Overview of the project

The Wildlife Care Centre was established in 1991.  The center creates homes for orphaned, poisoned or injured wildlife which, through their injuries, will never be able to return to their natural environment.  The project also aims to reintroduce rehabilitated wildlife to their natural environment, establish breeding facilities for wildlife that cannot be reintroduced back into the wild, and attempt through our educational program to stress how sensitive our ecosystem is and how fast we are losing it.

 After a couple of years of its operation, the center realized that it could not be run on its own, so the period came to ask visitors for a payment instead of a donation to meet the costs of feeding, medical and the building of cages. It has grown tremendously and has resulted in giving speeches all over the country and in various states in the U.S.A.  The center was then approached to accept students / volunteers to do a "time" of experiencing what it is like to work in a Wildlife Care Centre.

Location

 This project is located near to the Kruger area of South Africa . In your free time, you can explore the t he world-renowned Kruger National Park offering a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. Established in 1898 to protect the wildlife of the South African Lowveld, this national park of nearly 2 million hectares, SANParks - Kruger National Park is unrivalled in the diversity of its life forms and is a world leader in advanced environmental management techniques and policies.

Benefit to volunteers.

The wildlife center in South Africa is in great need of volunteer assistance. By volunteering on this project, you will have a fantastic experience of African wildlife, with the knowledge that you are giving back to the environment. This project is an immensely rewarding volunteer experience and very popular for that reason. You will immerse yourself in local culture and make friends for life with the other international volunteers on the program.

Project/Volunteers' Life

Let us start by saying that no previous experience is needed in order for you to fulfill your daily tasks - all you will need is a love for animals and nature, for that is the reason you are here!

Your day begins at 07H00. Meet at the clinic, where you will be deligated your specific duties. Please be punctual!  The priority of the day will be the feeding of all the animals and cleaning their enclosures in the morning and in the afternoon. During the rest of the day there are general Rehab tasks that need to be done. Working with raw meat and dead chickens is part of the day.  

 There is no typical day at The Wildlife Care Centre...anything can happen!

 Everything that happens just adds to your experience here in Africa . Working with animals can scramble up all plans made, can delay meals and rob you of your sleep.  Please note that you will be working with wild animals and this can be dangerous. It is not for the faint of heart. The project people cannot dictate the day or what animals they will have in the centre at the time of your visit, but they do their best to keep you busy and make your stay an interesting one with other activities as well to do with the bush.

Fees and Dates

Start Dates (2008):  Every Wednesday

Please note that you can join any project for any length of time, however we recommend (from experience) that you should not stay longer than 4-6 weeks at a project. Should you wish to stay for 8 weeks or longer than rather select a few projects and even try different regions in Africa (Kenya, South Africa and Namibia). This allows you to enjoy the different cultures and people in these areas.

What does program fee cover?

. Airport reception
. First night in backpackers lodge, if necessary
. Transfer to project (mostly by project vehicle)
. Introductory training before the start of project
. Accommodation
. Food
. Transfer back to airport
. Insurance

Additional cost to volunteer

. All room / food before and after program
. Personal expenses
. International airfare
. Visa
. Immunization
. Communication

Accommodation:

 Volunteers are accommodated in the student house at the project.  Accommodation is normally shared on a same sex basis, and each volunteer is allocated a bed, bedside table and cupboard on arrival.  Linen and towels are provided by the project.  Volunteers are expected to keep their living areas tidy, and as far as making their own bed on a daily basis, except on a Tuesday, when this will be done for you.  The volunteer rooms are cleaned 3 - 4 times a week by the project staff, but volunteers are expected to keep their room tidy at all other times.  If a volunteer's room is found to be too untidy, it may not be cleaned at all.  There is also a common room for volunteers to use, which has games and puzzles for volunteers to use.  Volunteers are free to sit around drinking coffee in the evenings, once their work day is over.