Namibia Wildlife Conservation Experience Essential Info

This unforgettable gap year programme takes place in a natural savannah paradise with riverine vegetation, lush grass plains and magnificent mountain views.

Home to lots of different species, you can help with wildlife conservation efforts, ensuring the welfare  of all the animals through feeding and enclosure patrols. 

As a Wildlife Conservation Volunteer you will also get the rare and exciting opportunity to work alongside our carnivore experts and Bushman trackers in our conservation research programme. This may include getting involved with the monitoring and tracking activities of a number of leopard and cheetah within the local area, taking part in game counts or preparing for new arrivals. The aim is to gain a better understanding of big cat ecology for future conservation and to help prevent human-wildlife conflict.

Our aim is to provide volunteers with the wonderful opportunity to experience African wilderness in the knowledge that they are contributing to the conservation of this area.

The Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary believes that the wild belongs in the wild and direct all their efforts towards long term rehabilitation. But sadly not all of the animals who come to the sanctuary are able to be released back into the wild. Only those that can't, mostly for reasons of human impact, remain at the sanctuary. Many of the animals have been orphaned, hand raised from a very young age or have become too used to captivity.  It would be difficult and dangerous for them to survive in the wild as they are no longer afraid of people which in turn means they are at higher risk of conflict.

There are a variety of animals located on the sanctuary who need to be cared for by our wildlife volunteers including: semi-tame meerkats, pigs, sheep, guinea fowl, chickens, turkeys, leopard tortoises, rabbits and lots of dogs. Baboons form a large part of the project; volunteers become surrogate mums for the little ones, bottle feeding and sleeping overnight with them. They also go for walks with any babies currently at the sanctuary and our tame bigger baboons. We cannot predict when young baboons will arrive at the sanctuary so the numbers and ages may vary.

Animals Galore.

You may be lucky enough to spot some of the other wildlife freely roaming in their natural environment on the farm including; leopards, cheetahs, game (kudu, oryx, hartebeest, duiker), wart hogs, porcupine, aardvark, ostriches, caracals, jackals, wild baboons, African wild cats, hares, mongoose, meerkats, vultures, eagles, and various other bird species.

Volunteers are likely to meet our gorgeous leopard cubs, Shakira and Ombelie, who are growing up fast since their arrival  in December 09. A farmer had captured their mother and thankfully phoned us when the cubs were born and he realised he couldn’t look after them. Sadly they had already been removed from their mother and arrived extremely underweight and malnourished. They were around 8 weeks old, had no fur, with masses of excess skin and dull, straggly coats. Since their arrival, however, they have developed really well into young cubs with glossy coats and strong characters.
 
The leopards love their daily walk with our volunteers, climbing trees in their natural environment and are already practising their stalking skills. The two are firm favourites amongst our volunteers who currently get to experience feeding and meeting them up close.
 
Please bear in mind that the cubs are continually growing and getting stronger and volunteers may not be able to walk or go in with them at all times, especially if this represents a danger to the person or animal. Please be aware of this especially if you are booking your visit a long time in advance.

Our aim is to provide wildlife conservation volunteers with the wonderful opportunity of experiencing unspoiled African wilderness in the knowledge that they are contributing to both the conservation and development in this rural area.

The Carnivore Conservation Project

• The cheetah is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List for endangered animals
• One third of the entire cheetah population live in central Namibia
• The leopard's range of distribution has decreased radically due to hunting and loss of habitat

Poor local economic circumstances, combined with inadequate law enforcement have resulted in indiscriminate poaching of wild animals across Namibia, mostly for their meat and hides. The international trade in animal hides and trophy hunting further decimates Africa’s wild animals. 

In order to reduce human wildlife conflict and help protect and conserve large wild carnivores, our partners started a research program tracking cheetahs and leopards on Namibian farmland in early 2008. Most captured cats are fitted with a with a radio collar before being released them back into the wild. Allowing  us to track their movements, check on their condition and gain a better understanding of their ecology for future conservation. We also work to relocate proven problem animals to safer conservation areas and reduce the number which are needlessly shot or killed.

The project is the first of its kind to monitor translocated and released carnivores on a continuous and intensive basis.

Accommodation

Accommodation is basic, clean and single-sex sharing with 3 beds in each room. The single beds are comfortable with bedding provided (sheets, duvets and pillows).  Bathrooms include 3 showers, wash basins and 3 toilets. Electricity is available in the rooms. A laundry service is provided twice a week. 


Meals

• Breakfast is self service and includes toast & cereals.
  
• Lunch is typically cold and varies between sandwiches, soup or filled pancakes and fruit when available.
  
• Dinner is typically a hot meal or on occasion a braai (barbeque) and typically includes meat, vegetables, bread, pasta and rice.

Getting There

The closest city to the Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary is Windhoek.  Flights are available from Europe to Windhoek as well as from Johannesburg/Cape Town to Windhoek.  Great fares from Jo'Burg to Windhoek can be found at www.kulula.com. We can arrange for you to be  pick up  at the Windhoek Airport.   
If you need assistance please advise on your booking form.

When To Go

Price and Dates

• 2 weeks                          €1179
• 3 weeks                          €1789
• 4 weeks                          €2369
• 5 weeks                          €2929
• 6 weeks                          €3529
• 7 weeks                          €3749
• 8 weeks                          €3999
• 12 weeks                        €4899
  

Included

• Arrival Orientation
  
• All accommodation during your stay
  
• Three meals daily
  
• Work Placement

Excluded

• All flights
  
• Personal travel insurance
  
• visa
  
• E-mail/Internet and telephone calls
  
• Snacks, soft drinks, wines and spirits

Other Information

Communication

Visas

Itinerary