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Experience life on a game reserve and be actively involved in all aspects of wildlife management!! Work on a game reserve is diverse and each day brings about new challenges & developments. This creates the ideal situation for you, as a working volunteer, to assist the rangers with the management of the reserve. You will have the opportunity to 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 practicals, which will provide you with the tools you will need to actively contribute to the reserve. During this time you will learn the principles & goals of the reserve and be provided with a general knowledge of conservation in South Africa. You will also learn important bush skills such as first aid, 4x4 driving and fence maintenance.
Additionally the orientation week will introduce you to the research and monitoring programs and you will learn the correct methods for recording & capturing data. Shumba volunteers will be educated on the main plant and animal species that you will be able to identify on the reserve & taught the basic principles of guiding.
The following weeks will consist of 2 - 3 work sessions a day (approx 3 hours each) where you will be involved in hands-on activities on the reserve. This can range from anti-snare patrols to game capture and from building bomas to alien plant control.
The research & monitoring of the wildlife is also an important aspect on the reserve and you have the opportunity to work with the researcher. At any given time there are a number of projects running and you will be assisting with the collection that data. On going projects include elephant vegetation impact surveys and predator to prey dynamics.
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Everybody can expect to be involved in the reserve management tasks. Below is a sample of the conservation projects and activities you may undertake during your time on the reserve:
Wildlife monitoring to ascertain species numbers
Assisting with the current Nyala breeding project
Observe elephants for vegetation impact study
Counting & monitoring of jackal numbersGeneral reserve maintenance
Ecological base line surveys
Predator / prey dynamics
Erosion control and habitat rehabilitation
Participating in anti-poaching and snare patrolsSleep outs / monitoring in remote areas
Game capture and transportation where applicable
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Volunteers live in a fantastic, homely house within the reserve. The house accommodates a maximum of 10 volunteers and offers two spacious rooms with shared, dormitory-style sleeping arrangements. Each dormitory has its own bathroom with hot and cold water. The house also has a lounge, dining room, office, kitchen and an outside area complete with barbeque facilities. You will have the opportunity to phone, e-mail and post letters once a week in the nearest town.
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11 January - 7 February
8 February - 7 March
8 March - 4 April
12 April - 9 May
10 May - 6 June
7 June - 4 July
12 July - 8 August
9 August - 5 September
6 September - 3 October
11 October - 7 November
8 November - 5 December
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| Project Fees |
| 2 Weeks |
£995 |
| 4 Weeks |
£1595 |
| 8 Weeks |
£2795 |
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| Combination of Projects |
Yes you'll be able to combine this with many other Shumba conservation projects
Please see Combo Page for exciting ideas! |
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| What's Included |
1) Accommodation, Meals & Airport Transfers
2) Pre-departure Information and Support
3) Assistance with Flights & Travel Insurance
4) Project Booklet
5) Onsite Training and Guidance
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| Accommodation |
House - Shared room |
| Food |
3 meals a day included |
| Transfer to/from airport |
Yes, in host country |
| Not Included |
Flights & travel insurance |
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