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Our Rhino Conservation Experience puts volunteers at the heart of the struggle to protect and conserve rhino populations in Southern Africa….
Packing your bags to help contribute to conservation efforts in Africa is a big decision, but it’s sure to be one you’ll never forget….
At African Conservation Experience we are long-term supporters of Care for Wild Africa Rhino Sanctuary, a project at one of the world’s largest rhino orphanages that is committed to rehabilitating the rhinos orphaned by poaching so that they can be successfully released back into their natural environment….
Joining the Khulula Care for Wild project is hard work: Many past participants will testify to busy days, rising at 6 am for the first feeding round before your own breakfast (if you were lucky enough not to have drawn the short straw for the 2 am feed of the rhino orphans!), being on your feet for most of the day, carrying buckets full of water …
The days are getting colder and shorter, the winter blues are approaching… For many, that might be enough to start day dreaming of a career breakn – or the very least, a nice long trip away….
Who has not dreamed of sneaking through the tall grass of the African savannah, the sun slowly dipping below the burning horizon, looking for the mysterious troop of lions you heard calling in the night? I held this dream with me ever since I was a child….
My Time in Africa By Sophie Gates I knew when I applied to study veterinary medicine at university that getting in was going to be difficult so it came as no surprise when on results day I narrowly missed the grades for my offer to study at Liverpool….
“In my last year of secondary school was when I had to make the big decision, do I jump into a college course or, do I take a gap year and do what I’ve always wanted- work with wildlife! I discovered African Conservation Experience in September 2012 while attending the Higher Options event in the RDS, Dublin….
By Kirsten Sharbine If I was given the opportunity, I’m sure I could write a book about how my life changed in this perfectly beautiful country, but I only have space for this article….
An Experience of a Lifetime By Alanna McTaggart Moholoholo’s slogan is “Experience of a Lifetime” and my experience was definitely a once in a lifetime experience….
By Kimberly Hightower I wake to the sound of Mr. Crow pecking at my window, saying his own name over and over as if in attempts to rouse me for the full day ahead….
By Lucy Marris One of the unexpected bonuses of being based at a property which hosts a range of volunteering ventures was the opportunity to occasionally join in with activities linked to projects other than the one I was actually attending….
The best view in the world – in my opinion at least – is that through a horse’s ears! Surely every horse rider has at some point indulged the fantasy of riding through the African bush and seeing wild animals in their natural habitat from horseback….
Seeking the rhino By Lucy Marris It’s just after 5.00 in the morning; I’m on the top of a rugged mountain range set within a massive game reserve in the far north of the Limpopo Province of South Africa gamely brandishing what looks like an ancient television aerial to the skies….
Lucy Marris Re-lives some of her experiences at Chipangali from 2012 This article was written by Lucy Marris back in 2012 when she travelled with us, visiting some of our African Wildlife Care & Rehabilitation Projects….
As keen conservationists, Gary and Matt Franklin were looking for a wildlife trip with a difference – definitely not your average safari….
Seeing wildlife up close is something almost everyone headed for Africa is hoping to experience. But how close is close enough, when you are dealing with a fully grown bull elephant?…
You might not expect that sign greeting you when entering your office for a day’s work – unless you are a wildlife vet! Rosie Bancroft, a 17 year old zoology student from the UK hoping to become a vet, found out the perils and joys of her dream profession while shadowing a wildlife vet in South Africa:…
Africa gets under your skin. Everybody in ACE knows that only too well – for most of us, that’s why we love what we’re doing! And it’s wonderful to follow someone else through their journey from planning a trip to experiencing the country and wildlife first hand falling in love with Africa themselves….
ACE volunteers Marc and Peggy Faucher keep us in the loop with their volunteering journey this April – They are amongst our first Mofemedi Rhino Recovery Initiative volunteers: “After our cultural and wildlife safari in Botswana we volunteered on the Tuli Conservation project in eastern Botswana for 2 weeks….
“I graduated as a vet in July 2011 from the Royal Veterinary College in London. Despite wanting to work with small animals, it was an initial fascination with wildlife (and dinosaurs) that initially made me want to become a vet….
“I’m sure impala can climb trees,” I say to no one in particular. The polite smiles from the youngsters on the Land Rover say it all: “Poor old soul -it’s all a bit too much for him….
“I had always wanted to visit Africa for as long as I could remember so when the opportunity arose, I grabbed it….
Are you thinking of joining the Tuli Conservation Project? Conrad Goossens spent a memorable month in the Tuli block of Botswana earlier this year and shares his tips and favourite moments: “If you have never been to Africa, Tuli will guarantee you the experience of a lifetime….
Tuesday 1st November 2011 – My last day at Phinda “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….
Past ACE volunteer Erin and black rhino Della help raise funds for World Wildlife Fund! 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 …
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….
My African Conservation Experience with Children in the Wilderness “The work done by the CITW is incredibly worthwhile….
Volunteer returns to Africa…Christina Cooper shares her conservation diary… “Choosing a conservation project was the hardest obstacle to overcome All of us who work in some of the finest zoological parks and institutions still yearn to experience the splendor and glory of our charges in the wild….
“I have always cared passionately about conservation and the environment. I remember some years ago watching the ‘Elephant Diaries’ on TV and thinking that’s for me! I had always wanted to go to South Africa, so I did my research and booked my trip to Khulula Wild Care….
A volunteer’s journey to a Wildlife Care Centre in South Africa “My name is Dionne Smith. I recently travelled to South Africa through African Conservation Experience….
“I never thought that I would have felt so at home after travelling alone over 5000 miles away from where I live in England, but at Khulula Wild Care, I did….
“Tuli is a word meaning dust, depicting the conditions in the Tuli block during the dry season. I was fortunate enough to visit the property ‘Tuli Wilderness’ in the season change over through November and December 2010, experiencing the blossoming native flowers and thriving Mopane trees….
“Well what can I say, besides amazing! My experience with Dr Niel Kriel on Shimongwe Veterinary Experience was unforgettable not just because of the wildlife I saw and helped, but because of being made to be part of a family….
The early morning starts with the excited laugh of two spotted hyenas named Shadow and Shade; within minutes the epic roars of the lion Big Boy can be heard across Moholoholo and finally Chui the leopard’s coughs are heard….
One of our Canadian volunteers recently embarked on a 3 month placement with ACE, spending time at Shimongwe Veterinary Experience with Dr Kriel, and The Whale and Dolphin Research Centre….
Should humans interfere with nature? A complex question that has speculated debate across the globe….
Past volunteers tell us about their new colleagues in the bush and how volunteering at Hanchi and Zingela has landed them their dream job! Franziska Belz Research at Zingela Predator Conservation Project focuses on reducing the hunting of Africa’s most persecuted predators….
Follow Ruby Shorrock’s placement in South Africa at Shimongwe Wildlife Veterinary Experience as she updates us on her experience from SA! Ruby is on the Shimongwe Lowveld Veterinary Experience and has treated an injured elephant while the rest of the herd watched, captured hyena, treated a buffalo caught in a snare trap, fostered a poorly puppy …
“Two weeks into our trip, we once again found ourselves on the plains of Phinda. With Wildebeest and Zebra being the main animals in our line of sight, we were all surprised when Chap called out “cheetah” and pointed into the distance….
ACE volunteers on the Shimongwe Wildlife Veterinary Experience had a truly amazing and once in a lifetime experience last week! “We were on our way home from releasing giraffe and zebra we had caught that day….
Day 1 (6th July 2010) “I do not know where to start but allow me 2 acknowledge this opportunity that I am given….
“Sitting at a hide on Sunday, we saw a cheetah coming to drink. It had been a good day already, we saw gemsbok and warthog, but this was just brilliant….
Jenni Cowan is soon to embark on a 5 month conservation placement in southern Africa. She will have the experience of a lifetime caring for injured and orphaned wildlife at Moholoholo, learn about life in the bush from experts on the Game Ranger Course, monitor elephants, leopards, lions and baboons at Tuli, join the Game Capture Team for all …
‘The bush camp in Tuli delivered one highlight after another – so many events in one go! I couldn’t really take it all in at once….
“The Game Ranger course was brilliant. There were six of us, five guys and one girl. Ages ranged from 18 to 50+ ….
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 What I love about SA… I love South Africa for the following reasons that are not in any particular order: The bushveld….
Daisy Whitehouse Lumukisa Preparatory School 16th July – 7 August 2007 The school placement was brilliant….
Hi Everyone! We were sat watching a young lioness, had been there about 15 mins, about 20m away, when suddenly she got up and started walking straight towards us….
HYENA TRAP REPORT Hyenas are a constant night-time fixture on Ridgeway Farm (the reserve that the Hanchi Project operates on)….
MEGHA’S LEOPARD REPORT When we were asked to pick an activity for our final weekend at Tuli, we decided that it was time for a “real” sleepout, no walls in sight….
My time on the Game Ranger Guide Course Thursday 5th July 2007 Today I woke up at 6.20am with the exciting thought of going elephant tracking! As soon as Johan arrived just after 7am we left in the Land Rover and made a very long journey near the mountains very far west to the edge of the reserve….
When ACE asked me to write up a summery of my time on the Vets Project, I did not know where to begin….
I came home from Africa with 600 pictures… HALF were of a baby rhino at Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre where I was volunteering! We called him “Rhino Baby” or “Baby Rhino” for a long time, depending on who was calling him….
My African Game Capture Experience – By James Cook I wish we could convey exactly what we experienced when on game capture, unfortunately an editorial of things we did and places we went cannot do the experience justice….
Dear Sarah, Lex, Rob, I’m so sorry its taken me so long to write to you – I can’t believe I’ve been back in England for almost a month already! Let me start by saying that I absolutely loved my placement! So thank you all so much! I booked the placement 2 years in advance – as a reward to myself at the end of my PhD….
An Unforgettable Sleep-Out October’s Ranger Course has been one that I will not want to forget ever in my life! It has truly been an amazing 2 weeks spent in the African bush with wild animals and has made me realize where we humans fit into the greater scheme of life….
Tuli Conservation Project – Steph Taylor After a long journey from Johannesburg airport we arrived at Tuli around 6pm in total darkness! As there isn’t any electricity we had to find our way around camp with lanterns and torches….
Unplanned and Unforgettable I opened the envelope and there it was; the final, polite ‘no’. Hmm….
1. What was your motivation for going to Africa? I have always wanted to travel and Africa seemed like a great place to start….
A Day at KWA-TULI, Botswana. The day at Tuli usually starts with one of the co-ordinators, whether it be Duncan ringing his makeshift bell, or the always loveable Stuart (well, not in the morning!) driving in on his motorbike or land rover beeping the horn at the pleasant hour of around 5:30….
Hi! I’ve just returned from my 10 weeks in the northern province of South Africa. Although it would take forever to tell you everything I learnt and did, I am really glad to share some of the main bits with you! Everything went so well and I feel so lucky to have chosen the projects that I worked on as they gave me a real variety of experiences …
The sounds are what you notice most in Africa. This was a part of this fabled continent I had not been expecting; the constant humming of the insects in the bush vying with the birdsong and, if you listen carefully, punctuated by the thrilling whoop of a hyena….
We arrived at the house, to be welcomed by Desiree’s mother. Our first impressions of the house fitted in with our expectation of a typica African shanty home….
Although we did not really know what to expect when we arrived at Nholwasi, we were both surprised by the surroundings….
DREAMS COME TRUE IN AFRICA A hot day with much traveling, excitement and the unknown of the African bush awaits the students that are to partake in African Conservation Experience’s Game Ranger Course….
