My precious moments with the Black Rhino.  As I mentioned this was one of the main reasons I came to Phinda, I wanted to get to know the Black Rhino.  On this particular excursion I had a good hour with these cherished animals and really came to love them even more.  It was a group of 6 in a marsh area of Phinda.  We turned off the land rover after getting within 20 feet and we sat and watched.  One by one, the Rhino came closer and closer to investigate us.  First it was a brave calf, and as he cautiously meandered his way to us, often looking behind him to see if mom was in tow.  As they approached the vehicle, faces pushed up in the air to get a smell, they came within 3 feet of me and I was able to gaze into those big beautiful eyes.  This was the culmination of my trip!   They were very curious that day and all 6 of them were all around our vehicle, just looking at us and grazing with absolutely no fear.  This moment changed me significantly as now I could truly understand why they were such a threatened species… they so easily stood within reach of me.  As much as I wanted to experience that moment, I was saddened to know that their gentile nature is part of the reason they are also in trouble. If I could do this, so could a poacher.  This was an extremely sad, but precious moment for me.   But it is not all bad news as Phinda has a fantastic anti-poaching team who works hard every day and night to ensure their safety.  Ryno and his team are very passionate about their work!

Coming home was very emotional for me!  I had so many special moments and memories while I was at Phinda, that by the end of this trip I was in love with all the animals and those working relentlessly behind the scenes.   With a heavy heart I left, teary eyes and all, and arrived home with a new found love of South Africa and their incredible animals.

Now I know…. Africa is a place I will visit again! "

Sharon Ringel, Phinda Volunteer, Feb - March 2012

To take your first steps into Africa and catch the Africa bug - check out Phinda Wildlife Research Project and our Wildlife Conservation and Management projects - experience Africa behind the scenes. 

“After our cultural and wildlife safari in Botswana we volunteered on the Tuli Conservation project in eastern Botswana for 2 weeks. We left the Tuli project 2 weeks early to join a Rhino and Buffalo darting project back in South Africa. As some of you may know rhino poaching is on the rise. The demand for rhino horn in Vietnam for traditional medicine and more recently as a perceived cure for cancer is driving the demand. There have been 171 rhinos poached in South Africa so far this year. 103 of these rhinos have been poached from Kruger National Park.

As security in the the park is tightened, poachers will move to private game reserves. Reserve owners may not have the resources to protect their rhinos. Here's where we come in. The money we pay to join the project will help to pay for darting rhinos and putting collars on them. This way reserve mangers can keep track of them as well as the volunteers who can now track them on a daily basis.

Last Friday we joined a team to dart a rhino and a buffalo. Our job was to track the rhino and radio the location to the helicopter pilot on standby. We didn't actually see the rhino but found her tracks so knew she was in the area. We didn't see the actual darting as it is done from a helicopter by a vet. The drugs used to dart a rhino are very powerful and can only be administered by a vet. Once darted the pilot radios the ground crew (us) and we move in to affix a collar. I got to hold the rhino's leg so she wouldn't kick Anthony who was putting the collar around her ankle. I felt her leathery hide and she was quite warm.. Water is poured over her to keep her cool. Luckily it was cloudy. 

She was a beautiful rhino and may be pregnant. After the darting I was overcome with emotions. What a privilege to be so close to such an amazing animal. It breaks my heart that her species may not survive on this planet because of the greed of humans. I hope I've helped in a small way to help protect her kind. 

Now to collar a buffalo.  This time we waited for the helicopter pilot to find the buffalo, dart her and call us in to put the collar around her neck.  Mission accomplished.   

Yesterday we went to track the collared rhinos.  We received signals from their collars but did not get sightings.  I did spot a magnificent bull.  We watched him until the sun set.  I hope generations to come will get to experience a wild Rhino on the African plain."

Volunteering at a conservation project isn't only about the "official" conservation work. Although this is a hugely important aspect of volunteering, simply living in a wildlife reserve and sharing the everyday life of rangers and reserve managers provides many memorable experiences. This week Mofemedi volunteers Peggy and Marc Faucher got to discover what “looking after your pets” can mean, if your home happens to be an African game farm where the “kitties” are fully grown lions, the house pet is a Nyala and the critters under your bed aren’t mice but giant monitor lizards!

“Yesterday we got a call from Howard that he was going to feed the “kitties”, if anyone wanted to watch.  Sure we did.  We rushed off to the “kitty enclosure” and Howard was there in his land rover with a dead Impala in the back.  We followed Howard into the lion enclosure in vehicles of course and the lions were waiting for lunch.  It's kind of hard to see through the bushes but the Impala was pushed off the back of the land rover and the lions pounced on it dragging it into the bushes. The 3 lions (1 female and 2 males) feasted on the carcass with a few snarls and growls (photo 4). The experience gave new meaning to time to feed the cats.  No friskies for these kitties!

No sooner had we settled back into camp when Elisa got a frantic call from Loren. A giant monitor lizard had crawled through a hole in the roof and was dangling above her bed!  He fell to the floor with a thud and promptly disappeared.  Loren was requesting back up to find him and get him out of the house.  We arrived on the scene and carefully peered under the furniture finally locating him peering from under Elisa's bed.  We devised a plan to herd him out of the house with a broom but he wouldn't budge.  No one wanted to grab him since monitor lizards have formidable claws and a bite laden with bacteria. Finally, Elisa got brave and threw her towel over him, gingerly lifted him up and carried him outside.  Luckily, he did not put up a struggle preferring to play dead instead.  Once released he slunk off in the tall grass.  There's never a dull moment when you live on a game farm in South Africa.

Today we were just finishing checking the waterhole pumps when we got a call from Howard.  Bucky, the pet Nyala had escaped (no, we didn't let her out).  He wanted to know if anyone wanted to go with him in his helicopter to fetch a dart gun and drugs from the local vet.  We drew sticks and I got the longest one so Marc and I got to join Howard.  We met the vet on a neighboring farm, set the chopper down and picked up the gun and drugs.  We returned to the air strip then piled into the back of Howard's land rover to find Bucky who had wandered into a nearby village.  We located her literally in the village next to a house.  Howard darted her and his workers lifted her to the back of the truck.  I kept the blindfold on so she wouldn't get too stressed out.  We drove back to the farm where Bucky was given a reversal drug.  She almost immediately got up on wobbly legs.  I think Bucky learned an important lesson today. The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence!”

Please find out more about volunteering at Mofemedi Rhino Recovery Initiative, and apply to join us if you would like to support the stunning white rhino this project focusses on, while living the African bush life - no two days are ever the same!

If you have any questions regarding this project please do contact us for more information. Our thanks to Peggy and Marc Faucher for their fantastic updates during their volunteering journey.

Candice Richardson of Sabi Sand Wildtuin, Kruger National Park, has written up the full report on the elephant bull veterinary treatment here. 

To join Nsikazi Wildlifevets Experience and work alongside wildlife veterinarians Dr Cobus Raath and Dr Martine van Zyl Langhout, please apply online. 

As this is the main area of conflict between predators and the local community, captures and relocation such as this prevent animals such as leopards from being shot.

After being caught in a trap the leopard was relocated to the Matapos National Park, where he was then darted and immobilised to have any wounds attended to. He was also fitted with a radio collar and measured from head to foot so the park rangers can identify and keep an eye on him.

To join the dedicated team at Mpumelelo please apply online or contact us for more information.

I think my comment was justified. You drive to the designated start point in the reserve to begin a game count. Everywhere you look there are impala leaping past us in their usual hyperactive manner. As soon as the game count starts, they vanish without a trace. The same thing happens when you go out on an elephant ID session. The moment you get out the clipboards and cameras... there’s nothing bigger than a Paradise Whydah in sight. This small bird with an impossibly long tail is very active on the reserve doing its display flight over the scrub -- a sitting target for every hawk in the area. Ah... what we do for love!

I arrived weeks earlier under the auspices of African Conservation Experience, crossing the border in a steel cage, swinging rhythmically above the raging waters of the Limpopo. I am soon transferred to Tuli through very impressive countryside. My previous forays into the bush have been in Zambia and Northern Botswana. The numerous rocky kopjes (volcanic outcrops covered with huge boulders) are a new experience for me. I develop a love-hate relationship with the terrain. My body does not appreciate being shaken like a rag doll while trying to write down details of a sighting, thanks to all the rocks on the track. However, I manage with the aid of a few choice words under my breath and am soon heaving myself one-handed onto the vehicle, trying to pretend I am not really forty years older than some of the other volunteers.

Fortunately I don’t share the sanitised view of the bush that is so often promoted on television. I love the extreme contrast between beauty and horror in the place I sometimes refer to as the biggest meat-processing factory in the world. I am, therefore, not bothered about being thrown in at the deep end on my first day at Tuli: cutting up the carcass of an impala to use as bait to attract a leopard for capture. The second day is even more memorable: measuring the tusks and feet of a very dead elephant. The month before there was a wildlife program on the way a similar carcass was recycled by the local wildlife. Without the benefit of “smellevision,” however, it is a very different experience. You can taste it 400 metres away. Yet within half an hour we are on the top of Leopard Kopje breathing in fresh air unpolluted by so-called civilization. The panoramic view is stunning -- nothing but bush and rocky hills as far as the eye can see. Not a building in sight.

At Tuli you can forget the nine-to-five of the world of work. You can find yourself at any time of the day or night out on patrol recording game, or even playing a recording. One of my first night drives involves playing a recording of predators to draw in predators. Sitting in the darkness with the roar of lions, the insane cackle of hyenas and the hysterical braying of zebras being broadcast at full volume is truly memorable. This vision of Hell fails to attract a single predator, not even a jackal. But that is the attraction of the African bush: it’s not a zoo; nothing is guaranteed.

A day or two later we finish a game drive down by the Limpopo, where the river is shallow, flowing over huge boulders. One of the volunteers suggests there aren’t any crocodiles there as the river is too shallow, failing to notice a deeper pool to our left. Suddenly a large rock is pushed violently aside as something very large swims away without ever showing itself. With the constant emphasis on safety, no one is in any danger.

So many memorable moments come flooding back. The sight of Marty setting a camera trap in a tree and then “ice skating” down a near-vertical trunk in his flip-flops as it is too high to jump!

Our walks to the top of Eagle Rock were sufficient to make my stay at Tuli worthwhile. This overhanging cliff by the Motloutse River is reached by way of a hidden valley -- a place of magic and mystery, a favoured haunt of graceful kudu, and once occupied by stone-age Bushmen. As we are near the end of the wet season, the river changes rapidly from a sandy ribbon to a raging torrent and then back to a dry bed. The rock is well named -- huge black Verreaux’s Eagles nest up there and can be seen circling overhead. Apart from the stunning view up there, the cooling breeze is very welcome. From up there the mopane scrub looks quite open, but at ground level it seems much denser.

Mopane trees have beautiful leaves like butterfly wings and tend to be cropped by elephants to a convenient height so the scrub looks almost like a manmade plantation. Game is hard to spot in the scrub, so after passing the first few thousand trees, you can start to weary of their charm. Just as you despair of finding any game to record, you suddenly find yourself in the middle of a herd of elephants. In spite of Tuli elephants’ reputation for being skittish around people, these animals prove to be very relaxed, as on many occasions. In fact an immature bull sidles up to us, closer and closer, as if he wants to play.

The birds of prey prove to be less easy to record. Not that they are shy; they just won’t keep still for long enough for us to log. We record all raptors as they drift across the reserve, if we can identify them in time. A typical scenario goes something like this: “Oh, look, it’s a goshawky sort of thing. Is it an Ovambo Sparrowhawk or a Shikra? Oh bum -- it’s gone!” For a life-long bird enthusiast from Britain it s a strange experience to be so spoilt for choice. To see hawks, eagles, buzzards and vultures in one day in one place is pretty remarkable. You find yourself saying,” What’s that? Oh, another Lanner Falcon.” Eat your heart out twitchers of Britain!

It’s Sunday morning and I’m trying to bake bread in a cast-iron pot on the campfire. It’s quite a challenge without my proper oven. I find myself with an audience: a huge Rock Monitor Lizard has scuttled half-way down his tree to check me out. I return the compliment by taking photos of him until he gets bored and wanders off.

It’s great to see everyone trying hard to acquire new skills. From outdoor enthusiasts to “lounge lizards” -- they all try to pass the tracker test so that they’re allowed to sit on the “Tracker Seat” in front of the Land Rover’s bonnet. It’s strange how much pressure we all feel learning to identify the tracks and prints. I’ve been interested in Africa for 60 years, so you can imagine how embarrassed I would be if I failed the test.

From the tracker seat you have the first view of animal prints on the trail. Our particular interest are big-cat prints. We have accurate measurements for most of the leopards’ footprints. We spend weeks trying to trap Leopard B (nicknamed Basil) so that the big-cat researcher can put a radio collar on him. He eludes our best efforts. He even rubs salt in the wound by giving his territorial call 50 metres away while we’re checking the trap one night. It sounds like someone sawing a large log. Very impressive in the dark.

A stay at Tuli is not a safari -- animals don’t usually line up to be photographed. We have to work hard for our sightings of predators. A night drive that started off uneventful suddenly comes alive when we spot a male leopard with a massive head and neck. Our efforts are rewarded with a very close view of him for several minutes before he wanders off. His footprints turn out to be smaller than Basil’s and much smaller than those of Leopard A (who patrols down by the Limpopo). Within an hour we are treated to a close view of two spotted hyenas trying to sneak up on some ostriches. Nearby a brown hyena keeps us under surveillance, looking for all the world like a dog in a shaggy cape.

It’s a real wilderness experience at Mohave Camp. There are no fences -- animals wander through at night. This is a great thrill, unless you want to go out for a wee and a flatulent elephant is outside your door and finding the foliage in camp irresistible. By the way, don’t forget to check the batteries in your head torch! One night I upset a pair of lionesses who were wandering through. I fail to spot them, but I guess correctly that the warning growl means: “Keep your distance!”

Being so close to nature is not for everyone, but most of us will miss Tuli very much. The volunteer with whom I share a hut leaves Tuli to go to a game capture project in South Africa. A week later he’s back. He misses the freedom and isolation of Tuli. Not to mention the enthusiasm and idealism of Stuart, who runs the reserve. His passion for conservation -- and his manic laugh -- will be impossible to forget.

I must stop now, otherwise I will ramble on forever. My wife limits me to 20 minutes of talking about Africa."

Roy Bower, Tuli Conservation Volunteer. 

If you would like to experience the magic of Tuli while assisting with base line studies for a trans frontier national park are, please contact us for more information or apply online. 

I booked my placement with ACE about a year in advance, telling them that I would be a qualified vet (hopefully!) and they arranged for me to join the Nsikazi project.

So it was, that 10 days after graduating I was on a plane to Johannesburg, where I, along with several other volunteers, was met by Martin Borman, ACE’s contact in SA, who drove me to the placement. The reserve on which I stayed was near Nelspruit, about 4 hours East of Joburg. The head of the project was Dr Cobus Raath, a renowned wildlife veterinarian, and a wonderful man. He, and everyone else on the reserve, were very friendly and welcoming.Cobus is so knowledgeable about wildlife and was good enough to give us lots of lectures on the state of wildlife veterinary medicine, on the days when there was no field work to undertake (of which there were few).   

During my 8 weeks I was lucky enough to work with a huge range of animals, from tracking lions and elephants, to disease control in buffalo, to treating wounds on antelope and ostrich. The majority of the work undertaken while I was there involved dehorning rhino, so as to prevent them from being poached. While it is such a shame that the modern world dictates that this is necessary, it was very fulfilling to be involved in a process which has been proven to help reduce the number of rhinos poached. The reserves which had started to dehorn their rhino reported a large improvement in the number of poaching incidents.

Without a doubt, my favourite activity was capturing giraffe, to move them from one reserve to another. This involved chasing after them, tying them up and leading them into trailers, all the while trying not to get kicked, or having to hurl onself into a thorn bush to avoid being trampled! Add in hurtling around game reserves clinging on to the back of a jeep and it made for an incredibly fun and exciting day.

When not working, we organised day trips, including one to the Kruger Park, and another to God's Window and Bourke's Luck Potholes, two utterly beautiful places. Myself and a few other volunteers even managed a weekend road trip to Swaziland, where we stayed at a lodge in the middle of a very pretty reserve.

I could go on and on about my 8 weeks there, and all the volunteers I met could surely do the same. Suffice it to say I had a fantastic time, and would love to get a chance to go back one day.

I would absolutely recommend this project to anyone with an interest in wildlife veterinary medicine.”

Siddarth Sudunagunta, Nsikazi Wildlifevets Volunteer, August & September 2011

Nsikazi Wildlifevets Experience 

The team at Harmony Flats have determined her “origin” and will go out to the area to see if there are any more of this unique species. Until a decision has been made on this beautiful specimens future, the team thought it would be nice to take the tortoise out into the beautiful Harmony Flats Nature Reserve to see what a Geometric in LAF really looks like…enjoy!

The reserve's working group currently have an intern that is providing a great resource and support to the ongoing conservation projects in the reserve including:

• Biodiversity/ Bird Week
• Waste Week
• Holiday Programme<
• Careers in Conservation
• Weedbuster Week
• Arbour Week
• Spring Walks
• Wetlands Programme

If anyone would like to support this passionate group in the conservation of fauna and flora endemic to this area, please do contact Sabelo Lindani atSabelo.Lindani@capetown.gov.za. 

• Management of captive predator populations
• Parasites, diseases and vaccinations
• Genetics and breeding strategies

The course will run on the following dates:

10 - 19 June 2012

5 - 14 August 2012

The structured course will cover all aspects of captive predator management including enclosure design, nutrition, hand rearing, breeding programmes and introduction of breeding pairs, health of the species and veterinary immobilisation and handling. Please see our Predator Course page for a more detailed syllabus of the course and how you can join. Placements on the course are limited and will be available as per the application process. 

Unfortunately during the translocation from the place of capture to the wildlife orphanage, while securing a safe place for release, Raza's mother gave birth to two cubs. Due to the stress of the capture, the mother was not managing to nurse the cubs sufficiently. One cub died and the second cub was removed as soon as possible. This cub was Raza.

Raza was hand reared by the dedicated team at Mpumelelo until she was 14 months old. She is now a large leopard with a lovely nature. Due to being hand reared and the initial stages of her life, she has remained at the wildlife orphanage where she is very settled and paired up with Milo, a male leopard who was brought into the centre as an orphaned cub, having been caught in a bush fire where sadly one of his litter mates died. Milo and Raza welcomed their own cubs into the world this month and both cubs are doing well.

This week the cubs have opened their eyes but have not yet been sexed as their mother is still being very protective! We shall keep you all updated on their progress.

Leopards have a wide range in Africa and tropical Asia, however they are classified in the IUCN list as near threatened due to populations declining in large parts of their range due to habitat loss and fragmentation and hunting.

To join Mpumelelo as a volunteer and help secure the future for leopards like Raza and Milo, please apply online. A registered welfare organisation in Zimbabwe, the wildlife orphanage relies on volunteers to assist in the care and husbandry of all species that call the centre home, and the funding to support their care.

For six amazing weeks I volunteered my time at Phinda Private Game Reserve located in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is one of the most pristine reserves on the entire African continent. Phinda is well known for providing tourists with astonishing views of the big five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino), including the critically endangered black rhino. They also have several species of antelopes, including the rare suni, cheetahs, hippos, crocodiles, warthogs, porcupines, an array of reptiles, hundreds of species of birds plus much more.

Phinda offers you exceptional game viewing experiences that you never expected to see. Within 3 hours of stepping foot into Phinda, we came across four lion cubs lying on the side of the road. Their mother had left them for the day while she caught up with two other lionesses. Luckily the cubs were not skittish as we had to park the vehicle quite close to acquire a skin biopsy sample from each one for genetic and health reasons. Right away we gained insight into what the research team did at Phinda and how they are helping in the conservation field.

On another day in the field, a sub adult male lion walked straight past our vehicle, only within two metres of where I was sitting. I was also lucky to see a lioness make a warthog kill to feed her sister’s cubs. There are only two adult male lions on the whole reserve, but they are exceptionally relaxed around the vehicles. You can be within ten metres of them and they will barely glance at you, as if you are part of their natural surroundings.

While being at Phinda for six weeks, only twice was I slightly terrified yet exhilarated at the same time. Once was when six herds of elephants came for their afternoon drink at a waterhole called “Pipeline Pan”. That was over 80 elephants! The position we parked in gave us a sensational view of these majestic animals as they surrounded us on all sides. Fortunately our guide, JR, taught us well and as long as the animals did not see us as a threat, we were safe. A few of the matriarchs gave us a few warnings then walked off while the young males completely ignored us and made their way to the mud to have a mud bath. Within five minutes, the six herds of elephants had moved on and were no where to be seen.

The second time was when we were looking for the two adult male lions on the whole 23, 000 hectare reserve. Once we located them near another game drive vehicle we decided to sit and observe them with the light we had left before the sun set. The dominant male seemed to be asleep while his brother lay in the grass only ten metres from him. Before we knew it, the dominant male had woken up and was walking straight towards the back of our vehicle towards his brother. Making sure I was sitting perfectly still, I watched him walk straight by me with nothing in between us except 60 centimetres of air. It was truly a heart racing experience and none that will be forgotten.

You’d think the largest land mammal on the planet would be easy to find, but you learn you’re wrong quite quickly. These gentle giants can hide quite easily amongst the thick bush which is abundant in Phinda, with the habitat changing every hundred metres. You start in the ancient and rare sand forest then within a kilometre you find yourself in open woodland then another few hundred metres and you’re in the typical African savannah marshland.

There are seven different types of habitats in Phinda ranging from mountain ranges to wetlands and it is simply astonishing to see the habitat and vegetation change from one to the other before your own eyes. As a volunteer at Phinda Game Reserve, you are treated more as a guest than a student. The opportunities we were provided with to go “behind the scenes” were truly amazing and not something that many people in their lifetime would have experienced.

You have access to being close with lions, leopards and white rhinos that have been tranquillised for research reasons. Seeing a wild animal so close that you can see every hair on its body and to be able to compare the size of your hand against a lion’s paw is incredible and mind-blowing.

In Phinda, no two days are the same. There is always so much happening and going on that every day is a new adventure. African Conservation Experience provided me with an unforgettable experience and adventure that I will cherish for a lifetime. I highly recommend ACE to anyone who wants to experience the rawness of Africa mixed with its natural beauty.

I would like to thank everyone at ACE and Phinda for allowing me the opportunity to partake in such an amazing adventure.”

Karyn Gresser, November 2011

Join Tarryne, JR and the wildlife research team at Phinda, learn research techniques and data collection strategies for population control and management in one of South Africa's most stunning Big 5 reserves. Phinda welcome volunteers throughout the year, please apply online. 

Are you a graduate with some working experience, preferably in a sales role in the conservation or travel fields? Are you looking for a dynamic sales and marketing position where you can combine learning new business skills with a passion for wildlife? If so, then we could be looking for you.

African Conservation Experience is the original and most experienced company to organise volunteer placements on wildlife conservation projects in southern Africa. We are looking for a proactive and independent individual to fill the role of International Sales and Marketing Assistant to help recruit volunteers from diverse target markets around the world. This role will allow you to travel and meet people around the UK and engage new volunteers from all over the world. Working alongside our Marketing Manager, you will be required to assist in implementing marketing strategies to reach ACE’s goals and be responsible for your sales role.

International Sales and Marketing Assistant

Core Responsibilities

You will be:

• Giving talks to potential volunteers at schools, universities and other groups around the UK.
• Assisting with organising and attending exhibitions in the UK and abroad.
• Assisting in online advertising and social media campaigns
• Speaking over the phone to potential volunteers about our conservation projects and how to get involved.
• Liaising with volunteers and our SA Operations Manager to provide group trips and develop itineraries.
• Working with our web-based management system to schedule volunteers’ placements.
• Responsible for general office work, such as record keeping, administration and ensuring emails are dealt with, even when out of the office.

Essential Skills

You must be:

• Passionate about wildlife, conservation and travel.
• Qualified with an undergraduate degree, preferably in biology or conservation or similar.
• Able to be based in our office just north of Bristol, GL12 8LJ.
• Able to regularly travel to venues around the UK, at times for extended periods and during unsociable hours.
• Confident in public speaking to a range of audiences.
• Capable of talking to people from a range of countries and cultures.
• Able to demonstrate strong customer service skills
• Confident in networking and developing relationships with key contacts.
• Able to conduct web-based research and analysis.
• Able to work independently and within a small dedicated team.

The role requires some evening and weekend work, and regular travel around the UK, a full driving license is essential.

Desirable Skills

“After a late night due to a rangers leaving party JR and I had to wake up at 3:30am for a hectic day of elephant capture! We had spent the past three days monitoring and following "One tusks" herd of 12 elephants, but today we could not pick them up. They had completely disappeared.

The weather was perfect for the capture and we had less than 3 hours to find the herd before the 6:00 meeting time with the capture team. Time raced by without a single trace...not even a trace of elephant poo! Our time was up and we still could not locate them. We called Simon Naylor, the Phinda reserve manager to tell him the news. Eventually the helicopter pilot took the telemetry radio up into the air to search for the herd. 

It turned out that they were hiding out in the only place we had not looked. JR and I had covered every square inch except a patch of burnt bush where ellies are apparently never seen! We drove back to the site still very sleepy and already feeling somewhat peckish. Once at the rendezvous point JR, the vet and the pilot took to the air for the actual darting, which is done from the helicopter.

I joined the ground team and awaited a radio call to tell us to head into the bush where the fallen elephant family would be found. We were all pretty nervous especially after being told about the previous years capture that went awry, with a vehicle actually being tipped over by an irate, not so sedated, elephant. We were all hoping for a smooth run. The darted and immobilised elephant group had been given away for free to a nearby reserve in an attempt to keep Phinda's elephant population down.

As we drove closer our excitement grew. We came into a clearing and before us were eight elephants all lying in a near perfect circle. It was such a strange yet emotional sight. These huge animals lying unconscious at our feet as the team raced around them. One baby elephant lying near its mother still had its eyes open and its heart was racing. I could feel its warm breath and felt its blood pumping through the massive veins in its ears, and I placed my hands on its warm and surprisingly soft skin.

The whole herd was winched up one by one, hanging upside down, onto huge flatbed trucks to be transported back to the holding crates. The loading procedure took a long time. Once in the individual crates the elephants began to wake. They were understandably terrified and cried loudly, not a trumpet but a cry that cut right through me.

Before long the trucks started up and I watched them heading off into the distance to a new home. What an incredible experience, one that I know will stay with me for the rest of my life. I was a volunteer at Phinda for 3wks and still cannot believe that I witnessed this and many other amazing events.

Thank goodness they did the capture today, my last day, and not tomorrow! I am one very lucky person.”

Oliver Cutter, Volunteer at Phinda Wildlife Research Project, November 2011.

To join the research team at Phinda please apply online or contact us. 

“If you have never been to Africa, Tuli will guarantee you the experience of a lifetime. Having left Heathrow airport with its extremely busy and crowded terminals — terminal 1 for South-African Airways- on board a packed Airbus, Johannesburg airport meets you after a long night flight with its huge open spaces, newly built modern halls and state of the art handling of passengers and luggage.

The day long trip from Johannesburg to Botswana’s border post gives you the time to soak up the vastness and the different but very pleasant climate of South-Africa’s central and northern territories. If you have any questions on practical or other matters concerning your stay, quite a few of them will be answered buy the driver of your van. If you need any help, “ask and you shall be given”.

Since border crossing into Botswana is not allowed after dark, you usually spend the night at a crocodile farm near the border where the owners, very hospitable, wine and dine you that same evening and provide a super breakfast the next morning. Then it is off to the border where you cross the Limpopo River by cable cart or by 4x4 into Botswana. You are met by someone from the “Tuli Wilderness” and then it’s off to Stuarts’ home and office, GHQ of the Tuli conservation area. Having brushed off the first layer of dust — Tuli means “dust” in Setswana-, a warm welcome from rangers Marla, Andrew and Stuart, together with the volunteers who are already there, is awaiting you.

After your first real 4x4 drive in the open “Landy”, up and down “Horrible Hill” and through the Mopani bush, Mohave camp, your home for the next few weeks, appears in front of you and Kate and Chris, the local couple taking care of the camp, are there to greet you. One of the rangers takes you on a guided tour of the camp’s accommodations and facilities and gives you your first security briefing. Do pay attention to that briefing because your security at camp and in the bush depends on it. There are no fences or walls in Mohave camp so you live by the rules of nature and the rangers. Sticking to the advice you have been given, you are perfectly safe, even when you feel a hyena or a leopard sniffing at your ear at night….

During the next weeks, you will have the experience of a lifetime. A lot of what you have seen on BBC, National Geographic, Discovery and Animal Planet is going to be there “real time” plus the smells, the wind, the African sun, the special, almost alien light just after sunset and real silence with capital S at certain times of the day.

There will be game drives and game counts during the day and night. The records you take from these drives will be valuable for a number of ongoing studies of the conservation area and its fauna. The world of tracking will descend upon you and provide you with a truckload of knowledge. Elephants will stroll by only yards from where you are sitting awestruck in the Landy. Gracious and beautiful raptors will fly over you and if the bush gods are favorable, you will get to see the big cats from very close by. You will sleep out with your colleagues, all gathered around a big Mopani camp fire, and closely watched by the brown hyenas on Leopard Koppies. You and your group will drive out to set up hidden sensor cameras which take day and night shots of the animals “on tour”.

I could go on for dozens of pages, turning all my Tuli experiences loose upon you but I am not going to spoil the surprise. You’ll have to go to Tuli and find out yourselves.

Perhaps just a few practical tips on clothes and equipment.

• Don’t forget your bio-laundry soap for washing underwear and socks.
• Strong heavy-duty cotton trousers and shorts in subdued colors are best; they need to be able to withstand rough handling.
• If you are going during the dry season, bring a warm sweater and a fleece jacket, preferably a wind-stopper. It gets very chilly and windy in an open Land Rover at night. Don’t forget a warm cap, or hat and gloves. (50% of the heat your body loses, escapes from your head)
• Tough boots are a must. You won’t believe what rocks, thorns and sand do to those high street pumps so don’t go for the fancy stuff. It doesn’t have to be trendy and expensive but comfortable and resistant. Lions, leopards and hyena’s have totally different views on fashion …
• Sunglasses will protect your eyes from the African sun which is strong, even in winter. Again, bring a tough pair that can stand abuse and a strong case to protect them when you are not wearing them.
• A day back pack to keep all your stuff in when you are on the move, by vehicle or on foot is extremely useful. It has to be comfortable to wear, not too big, made of strong fabric and dust proof. Don’t get one with too many side and exterior pockets. You have to be able to close everything really well in order to keep out the “creepies and crawlies” and the dust.
• A first aid kit + antihistamines, antibiotic eye drops and painkillers might come in handy.
• A big water bottle, container or hydration pack is vital.
• You can’t do without a box with the odd bits and pieces to do emergency repairs (sewing kit, super glue, duct tape, rope, …)
• If you have a multi-tool, bring it. If not, consider investing a bit of money in a good one. You can use them for a million different things and especially in Africa, you will have the on you when the need arises. There aren’t all that many tool shops in the Tuli area …
• Binoculars are a one of the great lifetime investments. Get a good pair (e.g. 8 x 42) and you’ll enjoy nature twice as much for many years to come.
• Unless you are a well equipped amateur or professional photographer, a good compact camera is the best option for your shots of unforgettable images and action. Quite a few of the latest, full-auto, digital ones are very good value for money and they fit in your shirt or jacket pocket. Don’t forget a strong protection cover or case to keep the dust out.

A prepared Tuli volunteer is worth four!”

Conrad Goossens, Tuli Volunteer, 2011.

To experience Tuli Conservation Project first hand please apply online. You can receive up to 10% off your placement and a fantastic FREE pair of Bushnell Binoculars if you would like to join the project between October and March - volunteer and get twice the benefit!

There was much consternation on Sunday at a small holding that borders on the Likweti private nature when two rhino bulls fought so viciously that one of them ended up in a garbage pit.

A wildlife vet (Dr Cobus Raath) had to be called in to dart the animal and with the help of a crane, lift him out of the rubbish pit. The furore began at about 8:00 on the farm named Vera Lynn, which is above the Primkop Dam. Mr Koos Steenkamp was busy pottering around outside his house when he noticed two rhino bulls close to the electric fence line separating his property from the Likweti private nature reserve sizing each other up.

"We regularly see rhinos close to the fenceline" he said. Without warning the bulls suddenly charged each other, and began to fight viciously. It was like watching scenes from a WWE wrestling match on TV. So intent were they on each other and the battle that they smashed through the electric fencing and continued the battle in Mr Steenkamps front yard. The dogs in the yard, five of them, surrounded and barked at the rhinos but they paid the hounds no attention. In their struggles they snapped, with ease, a thick linked chain with a massive lock on it, and moved slowly towards the back of Mr Steenkamps house.

The bulls kept on pushing and charging each other, with the smaller of the two bulls being pushed off a bank and into a rubbish pit. The larger of the two bulls, who clearly had the upper hand, still attempted to reach his opponent, the fallen bull, even when in the ditch. Mr Steenkamp ended up using his tractor to chase the attacking bull off.

"The larger of the two bulls, who clearly had the upper hand, still attempted to reach his opponent, the fallen bull, even when in the ditch."

The poor stricken animal, now on his side and wedged in the rubbish pit, tried repeatedly, but in vain to get to his feet. Mr Steenkamp, taking stock of the situation, informed the staff at Likweti, and called out Dr Cobus Raath. The bull was first darted in the rump, and once he was unconscious his eyes were blindfolded and various harnesses were fastened around his feet and legs. He was then lifted out of the pit by a crane. Once out of the ditch he was relocated to Likweti.

Dr Raath estimated that the bull had been trapped in the rubbish pit for approximately 90mins, and that the animal had experienced considerable trauma during its ordeal. "He looks fine to the eye now, but he could possibly develop problems, including kidney problems, in the future," Dr Raath warned. Even though both bulls had been de horned prior to the fight the smaller animal still sustained numerous cuts and abrasions. The larger bull also had to be darted before being relocated back to Likweti.

Nicole Smalman

Laevelder, 11 October 2011, Whiteriver, South Africa.

To volunteer with wildlife vet Dr Cobus Raath and the veterinary team at Nsikazi Wildlifevets Experience please apply.

Past volunteer Erin Prigmore, now working at Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre, and 20 month old black rhino calf Della recently had a photo shoot to become the face of WWF South Africa in a bid to raise funds for rhino conservation!

Even though Della is used to being the centre of attention at the centre, this was even more exciting for her and Moholoholo had a few close calls when the 500kg rhino decided to stomp around the set! Della has been with Moholoholo for around 19 months, growing to 500kg from the small 1 month old 40kg when she was found stuck in a mud wallow in Kruger National Park.

Erin Prigmore, Della's co-star now works at Moholoholo, and was one of Della's original "mommies", alongside previous ACE volunteer Natalie Rogers, hand rearing the young, vulnerable calf. They slept with Della for 2 months in quarantine, hand raising her with the help of fellow volunteers.

“I first volunteered with African Conservation Experience when I had just turned 18. Working at Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre was the most amazing 4 weeks of my life, and when I left I knew I had to return as soon as possible.

After a few more volunteer stints I was offered a job which I jumped at. Not long after I had started, the centre received a phone call which would change my life forever. We were requested to go and collect a one month old black rhino.

She required 24/7 care needing feeding every 2 hours.  A few months later she (now called Landela) had settled down enough for her to be passed on and it was the volunteers’ turn to become ‘mums’.  However, the bond between us had become set in stone and we couldn’t seem to stay away from each other for too long.  She comes running over if she so much as hears my voice, or smells me from afar.

Nearly 2 years on we are still crazy about each other. She now sleeps my garden at night so that we can keep a close eye on her. The number of poached rhinos is starting to reach a horrendous number and we are all very concerned about her future. Dela’s only real worry is ‘how can I break into the house?’ Her persistent wining outside to come in is heart breaking and some nights I have cracked and let her come in to sleep beside my bed just like old times. Unlike when she first arrived and weighed only 40kg she now weighs around 500kg! Just a few weeks ago she tried to climb onto the bed with me crushing the bed under her. Needless to say she is definitely no longer allowed in the house. 

Words cannot begin to describe how strongly I feel about Dela.  Having this amazing experience at such a young age, I really don’t think anything will top this later on in my life. She is the most stubborn, moody baby ever but I wouldn’t change her for the world.”

Erin Prigmore

Della's future is uncertain with poaching at extreme highs in South Africa, but Erin and Moholoholo are keeping her as safe as possible, while she continues her days at the centre enjoying her freshly cut browse and welcoming new volunteers!

Join Dela and the team at Moholoholo to support the conservation of this inspiring species and the many other animals which pass through Moholoholo's caring hands on their journeys back to a wild environment.

But for the volunteers at Mohave camp in Tuli the day was already well on it’s way for today was Wednesday and that meant the end of adventure at Tuli for some of the volunteers and just the start of it for the new ones who would be arriving. Before Hannah and Jenny’s adventure ended, there was still time to check the leopard trap!

For weeks the volunteers had been working on trying to catch an adult male leopard (Panthera pardus) in order to put a Satellite collar on and track his movements, just one of the many animals Tuli focuses on for data collection. And for weeks there has been no luck at any of the bait sights… until yesterday where tracks and signs showed that a male leopard had been feeding off one of the impala legs put in a tree. The cage was moved there and the impala leg was placed in the trap in hopes that the leopard would be back that night to finish the job.

So with anticipation in the air the volunteers woke before sunrise and made their way to the cage. Andrew stopped the car just out of site of the cage and with rifle in hand headed off to check the trap while the volunteers waited anxiously in the car for his return. With a disappointed look he made his way back to the car and all thought there was no luck once again but he couldn’t keep the act up as he went on to tell us that indeed we had caught a leopard and a male at that so the darting will go ahead!

While waiting for the vet to arrive and the darting to take place Andrew walked the volunteers up the Great Wall of Tuli to see the leopard from a safe distance. Even from a distance you could see this was a large, powerful cat who was none too happy to be trapped in the cage. We all made our way back to Mohave Camp to meet with Stuart, the vet and also about 50 school children who were at Tuli for the week on a school trip and who had been helping with the baiting and to say goodbye to Hannah and Jenny who sadly had to meet the transfer and miss the darting.

Plans were quickly made so that everyone would get a chance to see the collaring of the leopard and it was cleared that the volunteers from ACE would be there helping and collecting data every step of the way. So back to the leopard we all went.

The vet, prepared the dart gun and with Andrew and Stuart armed and ready headed off to dart the leopard. Once sedated the volunteers Emily, Ollie, and Ted helped carry the leopard out of the cage and into the riverbed near by.

Here measurements were taken of the leopard’s body length, tail length, paws, and canines; then the collar was put on, the whole process taking about an hour. After a few group photos we left him to recover from the anaesthesia while we sat in the landy close by to make sure he awoke safely and to scare off any animals that could potentially harm him while he was unable to defend himself.

He came around slowly and gradually started to regain the feeling in his legs, stumbling and falling a few times but soon he was back to his old self and he wandered out of sight down the riverbed to recover completely somewhere safe. We all headed back to camp to meet for a celebratory lunch.

Bait Preparation

The bait used in the process was a male impala, which was taken to the location where a radio signal from Sabatana had been picked up earlier in the day. Once at this location, the bait was tied to the back of the land rover and dragged to an area of open bush where the darting was to take place. Dragging the bait in this way created a scent trail, which ideally the lionesses would follow and thus lead them to the bait and subsequently the darting could take place. The bait was then tied to a tree at the darting site, so that the lionesses were unable to drag it away and out of sight in order to feed, which is their natural behaviour.

Attraction to the bait

Along with the scent trail, the ‘call up’ method was used. This method involves playing the sounds of a distressed animal to entice a predator to what it thinks are sounds of prey. In this case, the call of a distressed young buffalo was used. At first, this attracted brown hyenas to the bait; however they were scared away as we did not want the bait to be taken by anything other than Sabatana! During the call up the atmosphere was very tense as everyone was waiting to see whether Sabatana and Mabele (Sabatana’s mother) would come. Telemetry equipment was used intermittently while the call up was happening in order to determine whether they were moving in closer. The signal from Sabatana was getting closer, confirming that they were, and after approximately 20-30 minutes we had a sighting of her. She seemed to appear out of nowhere and was very close to the vehicles. Tentatively, she approached the bait, and initially tried to drag it out of sight, behind the tree. She didn’t start feeding on it straight away, due to the fact that she had a stomach index of 5, meaning that she had not been long without food. She was aware of our presence; however this did not cause her to leave the bait site.

Darting

Once Sabatana had settled down, it was at this point that the researcher who would carry out the darting was able to move to a different position — one which gave a clear aim of Sabatana’s rump, as the dart needed to be shot into an area of thick muscle. Once darted, Sabatana took approximately 20 minutes to go down completely from the anaesthetic. At this point, the bait was cut away from the tree and placed on the ground away from Sabatana to give Mabele, Sabatana’s mother who was also in the vicinity, a distraction while the researcher was dealing with Sabatana. For safety, we put the vehicles in between the newly positioned bait and Sabatana. While Sabatona was under, the collar was removed, blood samples were taken and measurements of her body were made. It was thought that she may be pregnant — however further tests would need to be carried out to confirm this.

Post darting

Once the darting had taken place and the researcher had done all he needed, we stayed with Sabatana until she came round from the anaesthetic — this was essential as we needed to ensure that she fully came round with no complications, and that she was kept out of danger while she was weak and unable to defend herself. It took approximately 1.5 hours for Sabatana to come round to a state that was acceptable for her to be left in. During this time, Mabele’s calls to Sabatana could be heard, which again created a fairly tense atmosphere as she was the more aggressive of the two and we knew she was close, however she was not sighted. Jackals were seen feeding on the impala carcass when we were driving away from Sabatana — unfortunately she lost out on what she thought was a free meal that night!! We all felt incredibly privileged to be able to get so close to a lion, and to have witnessed this event.

Roy, Tina, Meena and Sarah, Tuli Volunteers 2011

In a complex translocation project that took months to prepare, the two young leopards were flown to Malawi early on Friday 7 October on-board a private plane. Wildlife vet Dr. Hein Muller had to tranquilise both animals for the duration of the ten hour journey and keep a constant vigil due to the length of time involved.

The leopards, a male and a female between two and three years old, were captured in Kruger National Park and a private farm near Ohrigstad respectively. Both animals were in conflict with human activity and had been identified for removal. As only one viable population of leopard remains in Malawi - in Nyika National Park - African Parks identified South Africa as an appropriate source of leopards for the Majete restocking programme. A total of eight leopards will be introduced to the 70 000 hectare Majete Wildlife Reserve over the next few months.

Great fanfare and excitement greeted the leopards’ arrival at Chileka International Airport in Blantyre on Friday afternoon. After being transferred to purpose-built cages, watched by wildlife officials and park management, they were transported to Majete by road and finally offloaded at bomas on the reserve. Here Dr. Muller administered a reversal drug to revive them. By Saturday both leopards had made a full recovery and had settled down well into their bomas. The male leopard was released into the reserve early on Friday 14th October and the female shortly after. From the looks of the gps tracking, it seems like the male is doing well and has had a few kills and that the female is now following his tracks. We do hope that eventually they will breed!

The journey required some organisation, darting and loading the two leopard onto a flight to their new home!

The leopards moved to Majete Wildlife Reserve in Malawi as part of a repopulation initiative started in 2003 by Dr Anthony Hall Martin and other organisations. In the 1980’s the area of about 75.000 hectares had virtually no animals left. 30 animals were counted, this including duikers and warthogs. With a lot of community work they have now been able to help the community feel and care about these animals, as this new reserve gives employment to over 2500 people.

A fantastic initiative to development working with local communities, the people that now passionately protect the animals in the reserve are the same ones that nearly 20 years ago were poaching all of them. Having reintroduced more that 400 elephants, buffalo, sable antelope and 12 black rhinos. it was now the turn for the predators. Only lions and leopards will be re introduced in the area as these are the ones that we have historical records of living in the area. They are looking to introduce 8 leopards eventually and the lions will be reintroduced next year to finalise the project.

It has been a great success and proud movement for Moholoholo assisting in the team to reintroduce wildlife where humans had almost extinguished it.

Alongside this relocation, Moholoholo have seen the arrival of a baby bushbaby and two palm swifts over the last month, and released two genets last week!

If you would like to help Moholoholo continue with their dedicated work, please apply online or contact us for more information about volunteering. 

Volunteer from October through to March and get up to 10% OFF YOUR PLACEMENT AND A FREE PAIR OF BUSHNELL H20 BINOCULARS!

Stand out from the crowd... Do something amazing and make a real difference at;

• Tuli Conservation Project
• Nholwasi Community Project
• Zingela Predator Conservation Project
• Hanchi Conservation Project

FREE BUSHNELL WILDLIFE BINOCULARS WORTH OVER £120 WITH EVERY* PLACEMENT!

EXPERIENCE CONSERVATION CLOSE UP LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE!

OUR MISSION

AFRICAN CONSERVATION EXPERIENCE ESTABLISHES, MAINTAINS AND SUPPORTS CONSERVATION PROJECTS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA.

We are driven by two specific aims; To give volunteers the opportunity to experience conservation work in southern Africa. To provide financial support and information exchange for conservation projects in southern Africa.

ACE are passionate about ensuring our support extends to the projects throughout the year, enabling a sustainable approach to the conservation work.

Traditionally quieter times for volunteers can have a huge impact on the projects, who rely on volunteer funding and support. To say thank you for volunteering when the projects rely on you the most, we will offer up to 10% OFF YOUR PLACEMENT* ALONGSIDE THESE FANTASTIC BUSHNELL BINOCULARS!

WHEN CAN I JOIN?

This offer relates specifically to placements booked to travel in the months of October through to March - make an impact with your placement as the southern African summer gets into full swing and the breeding season unfurls. Watch the dusty, arid African landscape dramatically change into a thick bush of emerald green!

Apply now and join the dedicated conservation projects and make your conservation placement really count!

Terms & Conditions

*Valid for placements booked to fall in the period from October through to March

*Valid for placements at Tuli, Nholwasi, Zingela and Hanchi Conservation Project.

*Offer not valid in conjunction with any other offer

Volunteer at the Mauritius Marine Research Project this December and receive 5% off your placement!

Now more than ever the Mauritius Marine Conservation Society need volunteers to collect data on dolphin and whales to see how they are effected by boat trips.  With tourism booming and legislation lacking, there is an urgent need to monitor the impact on the island’s cetacean populations.  Funding for this project is provided through volunteer placements, without volunteers, there are not enough funds to continue the research.

Enhance your contribution to conservation and make your volunteering more valuable!

• Work as a marine biology research assistant on a tropical island
• Receive training in cetacean and turtle research techniques
• Monitor the impact of the dolphin watching industry on behaviour, movements and populations sizes
• Speak with tourists and tour operators to gain an understanding of the economic value of this industry
• Educate local children and public about marine mammals and conservation
• Play an active role in changing legislation to ensure a sustainable future for all!

Terms & Conditions 

*Valid for placements booked on the Mauritius Marine Research Project to fall in December 2011 

*Offer not valid in conjunction with any other offer 

APPLY NOW for TWICE THE BENEFIT!

Simone Landers, the winner of African Conservation Experience’s recent “Game Ranger Guide Course Competition”, tells the tale of her journey from being a bistro waitress to going to the bush to learn all about the life of a game ranger in South Africa.

"Eager and restles, tired, ready to get out! Waitressing at the small Bistro in my hometown has taken its toll and I know in my heart that it's time to leave, seek an adventure. I lay on the coach as I do everyday, waiting for 5pm so I can put on my all black uniform and head to work. "Tring!" goes my phone. I reach for it at my feet expecting junk mail. It's an email from African Conservation Experience...

"We are looking for someone adventurous, spontaneous and with a love for the bush to give away a fully expenses paid place on our Game Ranger Guide Course. Please submit a motivation if you are interested, you have 2 days." (obviously better wording was used)

"Wow," I thought! "this is my chance to pack up and leave!" I had 2 days to put my story forward and hope for the best. I spent the next 24 hours thinking about what to say, then emailed my story. I left my email alone thinking it best to just forget about the entire thing, not even think about it.

Two days later around 4.30pm I get an email. "Congratulations! You are our lucky competition winner!" I almost fell backward off my chair I couldn't believe it! Me, the girl from Durban South Africa with no plan for the near future. This is it!

A week and a half of planning, flight booking and shopping went by very quickly and before I knew it I was on a plane to Johannesburg, calling up Martin and telling him that I'd arrived. "I'm in the pink gumboots," I said.

A very intimidating crowd of mostly British girls sat around a breakfast table, consumed by the awkwardness of conversation making in Fourno's Bakery. We head off for the 8 hour drive to Struwig Eco Reserve. Finally we arrive at the gate and we have to wait for another vehicle to fetch us. Relieved to stretch our legs we start some conversation to break the ice; literally our voices cut through the cold air like ice. Nobody has spoken because we spent the whole trip recovering from our previous journeys. We learn that there are 7 of us doing the course and a second later a breeding herd of elephant present themselves about 10m away as if to say, "Welcome! We are what you seek and aren't we magnificent!" 

A real game vehicle like the ones in safari movies arrives, open on all sides and vulnerable to the elements, groaning, we reload our luggage and climb aboard not anticipating the hour long journey ahead. Impala, elephant, giraffe, impala, elephant, impala, impala, ZEBRA, impala, rhino, impala. Reaching camp we unload and unpack our luggage for the last time for 2 weeks and head to a boerewors and rice dinner. Everybody has a chance to formally introduce themselves...

As the days go by, way too fast, everybody is getting to know each other and it feels more like a family than people we've just met...

Every second week the camp culls an impala for population control and the ground staff slaughter it for its meat and skin. We witness the whole gruesome thing, it's great! The whole animal is used for something from the skin to the brain to the hooves- eat or be eaten is the rule of the bush.

Going for our morning walks is the best part of my day! Although we never see anything when we're out, we learn so much about birds, trees, plants and tracking... Eight in a row keeping in time to our own version of Colonel Hathey's March, dodging twigs, Jurassic thorns and rocks and all slamming in to one another each time Trevor, our guide, stops. White rhino have been near the camp and the tracks are still fresh. Following scuff marks to a make-shift game path and picking out the prints we can make out. I can't see anything to be honest but before we know it we are surrounded by elephants only a 15m radius away. Bumping left, right rear and head on, elephant breeding herds seem to be everywhere as we make our way towards our overnight camp. Our only option is to move quickly , quietly and steadily away to avoid attraction. We manage to escape the elephant fort and continue on our way. 

We are led to a water hole for our next game ranger experience. We are to hide out, spot, count, sex and age everything that we see. A croc slithers stealthily in to the water escaping the midday sun. One hour, two hours, two warthogs pass through for a dip in the mud to cool off, some excitement. Three hours and a numbed bum later Trevor calls me over to show me a marula seed. "Look," he says, "it's ET!"

We then push on to camp, an enclosure of long grass and thorny trees which Benjamin, our chef, has transformed with a fire, mattresses and a table strewn with snacks and juice. As the night closes in and the real beasts awaken, I clench my fists in the hope that the laughter will ease my secret fear of the dark. I don't think that the others realise just how outdoors we are. Although the black night cheats my eyes with the illusion that we are alone, I know that hyena slink around our false safety as they do at camp every night.

The thing about being in the middle of nowhere is that the sky is so clear and pure as you lay under the blanket of stars each light is so fantastic. I spot the most beautiful shooting star fall from the sky with a blazing fire tail trailing behind. I don't need to make a wish...

When our new guide, Hennie, joins the group and Trevor sadly leaves us behind, everybody anticipates our new approach to the bush. Our first night with Hennie closes with the thunder of a lion's roar and an troop of baboons going crazy. Two male hippo get into a tiff nearby and we satisfactorily  head to bed.

Day one with Hennie begins at Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, another part of ACE, to see some animals we may not see in the wild. I get excited about a potential photo of a man eating lion, or potentially man eating, we all hear the story differently, and I get electrocuted by the fence which feels like the lion has just smacked me with his huge paw. We touch a chubby leopard and my camera lens is licked by a cheetah. After our trip we go and see the second largest baobab tree in the world which is about 3 000 years old, then end up at the reptile park where we have lunch surrounded by tiny monkeys and some taking parrot that only know the word "hello". An evening game drive surprises us with four lionesses lounging in the grass. Finally we see something awesome! 

At camp we head for an early night's sleep preparing for our Kruger National Park trip in the morning, never expecting the lazing leopard we will spot in some nearby trees, the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

Our days at Struwig are drawing to a close and I feel a heaviness on my heart, resenting the day it will all end. Hennie takes us out on a walk to show us shards of a clay pot from a community that lived in the area about 800 years ago. I breath in the cool, dry morning air and gaze upon the Olifants River and never ending landscape of leafless acacia trees which surround it. I imagine what it would have been like 800 years ago, exactly the same, maybe more green.

Our last few days are spent cramming in all the information we need to know for our test but we can't help being distracted by the desire to drive the game van and shoot a rifle. Hennie eventually agrees and we take turns on the tracker seat and driving at which point I almost get driven in to a giraffe that leaps out of a bush and on to the road. Jenny has her first ever driving lesson and only stalls twice! Later we go for target practice and I'm surprised at how well everybody does, a little unnerved. 

Our days end with extremely late night drives with the volunteers where we see nothing, and lots of sleepovers to spend as much time together as we can. Hennie leads us through a crocodile infested river to get a close up of some hippo and their young which while everyone awes over the sight I wet myself! Why are we walking through crocodile infested waters!? I fear that Hennie believes us to be well trained enough to do some really exciting and wonderful things but I worry that we all may be trampled or eaten because nobody has mastered walking quietly on crunchy leaves... Eventually I calm down and enjoy the buffalo herd we have to hide behind a tree from until they all move on. Our last game drive and we see nothing, it all ends the way it started and it's perfect! 

For our last meal together, Hennie organises us a proper English breakfast of fried eggs, beans, bacon and toast. We laugh and joke but everyone is really sad to leave. We take our last pictures and board the game van one last time to the gate for another 8 hour journey. As everyone is dropped off at their specific destinations we say our last goodbyes. I take one more glance over my shoulder at the terminal and realise that I'm alone. All I can do is hope to see them all again.”

If you want to follow in Simone’s footsteps and learn about the work of a Game Ranger, check out the next dates for game ranger courses on our website or contact us at info@conservationafrica.net