Monitor endangered
species in one of South Africa's oldest game Reserves. The Reserve forms part of a World
Heritage Site and is situated in the heart of the beautiful and cultural KwaZulu Natal.
You'll be part of a research team, assisting them
to monitor the targeted project species. These include animals such as
Cheetah, Leopard, Black and White Rhino, Elephant, Buffalo and Wild Dog.
You'll live in staff accommodation on the
Reserve, which will enable you to fully experience the tranquil solitude and beauty of the true African bush.
During your time there you will be exposed to many facets of general
Game Reserve conservation and have the opportunity to interact with
other staff living and working on the Reserve.
As with any true conservation placement, the area is isolated and social
activities limited to interaction with people living on the Reserve.
However, being situated in one of the Province’s main tourism regions,
there are plenty of sites of interest to visit within a few hours drive.
PROJECT LOCATION, HISTORY AND OBJECTIVES: Mkhuze Game Reserve is located in Northern KwaZulu Natal.This Reserve
is one of the country's oldest and is a part of a World Heritage Site,
the Greater St. Lucia Wetlands Park, now called iSimangaliso World
Heritage Park.
Situated in northern Zululand, this 40 000 hectare Reserve was
proclaimed a protected area in 1912. The Reserve has an incredible
diversity of natural habitats, from the eastern slopes of the Lebombo
mountains along its eastern boundary, to broad stretches of acacia
savannah, swamps and a variety of woodlands and riverine forest.
A rare type of sand forest also occurs in the Reserve. Two beautiful
pans, Nhlonhlela and Nsumo, lie in the north and east respectively,
which hosts a number of animals such as hippo, crocodile, pinkbacked and
white pelicans, as well as a number of ducks and geese. On the nearby
Muzi Pans you can go for a canoe ride with a local community tour guide
and see hippo, crocodile and various aquatic birds close-up.
Mkhuze Game Reserve constitutes the north western spur of the Greater St
Lucia Wetland Park, the first declared World Heritage Site in South
Africa. The Mkhuze River curves along the Reserve's northern and eastern
borders with a fine stretch of fig forest along its banks. Fish eagles
swoop over the pans, snatching prey spotted from their perches in the
fever trees. Other animals to be found in the Reserve include black and
white rhinoceros, elephant, giraffe, leopard, buffalo, nyala, blue
wildebeest, warthog, impala, kudu and other smaller antelope. Rare
species occurring are cheetah, hyena and suni.
You are situated in one of the Province’s main tourism regions and
there are plenty of interesting places to visit and things to do within
a few hours drive. These include the town of St Lucia where there are
beautiful beaches and lots of activities such as boat cruises, whale and
turtle watching tours and beautiful beaches. You are also in close
proximity to some of the best diving sites in Southern Africa including
Mozambique and Sodwana Bay. A weekend trip to the city of Durban, the
Battlefields, Swaziland or the Drakensberg Mountains are also worthwhile
planning. As there is however no public transport available you will
have to budget for these trips and utilise a transfer company with whom
we have an agreement for special rates or hire a car.
As a volunteer you will work as the director/team leader’s direct
assistant, giving you great experience working with experienced staff in the
Reserve. There are numerous exciting elements to this project and you'll be
involved in a variety of tasks. Daily activities will include the tracking
and locating of the following species: Wild dog, Cheetah, Leopard, Elephant,
Buffalo, and White and Black Rhino. This involves firstly locating the
animal by means of radio telemetry, by tracking, or opportunistically. Then
various important data is recorded, such as GPS location, composition,
associations, behaviour and photographing for identifying individuals.
Other activities may include (depending on the time of year):
Capture, relocation and reintroduction of
various species.
Radio collaring of various species.
Game counts
Alien plant control.
Bird netting and ringing.
Community conservation work.
Each volunteer will also be responsible for
helping with general camp maintenance.
A
typical day will consist of:
Leave
the camp between 5am - 6am to monitor the morning movements of the
animals
Return
to the camp at around 11am to grab some lunch, report the mornings data
gathering, have a rest or go for a swim
Leave
the camp at around 3pm to monitor the late afternoon and early evening
movements of the animals
Return
to the camp at around 7pm - 8pm to get some dinner and report the
evenings data gathering and then off to bed for an early night
"When I arrived at Mkhuze Reserve to do a site visit, I was lucky enough to go on an
afternoon monitoring driving with Rob, a Travellers volunteer. Rob and I
jumped on the back of the bakkie [pickup truck] with the telemetry equipment. The
Head
Researcher, Chris, drove the vehicle and took us to our first stop, which was at a monitoring
tower. Rob climbed the tower to try and get a GPS reading for the cheetahs in the
area. Unfortunately we did not get a signal so we drove to another spot
where we hoped to pick up the cheetahs' whereabouts, but again we
were not in luck. On our fourth attempt at different spots around the
Reserve, we finally got a reading and were able to track them to a certain
point within the Reserve.
When we finally arrived at the site, we were met with the awesome sight of a mother and her 2 cubs
who were about a year old. Rob, our
volunteer, had been tracking and monitoring them for about a month and so
had seen them every
day. He was trying to establish the gender of the cubs based on their behaviour
and movements.
Seeing the cheetahs and standing up on the back of the bakkie
as we drove past the animals was quite an experience. I thoroughly
enjoyed it and neither Rob nor I will ever forget this amazing event!"
Richard Cowley, Travellers Project Development Manager
This is an incredibly worthwhile project to support – you'll assist
with the collection of very valuable data and having your extra
pair of hands on the project will speed up the process of data collection
significantly. Apart from your valuable physical assistance, by doing this project
you're also directly contributing toward the running
costs of the project. Thus you'll be providing the project with essential
assistance and funding, and ultimately contributing directly to the
conservation and success of these endangered and priority species.
YOUR
ACCOMMODATION
As a volunteer you will be accommodated within the Mkuze Game Reserve, in the
staff quarters which are basic but comfortable. You will likely to be sharing a
room in a thatched house with other volunteers. The head researcher also lives
with you in the staff quarters. The closest town to the camp is about a 40
minute drive. Transport will be provided into town about once every 2 weeks
where you will be able to do a food shop and buy any luxuries you may need. The
camp is supplied with permanent electricity and you may have access to the
internet and TV.
Please note however that mobile phone reception is VERY erratic – you may
actually have to climb a tree to get a good signal! So be prepared for limited
communications with the outside world whilst on the Reserve.
Volunteers will share a kitchen and bathroom area. The facilities are more than
adequately equipped with hot and cold water, fridge and freezer, stove, oven,
shower and toilet. There is also a swimming pool on site which you are permitted
to use along with the lodge guests.
Basic groceries will be provided (no luxuries like candy and soft drinks) and
you will be likely to take it in turns to cook meals with the other volunteers
and head researcher. Meals tend to be very filling and will provide you with
plenty of energy after a hard days work.
There is a curio/supply shop at the main reception which stock a very limited
amount of goods including chocolates, cold drinks, batteries etc. There is also
a very basic take away with outside seating called the “Rhino Dinner” from which
you can get a hamburger when you are desperate for a change of scene.
ANIMALS TO LOOK OUT FOR AT MKHUZE
AFRICAN ELEPHANT
The African Elephant is the world's largest land animal, and a male can
reach 3.3 metres in height and 60 metric tons in weight. This powerful
creature used to live anywhere south of the Sahara that water and trees
occurred. Since the massive decline in numbers during the 1970s and
1980s from ivory poaching, the Elephant has become less widespread.
Elephants roamed the Karoo in large herds up to the late 1700s.
WHITE RHINO The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros is one of the five
species of rhinoceros that still exists. Behind the elephant, it is
probably the most massive remaining land animal in the world, along with
the Hippopotamus, which are of comparable size. It is well known for its
wide mouth used for grazing and for being the most social of all rhino
species. The White Rhino is the most common of all rhinos.
BLACK RHINO
It is the mouth-shape and size of the Black Rhino, and not its skin
colour, that distinguish it from the White Rhino. The Black Rhino is
smaller, with the male weighing 1000 - 1350 kg. It has a pointed,
beak-like upper lip, which it uses as a grasping tool - unlike the
square mouth of the White Rhino. The distinctive horns (the collection
of which has been the main reason for the Rhino's threatened status) are
used for breaking branches and digging up mineral earth.
LEOPARD
The Leopard is Africa's largest spotted cat, with the average mass of a
fully grown male being around 60kg. The female is considerably lighter
at an average 32kg. Leopards generally have a golden coat, with brown to
black spots on the head, legs and tail, and larger 'rosettes' on the
main body. It has a wider distribution than any of the other large cats
due to its ability to live anywhere - from rocky hills and mountain
ranges to forests and semi-desert areas. Predominantly solitary, this
animal hunts by stalking and pouncing rather than using a Cheetah-style
chase.
AFRICAN BUFFALO
The African Buffalo differs dramatically from the American Buffalo,
which is actually a Bison, but was erroneously referred to as Buffalo by
early American settlers with limited scientific knowledge. The African
Buffalo is similar in shape to a bulky cow, with sparse hair. Adult
males are black to charcoal grey whilst the females and young have a
reddish tinge. Both sexes have horns that flare sideways and down before
curving up to the tips. The African Buffalo is an unselective grazer
that eats leaves and grasses, favouring areas with shady trees and ready
water supplies.
CHEETAH
The fastest moving land-based hunter in the world, the Cheetah's lithe
grace and speed are legendary. Its almost uniform buff colouring with
black spots is broken only by distinctive dark tear-shaped markings on
the face, and by the black bands and white tip of its tail. It lives on
open grassland and savannah
woodland, extending into arid areas. The Cheetah preys on small to
medium antelope and will take smaller mammals when available. Hunting
takes place during the day, and usually involves a high-speed chase.
WILD DOGS Wild dog's are an interesting species in that no two
individuals have the same pattern of coat. Individuals
can easily be recognized on the basis of their differing
coat patterns. The coat is an irregular pattern of
black, yellow, and white. Adults typically weigh between
17-36 kilograms. Wild Dogs are pack hunters. Their main
prey varies among populations, but always focuses on
medium sized ungulates such as impala . A few packs,
however, will also include much larger animals, such as
zebras, in their prey.
HYENA Hyena's have a distinctly bear-like gait due to their
front legs being longer than their back legs. Hyenas
have powerful carnassial teeth adapted for cutting flesh
and crushing premolars for crushing bone.
Hyenas are highly intelligent animals.
One indication of hyena intelligence is
that they will move their kills closer
to each other to protect them from
scavengers another indication is their
strategic hunting methods.
SUNI Suni are around 12-17 inches high at the shoulder and
weigh 10-12 pounds. They are usually reddish brown,
darker on their back than their sides and legs. The
belly, chin, throat and insides of legs are white. The
nostrils are prominent red, and there are black rings
around the eyes and above the hooves. Males have horns
3-5 inches long, that are ridged most of their length
and curve backwards close to their heads. Females do not
have horns. Suni can make weak barking and whistling
sounds. Suni feed on leaves, fungi, fruits and flowers,
and need almost no free water. They are shy, most active
at night, and sleep during the day in a shady, sheltered
area.
GIRAFFE The giraffe is the tallest of all land-living animals.
Males can be 4.8 to 5.5 meters (16 to 18 feet) tall and
weigh up to 1,360 kilograms (3,000 pounds). Giraffes can
inhabit savannas, grasslands, or open woodlands. They
prefer areas enriched with Acacia growth. They often
drink, and as a result, they can spend long periods of
time in dry, arid areas. When searching for more food
they will venture into areas with denser foliage.
HIPPOPOTAMUS
Hippos are very large, barrel-shaped animals with short legs. The skin
is naked and predominantly greyish-brown, with a yellowish-pink tinge at
the throat, belly and inside some skin folds. It lives in open stretches
of permanent water or riverine pools with gently sloping sandbanks that
are convenient resting places. It typically grazes on grass during night
and rests in or near the water during the day.
SPRINGBOK
Yes, this is the one that South Africa's national rugby team is named
after - however, its 'kit' is somewhat different in style and hue… The
four-legged Springbok has dark-brown stripes on its flanks behind a
white body. Found in dry grasslands, it grazes on the leaves and sprouts
of Karoo bushes, including those of several pungent herbs that grow in
the area. It is believed that in the late 1770s herds of up to 30 000
Springbok roamed these plains.
KUDU
A narrow white stripe down the back to the flanks together with a white
bar across the face at eye-level make the Kudu easy to spot. It also has
particularly large ears. The male is a brown-grey colour while the
female has a cinnamon tinge, however only males have horns, and these
rise from the top of the head in wide spirals. Found in savannah
woodland, including rocky areas and slopes, the Kudu browses on a wide
range of plants, with the Acacia species being particular favourites.
Records from 1875 confirm the presence of Kudu in the Klein Karoo.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Mkhuze Game Reserve is a photographer's dream. Due to the perfect
light conditions, during the twilight hours of sunrise and sunset it is
advisable to use 100 ASA film for exquisite photographic opportunities.
A 100 - 300 lens is a good choice. There are also many opportunities to
use Macro photography
to capture close-ups of the smaller species.
BIRDWATCHING
For the avid birdwatcher, Mkhuze Game Reserve is home to 420
species.
Due to the unobtrusiveness of Mkhuze Game Reserve, the birds are at
ease, affording one with good viewing.
STARGAZING With the absence of artificial light, the stargazing at the Reserve
is phenomenal and amongst the best in Southern Africa. The prominent
Orion's Belt, also known as the three Kings, forms part of the
Constellation of Orion, the tragic lover and great hunter who in turn is
hunting Taurus, the bull. Orions faithful hound, Canis Major, guards the
hare, Lepus lying slain at Orio's feet.
The navigational Southern Cross displays its magnificent facets such as
the indescent Jewel Box, the Coal Sack and it's two pointers, Alpha
Centauri and Beta Centauri.
Depending on the time of year, Venus, the Goddess of love will greet you
at dawn or dusk, while Sirius, the brightest star in our heavens keeps a
constant vigil. The Lord of the Rings Saturn, the God of War Mars and
the Sky God Uranus are some of the planets that can be viewed with the
naked eye, depending on the time of year.
TRAVEL:
You have the option to arrange your
own flights or we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would
like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights
and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will
be fulfilled by Murray Rogers Travel Ltd., ATOL No. 6856. (Read more about Murray Rogers Travel Ltd.)
Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel on the
same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of other
volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet up
before leaving for your placement.
Where possible, all flights we arrange for you
have changeable return tickets because many of our volunteers choose to extend
their stay once they are in their destination country. Changeable return tickets
enable you to do so, within the limits of your visa and the level of your air
ticket, of course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour
to get a changeable ticket.
We can also arrange your flight
dates to give you additional time at the end of your project for travelling
around and sightseeing - this is a fascinating and wondrous country!
You will usually
either fly into the Airport in Johannesburg where you can either get the Baz bus
to the project via Swaziland or transfer from Johannesburg to a flight to
Durban, you will then get the Baz bus directly to the pick up stop where you
will be met and taken to the project.
VISAS:. In countries where visas or immigration documents
are required, we'll send you all the necessary forms and information and make
the process very easy for you.
To read about the extensiveSupport & Backup we provide in our countries,
please click here.
PRICES
To see the Prices of this project and all
our other projects in South Africa, please
click here
Prices
include
Food & accommodation while on your project,
unless otherwise stated,
2 T-shirts, if required
for your project
All support and backup
during your programme
Meeting you at the
nearest airport, where appropriate, but exclude international travel.
.
+44 01903 502595
