 Donated funds cover:
- All in-country travel costs (excluding flights)
- Project costs
- Training
- Meals for the duration of your stay
- Safe water for drinking
- Use of campsite facilities
- Orientation and language classes upon arrival
- A dedicated team to guide you in Madagascar
NOTE: donated funds do not cover flights, visa, insurance, personal equipment, medical preparations, vaccinations, etc.
How to Apply
Interested individuals are encouraged to download the printable version of the application and submit to our offices via email (no application fee is required to apply). Upon receipt of your completed application, we then forward your information to our partnering organization in the UK .
Assistance in Raising Funds
Do not let the amount of the requested donation discourage you preventing you from participating in this amazing project. In collaboration with our partnering organizations, Global Crossroad will provide you with assistance in raising funds with various fundraising tools and resources. If you require any support in raising your funds, please do not hesitate to contact our offices.
Volunteers' Responsibilities
While volunteering in Madagascar , you work with the local staff members of PBZT in Antananarivo .
Your work will primarily focus on the regions of the spiny and littoral forests. The spiny forest is a fascinating habitat unique to Madagascar supporting an extraordinary range of flora and fauna; all uniquely adapted to surviving the extreme conditions  of this area. The southern littoral forest is a highly endangered coastal habitat located within 4 km of the coast. Alongside a team of like-minded volunteers led by highly qualified staff members, you will play an active role in the lemur conservation program participating in activities with both managed and wild lemur populations while simultaneously monitoring changes in the highly vulnerable ecosystems which these lemurs call home.
In the field, volunteers will work closely with trained professionals from PBZT, gaining basic field-based skills in areas such as animal behavior, feeding ecology, conservation biology, lemur censusing, home range studies, community natural resource management and habitat management.
Benefits of the Project
The program will provide volunteers with the amazing experience of working in a small grassroots development agency, and an excellent background for anyone wanting to pursue a career in conservation. This is an invaluable opportunity for you to gain on-the-ground experience that will prove to be vital to those pursuing a career in conservation work, with an organization that has a proven track record in this particular field.
Benefits include (but are no limited to):
- Knowledge of how a small grassroots NGO operates
- Ability to work within a multi-cultural environment
- Efficient teamwork skills
- Understanding how poverty effects conservation
- Understanding of biology research methods
- Basic field skills in areas such as animal behavior, feeding ecology, conservation biology, lemur censusing, home range studies, community natural resource management and habitat management
- Basic understanding of Malagasy language
Qualifications/Training
Prior to the start of the project, volunteers will learn skills and receive training necessary for the project. The program begins with week in Madagascar 's capital city Antananarivo , including training by and working alongside the local team. Work in the park itself will be varied, including all of the usual activities involved in caring for animals in captivity (including feeding, cleaning, repairing structures). If you are interested in receiving college credit for this program, this can be easily facilitated through our academic partners.
Field Conditions/Accommodations
Volunteers are  accommodated in some of the most beautiful campsites in the world! Camping facilities are provided for volunteers throughout their stay although everyone must bring their own tent! Facilities are basic especially when working in rural areas and volunteers should be prepared for work involving awaking in the early morning, working in the evenings, physical exertion, adventurous road journeys and long hikes to reach remote and beautiful project sites. The sites selected for this project will provide participants with an authentic insight into the amazing diversity of Malagasy landscape, from the south's dry spiny desert, to the rainforest-ringed beauty of Fort Dauphin , to the wet coastal forests of the littoral forest zone.
You will be expected to work some weekends, so free time will often be at a premium and the study sites are remote so excursions will not often be possible. However, in your time off in Fort Dauphin , there is plenty to explore in the region - the unique wildlife and habitats of Madagascar will be of great interest. Another leisure time option is merely relaxing and surfing on the stunning beaches around Fort Dauphin . Further out, the beautiful coral reefs that surround the island are ideal for snorkeling and diving.
Major FAQ
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Lemur Conservation Program
