Animal Conservation in South Africa

Help to protect and support endangered species in our wildlife conservation programme in South Africa

Successfully sending volunteers abroad for 10 years

Volunteer with Animals in South Africa

A memorable experience making a real difference when you work with endangered animals in South Africa

Our wildlife conservation programme in South Africa gives you the opportunity to involve yourself in some of the best animal volunteering abroad while helping to protect endangered species in a National Park in South Africa. Our team of committed local animal protection staff have dedicated their lives to ensuring that the lions, white & black rhinos, elephants, leopards, cheetahs, buffalos and hyenas of Marakele National Park are afforded the care they need to survive.

But they cannot do it alone. This is where you come in!

What do our animal conservation volunteering programmes include?

If you are interested in conservation volunteer opportunities, this is the programme for you. As a wildlife conservation volunteering in South Africa, you will be involved in a wide range of exciting activities required to ensure that the animals native to Marakele National Park are able to survive. Environmental changes, as well as continuing poaching, have seen many of Africa’s animals face huge challenges in a changing environment. Some of the nature reserve volunteering projects that you will assist in during your stay include:

Animal Monitoring

Assisting in the tracking and monitoring of lions, white & black rhinos, elephants, leopards, cheetahs, buffalos and hyenas. It is vital for the reserve to understand their movements and behaviours, and you will have the opportunity to get close to these amazing animals on a daily basis. Together with monitoring drives, you will assist the project rangers in processing camera traps to monitor and record sightings, and then analyze the data you've collected. This, in turn, will give you the opportunity to learn a great deal about the animals' behaviour.

Anti-Poaching

During your animal conservation volunteer work, you will be involved with anti-poaching, looking out for suspicious tracks, reporting any low flying aircraft, joining the sleep outs, and even having the unique possibility to fly on a microlight to check the reserve from above.

Park Management

Helping out with alien plant removal, road restoration, rubbish removal, fire control, game capture, and bush clearing. A balanced eco-system grants a greater quality of life for the animals, so you'll be working to keep all flora and fauna happy!

If you'd like to find out more about wildlife conservation volunteering in South Africa with Agape, apply now to hear from our specialist trip adviser.

Typical Week

A typical week of wildlife volunteer work in South Africa consists of a combination of getting close to the animals on game drives and time spent analyzing the results of your findings. You’ll go on two game drives per day (unless on house duty) with a break back at base for lunch, so there will plenty of opportunity to get up close and personal with some of South Africa’s amazing wildlife.

When not on game drives, your time nature reserve volunteering will be spent helping the team to analyse the results of their findings, and helping out with the specific needs of the day. Sundays are your day off and a chance to relax after the hard week’s work.

Living With Agape

Our volunteers in South Africa live together with staff in a sprawling, spacious, refurbished farmhouse with dorm-style rooms and plenty of social areas. Set right in the bush, it's an amazing location right by the animals. But don't worry - there is a fence to keep out any potentially dangerous intruders! There is a recreation area for you to relax and socialise with your co-volunteers in the evenings and on the weekends. The recreation area has sofas, a kitchen, board games and wildlife books so that you can brush up your knowledge before a game drive. You will be provided with three meals a day, though volunteers are asked to cook on Sundays.

Optional Extras

If you choose to volunteer with animals in South Africa, your main interest will be spending time doing hands-on conservation work with the animals. However, volunteers on our South Africa wildlife programme will also have the opportunity to get a sense of the bigger picture of the reserve's ecosystem by taking part in a micro-light flight, surveying the National Park from above. Although this comes at an extra cost, it is a truly incredible experience.

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The Application Process

1: Start Your Application

Once you have chosen where you would like to volunteer and you will need to fill in some basic details about yourself as well about the programme you wish to participate in, so that we can get back to you with the relevant information.
2: Your Own Trip Advisor

Your own personal trip adviser should contact you within 48 hours after submitting your application. They will be responsible for your entire booking, including: answering any questions you have, helping you to source flights and giving you important safety.
3: Select Adventures

Your trip advisor will provide you an adventures guide for the country you will be volunteering in. This includes some extra trips you can take on top of your volunteering; these vary from safaris, weekends at beach resorts to a hike up Kilimanjaro!
4: Pay and Depart

Your trip advisor will talk you through how to pay your programme fee and for any extra trips. Shortly before your departure we will be in contact to give you some information about airport pick ups and safety procedures, from there you are all set for your African adventure.