Hands-on Work with Endangered Wildlife in South Africa

  South Africa

• Cape Town: 
Cape Town (Kaapstad)

Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks and 5-8 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Dates: Throughout the Year

Description: When you work at the wildlife park, you'll be surrounded by tons of endangered, hand-reared animals who want nothing more than to eat out of your hand and be lavished with your attention. You will be involved in hand feeding young cubs, preparing food for the animals, general upkeep of the park enclosures and monitoring game on the reserve. If your passion for animals comes in second only to your love of beach, this trip is perfect for you - some of the best surf beaches in South Africa are just a few miles away from the park. You can spend your work days caring for animals in need and then head off to the beach to catch some glorious waves. Does life get any better than this?

* What the project does and why it needs you!
This wildlife park is a result of one man's passion to conserve his natural surroundings and was created with the aim of rescuing and treating all injured or orphaned wildlife brought to his attention. Even after extensive treatment, some animals may never be able to return to the wild so the park provides them with a safe home where they can live out their final days in peace and comfort. With so many animals to care for and new ones being born on a regular basis, the park needs your help to look after the ever-growing population of hungry tenants currently including cheetahs, monkeys, giraffe, zebra, impala, crocodiles, emu's and over one hundred species of birds!

* What you'll be doing
You have a chance to get involved in all kinds of fun and exciting tasks. You will be working 5 days a week from 7:30am to between 4 and 5pm. Not to worry though, you will have plenty of break times for lunch and snacks.

A typical week may include activities such as:

- Hand-rearing of orphaned wildlife including bottle-feeding
- Checking and counting game on nature reserve
- Preparation of food and feeding wildlife
- General upkeep and cleaning of enclosures
- Assisting with building of new enclosures
- Checking the state of game park fences

* Where you'll be staying
This may be the best work commute of your life since you will be staying in a comfy lodge right on the reserve grounds. You will be in a dormitory style accommodation - a great way to get to know other travelers! The lodge itself is well equipped and has modern amenities such as hot water and showers!. You will also have access to a lounge with a fridge and kettle. Local shops and post office are a 5 minute drive away. The beaches of Jeffrey's Bay, and the pleasant town of Port Elizabeth are all a reasonable taxi ride away - and all yours to explore on days off from the reserve.

* What you'll be eating
Enjoy the pleasure of having your breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared for you. You will be provided with three delicious meals a day. Dinner will be your main meal so you can look forward to some authentic South African braais (BBQ) as well as some traditional international favorites such as pasta and roasts.

* Advice and what to bring
It is a good idea to bring the following items with you:

- Torch / flashlight
- Walking shoes
- Sun hat
- Sunglasses
- Sleeping bag
- You may also want to bring some items from home to keep you entertained in the evenings: Books, DVDs and music players are great choices. Be sure to have clothes for both warm and cool weather as it can get chilly in the evenings.

* When you arrive
Please book your flight to arrive into Cape Town International Airport (CPT) before 4pm on your arrival day. You will be picked up from the airport and taken to the volunteer house where you will have orientation at 5pm. After a cozy night in the volunteer house, you will get an early start to the day. You will leave the house at around 6am to catch a 7am bus to Jeffrey's Bay. The bus ride is about 10 hours, a long but scenic ride and a great way to see the beautiful country landscape. You will arrive around 5pm in Jeffrey's Bay and be met at the bus station by staff from the wildlife park and taken to your accommodation.

At the end of your experience, you will take a shuttle bus to Port Elizabeth Airport. Please book your flight home to depart from Port Elizabeth Airport (PLZ).

Highlights:
* Nursing young wildlife back to health
* Waking up to the sound of exotic birds fluttering in your front yard
* Hiking through the game reserve to see zebra, giraffe, wildebeest and antelope roaming free
* Surfing or lounging on the golden sand beaches nearby
* Doing your bit to help conserve stunning wildlife for future generations to enjoy

Qualifications: * Who is it for?
- Do you want to get up close and personal to some incredible wildlife?
- Like the sound of experiencing the great outdoors in South Africa?
- Ever thought of hanging ten at one of the world's greatest surf spots or simply lazing away weekends on stunning beaches watching the dudes in the surf?
- Or even simply looking to enjoy some time in South Africa - an incredible country with hospitable people and amazing scenery?

If the answer to any of the above is yes then this is the trip for you!

Cost in US$: USD 1425.00 for 1 week, USD 400.00 for every week thereafter

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

i-to-i Meaningful Travel's Mission Statement: i-to-i is an award-winning organization providing unique opportunities for you to travel, work and live abroad. Thousands of travelers aged 18 to 80 have joined our volunteer vacations and over 50,000 have learned to Teach English as a Foreign Language through our tailor-made TEFL courses. With over 400 projects on 4 continents, you can join the worldwide i-to-i volunteer community on an extended adventure in areas such as teaching, community development, sports coaching, conservation, building or internships in tourism, marketing, journalism, or health.

Year Founded: 1994