Umkhondo Big5 & Wildlife Volunteering

Umkhondo Big5 Wildlife Volunteer Program offers participants a rare and inspirational experience, the adventure of a lifetime.

The principle of the course is that volunteers can experience what it is like taking part in all the facets of running a game farm. Volunteers will physically take part in the projects and manage some of the projects themselves.

The course runs over a min 2 week period, and up to 12 volunteers can take part at a time. Volunteers will be accommodated in a big old style farm house which is situated inside the game reserve; it is a comfortable house with 2 full bathrooms, a cozy kitchen, a lounge with dstv, dining room and inside fire place, office with WIFI and a “play room” with table tennis, pool table, dart board and board games. Big game such as rhino, buffalo and giraffe regularly visit here.

Volunteers have breakfast near the elephants every morning and have a packed lunch so that lunch time is flexible. A healthy dinner is cooked for them and they sometimes prepare their own.

The course will run from Mondays to Fridays. Weekends are for the Volunteers to explore surrounding areas. Day trips and weekend tours can be arranged with us. Arrangement can be made for volunteers to stay over weekends, however no activities will take place.

THE COURSE COULD INCLUDE:

• Game capture and translocation.
• Wildlife nutrition and feeding.
• Basic soil studies.
• Fauna & Flora, and related research.
• Basic farm maintenance (fences, roads, construction etc.)
• Basic vehicle maintenance and repairs.
• Reptile park maintenance and snake handling.
• Cheetah breeding project.
• Boma elephant care and nutrition.
• Predator care and monitoring. Tracking released cheetah on foot.
• Take part in different rural community projects for children.
• Learn some bush cooking skills “boskos”.
• Wilderness camp and basic survival skills.
• Animal behavior and approaching on foot.
• Conservation projects (Planting out trees, erosion control, seed harvesting etc.)