Cara Sexton

I was looking for a hands-on wildlife volunteer experience when I found African Conservation Experience (ACE). I wanted to learn and see what working with wildlife animals might look like in a short amount of time. After my consultation, I ended up splitting my time between a rehabilitation and research experience, going to Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre  and  Phinda Wildlife Research Project. This gave me two completely different but equally rewarding experiences.

When told about Moholoholo, I was immediately drawn to it. To my surprise, the project got me more involved than I expected, making it even more incredible. From the moment I arrived, I was in the heart of the action. I spent my days preparing food for predators, cleaning enclosures, and helping with animal care – and I loved every second of it!

One of the absolute highlights of the work for me was working with the cheetahs, one of my favourite species. I loved looking after them and getting the opportunity to observe. Every little interaction with them made the whole experience feel unforgettable! Getting to be so close to these amazing species teaches you how each animal has its own unique personality.

I was also at Moholoholo during a major wildlife emergency, one of Southern Africa’s largest ever vulture poisoning incidents. Over 80 vultures were brought in, and I was part of the emergency response team working in the rehabilitation centre. This was an event where they needed all hands on deck, and I was very happy to be thrown straight into emergency rehab efforts. We took turns waking up every two hours to feed them, and I even got to help by holding some of the injured vultures during their treatment. 

At first, they were fragile, and it was very hard to see them like this, but then I got to witness them gradually regain strength, becoming more alert and energetic. Before this incident, I hadn’t thought much about vultures, and I definitely didn’t consider myself a ‘vulture person’ before, but I am now!

I left before they were released, but seeing the footage after I’d gone made me feel so proud to have contributed to something so meaningful. Watching the project's response showed me the importance of having Moholoholo there to support conservation in the area. A place like Moholoholo makes you understand just how important every species is to the ecosystem – and just how devastating one poisoning can be. It can have a massive unchained reaction, not just for vultures but for predators like leopards, too.  

During my time at Moholoholo, there were tough moments, but what I took away from it was much stronger. The amount you learn from daily conversations with the staff to going to Moholoholo’s education centre (something I found very emotional) was eye-opening. Hearing about the real threats wildlife face, from poaching to habitat loss, was hard-hitting but necessary, and gave me a greater understanding of conservation and the role that rehabilitation plays in animals' day-to-day care.

Then, after Moholoholo to then going to a place like Phinda was truly special. It gave me a totally different perspective on conservation. I was blown away by the animal sightings at Phinda, and it was so surreal to be out in the bush witnessing these amazing animal species. 

Not only witnessing sightings such as a herd of elephants blocking the road, but also witnessing the crucial wildlife management work they do. For me, the highlight was a rhino capture, done for their translocation in order to boost rhino populations across Africa!

Seeing just how seriously they take conservation is inspiring, as all of the specialised research techniques used were really cool to see. Particularly interesting was the drone technology being used for conservation, because it's a field my dad works in. That moment bridged my personal world with the work we were doing here.

I met some incredible people during my time at both projects, and the ACE Team was fantastic throughout. They are so supportive and understanding, compared to other volunteer programs where you are often left to figure things out yourself. ACE was way more hands-on and supportive, which made a big difference in my experience.

This trip has left me even more motivated to pursue a future in zoo-based conservation. This was more than just a volunteer trip; it was a real turning point for me, both personally and professionally. I’m so grateful to ACE for making it happen.