PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS:

• Experience the African bush in a very special way on this private reserve. Explore the savannah grasslands either on horseback or whilst riding on African Elephants
• Bottle feed and help take care of younger lion cubs, should there be any in camp at the time
• Undertake important research on the behaviour of the African Lion
• Assist with numerous activities related to the care of these majestic beasts
• Swim on the back of an African elephant
• Assist staff at our local orphanage to care for the many children in their care.

WORK CONTENT
Some of the work on this project is quite unusual, to say the least. (Where else would you take lions for a walk every day to exercise them and to familiarise them with a game reserve environment!).  On the walks, the lions are 'free roaming' - no leashes - they romp, they play and they stalk, and you may frequently be lucky enough to have a large cub sitting on your lap sucking your thumb. 

Duties are fairly varied and you will be expected to turn your hands to whatever is required at the time you're there. Generally, your work would include some or all of the following:

Lion Walks.  Spending time with the lions in the wild each day is an essential part of the cubs upbringing. If the cubs are to be successfully released it is important that they spend time out in a natural environment. They need to adapt to it, learn from it, understand, observe, feel and smell the wild.

Alongside the walks you will be involved in the care of the animals which overnight in enclosures.  They need feeding, cleaning, and occasionally will need veterinary care to ensure that they are kept in the best of health.

Research.  As part of the program we conduct a number of research activities to better understand lion behaviour and ecology.  The lion walks offer unique opportunities to observe lions close up in their natural environment with the data collected assisting us to make the best decisions for the animal’s welfare and eventual release.  Volunteers will assist our research technician in gathering and analyzing this vital data. 

Elephant.  You will also have the opportunity to spend time with our orphaned African Elephants and their trainers.  The elephants at the Park were saved from certain death during a severe drought that ravaged Zimbabwe’s South Eastern Lowveld in 1991 and 1992.

Free Roaming Wildlife.  The few remaining areas of wildlife sanctuary in Zimbabwe are extremely precious and must at all costs be protected. Part of your project will involve assistance with the wildlife management scheme such as finding and removing snares (‘snare sweeps’) within the game park and checking for holes or fence cuttings on the boundary fence (‘Boundary Patrols’) and repairing them.  These activities are usually conducted on foot, within the Park and accompanied by one of our trained guides.

Other duties. You may also be asked to assist in any other duties at the game park such as:

cleaning the lion enclosures; preparing meat for the lions; building and painting new lion enclosures; cutting and collecting firewood; daily schooling and exercising of horses; basic repairs and maintenance; fire brakes; any other wildlife or camp related activities that involve the assistance and development of the lion programme.

There is also an opportunity to visit children at a local orphanage and interact with them. They love to have the care and attention shown to them that they so richly deserve.

A day in the life of a  volunteer…
Every day is different as animals rarely operate to our schedule.  We ask that you remain flexible, but here is an example of a typical day on the project, as a guideline only:

• 6:30am – 8:00am Meet the guide and their clients and join them for a lion walk, taking cubs from 7 months to 18 months out into the bush.  If there are no clients then volunteers and staff will be involved in taking the lions out for their walks.  Observe and take data notes as the cubs practice their hunting skills.  Or possibly spend the morning training the elephants and going on a ride.
• 8:30am – 9:30am Breakfast
• 9:30am - 12:30pm You could be involved in various duties including enclosure cleaning, cub walking, boundary patrols or meat preparation, snare sweeping, bush walks, enclosure maintenance.
• 12:30pm – 2:00pm Lunch
• 2:15pm - 4:00pm Your afternoon duties could include cub sitting, horse rides, cub descriptions, elephant herding, or more enclosure cleaning and maintenance if needed.
• 4.00pm – 5.30pm Take the cubs out into the ‘bush’ again for their afternoon walks.
• 6.45pm Briefing by your volunteer coordinator about the following day's activities. in winter months briefing meetings are held at 6.00pm and dinner is at 6.30pm.
• 7.00pm The volunteers socialize at dinner and around the cosy camp fire pit under the stars.  On some nights we take out the larger cubs for a night hunt and watch as they stalk, chase and catch prey – a vital stage in their development and training for release.

NB. With the lion breeding programmes, you'll also  take part in meat preparation, stuffing the raw meat with vitamins and minerals to feed to the lions; this is a compulsory activity.