South Africa - Wilderness Conservation and Wildlife Research


Join this project for an amazing work adventure that will take you straight into the heart of Africa.

Set in 22 500 hectares of untamed beauty this project sees you become an extension of the full time management team protecting the wilderness of the African bush. The work that takes place on the reserve is diverse and each day brings about new challenges and developments. As a working volunteer you will actively participate in the maintenance, management, research and monitoring activities that take place on a daily basis.

Your first week will be an orientation week during which you will participate in a number of lectures and practical’s, providing you with the tools needed to actively contribute to the reserve.  You will learn the principles and goals of the reserve and learn important bush skills such as first aid, 4×4 driving, fence maintenance etc.  You will be introduced to research and monitoring programs and learn how to use the equipment and collect data. After orientation, a timetable is put together each Monday planning the projects and activities for the week ahead. Beware however; it doesn’t always go to plan!

The team are on hand 24/7 to respond whenever needed on the reserve to provide the manpower for special events and emergencies. These may include the need to dart and treat an injured animal or some essential fence maintenance or monitoring work. Activities such as nocturnal drive and hyena call ups also require participation after hours and sleep outs in the bush occur on regular occasions.


Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation are some of the biggest challenges that we face. This puts us in the unfortunate position where many systems must now be managed. The project encompasses the ideal to mimic natural systems and only assist, by maintaining a balance a natural system would normally have without fences or interference. The emphasis is on the system as a whole and the influence of the animals on the environment, and vice versa must be established.

Your Role


As a volunteer you will have the opportunity to assist with all of the research and monitoring projects on the reserve.There are both short term projects and long term projects that take place on the reserve.

It is important that all data recorded is accurate as this may form the basis of future management models.

Brown hyaena research

Volunteers will play an integral role in the exciting and ground breaking brown hyaena study being carried out at this project. From tracking the hyaena (with telemetry) for data collection, to habitat and scat analysis, the research encompasses a wide variety of field techniques with which volunteers are needed to help.

Due to its IUCN classification, of Near threatened, the need for brown hyaena conservation efforts on a global scale is well constituted. This is not always reflected on a local scale however and the projects research addresses local issues where inevitable hyaena/human interactions, often in farming areas, lead to intolerance and often deliberate persecution. The research covers two main areas, the potential of translocation as a brown hyaena conservation tool and habitat use analysis for brown hyaenas.

The hyaenas being studied for the research were trapped by farmers and due to be shot. They were relocated to within the reserves safe boundaries and their progress is now being monitored. Volunteers assist with every aspect of the research contributing towards an important study with considerable conservation value. The success or failure of the translocation could have important impacts for reducing hyaena/farmer conflicts and provide a possible option for brown hyaena conservation in the future.

Below are some examples of the type of projects that you could expect to be involved in:

Wildlife monitoring & conservation work

• Sex / age ratio analysis of herbivore species
• Elephant, rhino & predator demography monitoring
• Vegetation surveys
• Ecological Base line surveys
• Predator / prey dynamics monitoring
• Cheetah re-introduction and monitoring
• Rare antelope breeding project
• Nocturnal mammal monitoring
• Ground hornbill conservation

Reserve management activities


Work on the reserve is diverse, and each day brings about new challenges, and developments. Apart from the monitoring and research that you will be involved in there are also a number of other activities which you will be required to participate in;

• Sleep outs and monitoring in remote areas
• Erosion control and habitat rehabilitation
• Prescribed burns
• Alien plant control
• Game capture and release
• Dartings and relocations
• New game introductions
• Anti-poaching patrols and snare removal
• Bush encroachment management
• Fence and road maintenance
• Reserve clean up – rubbish, old farming materials etc
• Building and restoration projects
  
• Vehicle and equipment maintenance
  
  

Typical day


A typical day starts early as there is plenty to fit in! Generally the team partakes in 3 activities, a variety of reserve work, bird and mammal monitoring and conservation projects. You may start out with a research route drive to count all the different herbivores, or maybe with a session of alien plant control. After a break for breakfast the day continues with another activity to take you up until lunch. Maybe this time you are off to track the cheetah or carry out some road or fence maintenance.

The group joins together for lunch and there are usually a few hours off in the afternoon to grab a siesta, maybe write your diary or catch up with duties. We head out again in the afternoon for another activity, perhaps some reed re-location or building of artificial Ground hornbill nesting boxes is on the schedule for that afternoon! The team finishes the day with a home cooked meal together every evening.

Accommodation


Volunteers stay in a large and spacious converted farm house. Each room is en-suite and sleeps up to a maximum of 4 people.There is a double room available for couples as well. There is ample cupboard space to house all your bush gear and mosquito nets are provided above every bed. The house has electricity so a hot shower or air conditioning is available (to suit the time of year) as well as power points for the essential charging of those over worked camera batteries!

In the main house there is an open plan lounge with sofas and a dining table where the team joins together to eat their evening meal. There is also a large kitchen and library. In the office you can check the schedule for the day, find information on all the reserves wildlife and make your contribution to the data collection.

Bongani will be your “African mamma” as she keeps the house, rooms and bathrooms clean for us. She will also do your washing….and even ironing twice a week.

There are plenty of outside areas as well where you can write your diary, take an afternoon siesta or watch the wild animals stroll by. Regular visitors to the house include impala herds, baboon, giraffe, rhino, elephant and lions.

Surrounded on all borders by the bush and wild animals, the garden has an electric fence to keep us safe. Within the large garden there is a splash pool to cool off after a day in the hot, African sun. There is ample space for frisbee, cricket, football and rugby games and a small water hole attracting plenty of bird, insect and amphibian life.

The project also operates their own veggie garden. Volunteers assist with its up keep so we can have fresh, organic vegetables in our meals.

You and your housemates will be responsible for the general duties around the house and the tasks such as preparing of meals will be split among you. You will be designated duties on a daily basis to ensure the smooth running of the house. Upon arrival you will be introduced to the house rules and we ask that these rules be respected at all times.

Requirements

Volunteers need to be of a reasonable fitness level to carry out dudties and withstand the heat condidtions.

Car Hire - Remember licence and credit card if hiring car

Additional Information

Included in the price

• Accommodation
• Food (3 meals a day)
• Activities on the reserve
• Transfer to/from Phalaborwa airport
• Training materials & Research equipment
• Training week & Orientation activities & equipment (only for volunteers staying 4 weeks or longer)
• Laundry service (twice a week)
• Transport to social outing every second week (time permitting)
• Transport to town for shopping (1 x week)

 Not included

• International flights & internal flight transfers
• Weekend activities if you decide to explore the local area
• Alcoholic beverages & soft drinks
• Personal spending money
• Medical & Travel insurance

Arrival / Departure Information



You must arrive at Phalaborwa airport on the Monday that the expedition starts. Please ensure you are on the lunch time flight and NOT the early or late flight. If unsure please check with us before booking. You will be transferred by vehicle to the Askari base camp with the rest of your teammates - this journey takes approximately one hour. On the Monday at the end of the expedition you will be transferred back to Phalaborwa in time for the lunch time flight.

4 week start dates

Arrival date at Phalaborwa	Departure date
9th January 2012	6th February 2012
6th February 2012	5th March 2012
5th March 2012	2nd April 2012
2nd April 2012	30th April 2012
7th May 2012	4th June 2012
4th June 2012	2nd July 2012
2nd July 2012	30th July 2012
13th August 2012	10th September 2012
10th September 2012	8th October 2012
8th October 2012	5th November 2012
5th November 2012	3rd December 2012

2 week start dates

Arrival date at Phalaborwa	Departure date
23rd January 2012	6th February 2012
20th February 2012	5th March 2012
19th March 2012	2nd April 2012
16th April 2012	30th April 2012
21st May 2012	4th June 2012
18th June 2012	2nd July 2012
16th July 2012	30th July 2012
27th August 2012	10th September 2012
24th September 2012	8th October 2012
22nd October 2012	5th November 2012
19th November 2012	3rd December 2012