Captive animal volunteering

“Volunteering with monkeys is not just soft and cuddly but also quite physical. It’s hard work as there are huge amounts of food to prepare from 7-9am that must be finished on time. Food prep is not just chopping many dozens of eggplants, cabbages, mangos and peeling hundreds of bananas each morning but also hauling the crates and washing the fruit before chopping.”

Many of South Africa’s wild animals are treated as pests and vermin by farmers, and subsequently shot if they’re deemed to be threatening livestock or damaging crops. Logging and deforestation is also responsible for misplacing and disorienting animals in the wild which, in turn, leads to infants becoming lost and alone. An animal orphanage on the edge of Kruger National Park, aims to restore the balance. Orphaned animals, such as lions, cheetahs, squirrels, primates, caracals and meerkats, are provided with a safe environment in which they can regain strength with the hope that one day they’ll be well enough to be released back into the wild. Monitoring health, maintaining facilities and looking after animals that are no longer able to care for themselves are just some of the ways that volunteers can help to make a difference. Educating local children (many of whom come from underprivileged rural backgrounds) is also a vital part of working at an animal orphanage. Volunteers gain full training as they seek to improve the relationship between humans and animals and help to change opinions through structured play and lessons on conservation.

“We want to attract volunteers who know what they’re letting themselves in for. We want to be able to manage expectations and can usually tell if someone is right for a role after just a short, informal chat on the phone. We want our wildlife volunteers in South Africa to be culturally aware and ethically engaged and to know that they’ll be making a genuine contribution. They need to know there may be some early starts and hands will be required to get dirty, as well clothes.”

“Often primate release sites take ages to find as they have to have enough resources to support a troop and be far enough from humans to avoid conflict. Some primate rehabilitation centers will also release animals into national parks although there are still a few pockets of wilderness in South Africa that will give them a truly wild experience.”