Game Ranger Conservation Experience

A hands-on introduction to wildlife conservation

You could find yourself monitoring wildlife in the Greater Kruger, tracking critically endangered rhinos on a bush walk or visiting an animal rehabilitation centre that cares for injured and poisoned animals. This experience gives you a rare glimpse into various aspects of conservation and the chance to roll up your sleeves and make a real difference.

Learn authentic ranger skills

Out in the bush, learn how rangers identify, monitor and track hundreds of different species. Every animal sighting, sound, or track on the ground gives insight into their behaviour and movement, and can help shape vital conservation decisions.

Explore one of Africa’s largest intact ecosystems

The Greater Kruger is one of only five areas in Africa with a mega population of over 2,000 lions and the world’s largest population of white rhino. It’s also home to over 500 species of birds, and is one of the few places that you can see African wild dogs. You’ll support the protection of this vast ecosystem and get the chance to see African wildlife thriving like nowhere else.

See the wildlife, not the tourists

This project is located in a remote area of the Greater Kruger where wildlife roams freely but human visitors are highly limited. This gives you the chance to monitor iconic wildlife far from the tourist crowds, surrounded only by the sounds of the bush.

You’ll support the project team in real wildlife monitoring work and acquire skills in wildlife tracking.

Monitor and protect

Ongoing monitoring of wildlife in the Greater Kruger is essential to understanding and protecting iconic African species, and is a core part of a ranger’s role.

Depending on the work taking place at the time, you could observe and assist:

• Tracking wildlife by identifying and interpreting their tracks, signs and spoor.
• Bush walks and tracking animals on foot.
• Monitoring the movements and behaviour of Big 5 and lesser known species.
• Identifying individual rhinos and collecting vital monitoring information.
• Maintaining camera traps to monitor elusive species.
• Practical conservation work, including removal of invasive plant species, bush clearing and rebuilding damaged fences.

Get a 360-degree view of conservation

You’ll get involved in a wide range of activities and understand the bigger picture of wildlife conservation in South Africa.

In addition to monitoring and tracking you will:

• Visit a renowned wildlife rehabilitation centre that works in partnership with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT).
• Go on night drives to gain insights into the behaviour of nocturnal animals such as leopards, hyenas and bushbabies.

You’ll learn about the behaviour, biology and ecology of iconic African species. You’ll also learn about ongoing conservation efforts to protect wildlife in the Greater Kruger. Depending on the project’s work at the time, this could include a range of the following topics:

Behaviour

• The hunting, breeding and social behaviour of predators such as lions and wild dogs, as well as other key species.
• The movements of more elusive species like leopards.

Biology

• The physiology and diets of the Big 5 and other species.
• Native African plants, reptiles, amphibians and birds.

Conservation

• The importance of the Greater Kruger National Park for wildlife conservation.
• The rhino poaching crisis, what drives it and how it can be stopped.
• Various techniques used by field guides and rangers, such as camera traps and GPS devices.
• How wildlife conservation in Africa is funded.
• The role that animal rehabilitation centres play in protecting species.

Ecology

• The preferred habitat of the Big 5 and other African species.
• Why large continuous areas of protected wilderness like the Greater Kruger are more effective for wildlife conservation than smaller, fragmented reserves.
• The current threats facing African ecosystems.

Bush skills

• How to track animals on foot by identifying their tracks and signs of presence.
• How to identify some of the many insects, reptiles and birds in the area.
• How to use a spotlight during night drives to minimise disruption to nocturnal animals.
• The medicinal uses of various plants and trees.