CARE FOR ANIMALS IN A WILDLIFE
SANCTUARY ON THE GARDEN ROUTE
SOUTH AFRICA CONSERVATION
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This project is a very caring Sanctuary set in a
small private game reserve in the Eastern Cape. It's a very popular and
worthwhile placement where your work and help is desperately needed.
You'll assist in feeding and generally looking after many
different animal species, including over 250 different species of birds.
The sanctuary receives many abandoned, abused, injured or orphaned
animals that all need love and attention to help prepare them for life
back in the wild, if possible, or a safe life in the Sanctuary. Many
animals breed there, so there are often young animals to care for that
need regular feeding and attention. This is a
very hands-on experience and one that leaves you immensely
satisfied with your achievement. It
really will be a life changing experience.
"It's a great Sanctuary and everybody tries to
care for you as good as possible. I feel a bit like at home now and I'm
really glad that I have chosen this project. Thank you for the perfect
organisation, it enabled me a to start my project without any problems
in a foreign country."
Julia Liebmann - Germany
PLACEMENT OVERVIEW
Location: Near Port Elizabeth
Start dates: Available all year round, you choose
your start and finishing dates. Duration:
From 1 week to 1 year, subject to visa
requirements
Requirements: No qualifications needed, just a big
heart and a desire to help animals. Minimum age 17.
Compensation: Unpaid Price:
£695
for 1 week, ranging to £2,495 for 12 weeks. Full Price List
and other Currencies
What's included: ►Arranging
your Programme,
►Full pre-departure support and assistance,
►Payment Protection insurance
►Meeting you at the nearest
airport/station
►All
accommodation
►Food ►Free
T-shirt ►Transfer to
the placement site
►In-country team support and backup
►24-hr emergency support
►Certificate of Completion.
What's not included:
Flights, travel insurance, cost of visa,
return transfer to the airport.
The Sanctuary and Wildlife Park is situated 50 km south west of the city
centre of Port Elizabeth, on the Eastern Cape’s sunshine coast, in a
malaria-free area. It's set on 1,000 hectares of superb bush and
grassland.
"I spend a great time here. It's a great Sanctuary and everybody
tries to care for you as good as possible. I feel a bit like at home now
and I'm really glad that I have chosen this project. Thank you for the
perfect organisation, it enabled me to start my project without any
problems in a foreign country." Julia Liebmann
WORK CONTENT:
As the Park is rather large,
there is always a very wide variety of activities that you will be
involved in. All volunteers are expected to “muck in” together, making
the work fun and rewarding. Work ranges from hands-on with the animals,
to helping and guiding the tourists or assisting in the restaurant and
bar. Some of your work will also include general chores in the Park
itself. Briefly, your responsibilities will include some or all of the
following:
Food preparation for all
the animals and birds. You'll learn
which animals eat what food, how to prepare it and and how much to give them.
Nearly all
the baby animals in the sanctuary are orphans that have been rescued from
elsewhere and brought to the sanctuary for safety and, where possible, to be
released back into their natural habitat in the wild. These animals need lots
of care and attention.
Mucking
out and tidying enclosures,
and, when necessary, helping to expand existing enclosures or constructing new
ones.
Collecting data
on wildlife within the game reserve section of the park.
This will include, for example, monitoring the
movements of wildlife and
occasionally doing game counts.
Besides spending time with the animals and birds, there are other areas of
the Sanctuary and Wildlife Park needing attention as
well:
Helping with tours around
the sanctuary. You'll learn a lot about the animals so that
you can convey this information to tourists or school groups that visit the
Sanctuary.
Assisting with general
duties in the restaurant, bar and kitchen, possibly even
helping with the preparation of meals.
Helping unload supplies
when they arrive.
Some
admin work may be required while you're there.
General clearing of
the Park to eliminate alien
vegetation, for example.
This makes a more "user-friendly" and safer environment for the free-roaming
animals (and is in line with government policy of limiting alien vegetation
wherever possible).
Also
checking for and
clearing any rubbish on the property, because litter can cause serious
injuries to the animals
Bush clearing and road
construction (with tractors)
Assisting the
small permanent staff with any project or
maintenance work (i.e. painting fences, repairing etc) that
may be needed while you're there. (See
The average working hours are from 07h30 until 16h00
and you'll work 5 days a week.
Two days
can be taken off in a weekly rotation system. Some volunteers utilize this time
to stay out overnight to enjoy the nightlife in Port Elizabeth
or Jeffrey’s Bay, or they stay on the grounds
and relax with a good book, or go for walks
and explore the enormous park.
The Rewards:
This placement is definitely for nature loving enthusiasts who are willing to
work hard and aren’t afraid of getting their hands dirty, but the rewards are
well worth it. There are usually some small scrapes and scratches that go with
the job, but nothing serious. The park itself is a lovely and a very safe place
to go walking after work - it has beautiful indigenous
forests of yellowwoods and milkwoods, and small
savannah grassland.
"I got lots of different experiences and so many different
impressions about life and work in an organisation which works with people and
cares for animals ... I can recommend this project to all people who love nature
and animals and who enjoy working with people. ... I promise you, you'll have
a great time!"
Whilst volunteering is rewarding in itself, time spent at a project
such as this is an excellent springboard for travelling around South
Africa. Meeting other volunteers from around the world, and listening to
their stories and recommendations can give you the confidence to travel
and experience more.
You'll also have the opportunity to visit the Addo Elephant Park plus
other game parks in the region. A popular trip with our volunteers is to
go in Jeffrey's Bay (a big surfing centre in South Africa) and visit the
Billabong factory.
"I would
definitely recommend this placement to anyone who has a passion for wildlife and
caring for animals and who does not mind hard work and getting dirty. I would
also recommend this placement to anyone who wishes to have a work experience
that is very manual and has many opportunities to work outside." Timothy Fulfitt
ANIMALS IN THE SANCTUARY: The
sanctuary currently accommodates a variety of different animals here are
just some of them - Over 250 species of Birds, Cheetahs, Servals,
Variety Hawks, variety Owls, Black Eagle Cape Vulture, Blue and Crowned
Cranes, Macaws, African Greys, Cockatoos, Amazons plus lots of other
parrots, Ground squirrels, Squirrel monkeys, Marmoset monkeys, Meerkats,
Grysbok, Blue and common Duiker, Bush buck, Kudus, Ostrich, Emus, Goats,
Giraffe, Zebra, Blesbok, Impala, Nyala, Waterbuck, wallabies, crocodile.
The owner has seven dogs and 2 cats that have the run of the property.
The park has purchased cheetahs who
have reached maturity. They are between 6 and 8. They had their first
cheetah cubs born and are keeping 3 of the hand reared kittens, Bertha, Kiera
and Indie.
Some animals are able to be returned to the wild, like some of the buck,
raptors and birds, but unfortunately most will need to stay in the
Sanctuary for the rest of their lives. When animals have been in the
care of humans for too long, they are no longer able to survive in the
wild. In the Sanctuary, though, they have a safe haven for the rest of
their lives! Birds in particular are often put down if their injuries
are such that they would have difficulty surviving in the wild. However,
in the Park they're cared for and continue to live in safety. (Information
correct at time of writing)
Tourism and Education: Percy found that the cost of feeding and
caring for such huge numbers was enormous. In order to financially
support the animals, he opened the Sanctuary to the public as an
education centre and tourism destination. All funds raised from the
tourists go back into the Sanctuary to take care of the animals and
expand the animals' natural living habitats.
WHAT YOU'LL GAIN FROM DOING THIS PROJECT:
An exciting, never-to-be-forgotten adventure into
Africa and the many diverse cultures in South Africa
The enormous satisfaction of helping abused, orphaned or threatened
animals and
knowing that you made a difference to them.
New skills, more confidence, a greater understanding
of a different culture, invaluable personal and professional
development.
An entry on your CV or résumé that will put you head
and shoulders above most others in the job market
Volunteers at the new animal clinic at the Wildlife Sanctuary
YOUR
ACCOMMODATION AND TRAVEL
The accommodation is
on the Game farm less than a 5 minute walk to the sanctuary itself.
It is split into various sized rooms from single rooms to twin rooms and a 4
and 8 sleeper dorm.
It has 2 bathrooms (one for the girls and one for the boys) with 2 toilets
and 3 showers in each. A small kitchen with microwave, gas hob, kettle,
fridge and washroom.
The restaurant is closed after work hours but a separate entertainment unit
has just been completed in the Sanctuary rest room with DSTV, a dvd player
and basic facilities for volunteers to make drinks and snacks.
Food: Food is provided and consists of a home-cooked meal every evening - this
is the time that the owners and volunteers all sit down together and discuss
the day and their various experiences. Breakfast and lunch and dinner are
prepared for you although sometimes volunteers do help with this. Volunteers
will be required to wash up after evening meals.
You will also have plenty of real South African braais (barbeques) - and
what a magic place to have them!
Internet:
Internet facilities are not available. You will be able to go to
Jeffrey's Bay where you'll find Internet Cafes. A coin and card operated
phone is available at the sanctuary for local calls and phone cards can be
purchased at the local shop for international calls.
"Reflecting upon my
stay ... I had a thoroughly enjoyable time and left with many happy
memories. I would like to thank [the Sanctuary] and all the staff at
Travellers Worldwide for this wonderful opportunity and I wish the sanctuary
and all who work there a prosperous future."
TRAVEL:
To read about Travel arrangements and what happens when you
arrive in your new country, please
click here.
Support & Backup:
To read about the excellentSupport
& Backup we provide before you leave and during
your programme,
please click here.
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