Shamwari
Game Reserve offers the ultimate placements for conservation volunteers in a malaria-free
environment. Shamwari means 'my friend' and this reserve is the southernmost
premier 'Big Five' Game Reserve in South Africa, boasting a huge variety of game
over a vast 24,000 hectares. Here we promise to offer you the experience of a
lifetime, organising animal care jobs with an award-winning conservation
team. If exposure to the African wildlife is your dream then gap year voluntary
jobs in animal care at the Shamwari Game Reserve will exceed
your wildest expectations...
Volunteer
placements and animal care jobs allow you to become part of the conservation team
at the Shamwari reserve and to assist them in their long term projects, including: -
Game Monitoring / Counts
- Community Project – C.A.R.E
- General
Shamwari Reserve Maintenance
- Wilderness Experience –
Camping out under the stars in the wilderness area (Weather dependent)
-
Shooting and APU (additional cost)
- Orientation of camps and facts
- Fence, wire and rubbish clearing
- Fence Patrol
-
Survival Sleep out
- Road Maintenance and Bush Clearing
-
Rock packing along fence lines
- Updating data and information on
to computer
- Game Counts
As part of your placement there
may also be the opportunity to help and assist at the Born Free Foundation's
Big Cat sanctuary situated within the Reserve. It is the mission of both The
Born Free Foundation and Shamwari Game Reserve aim to promote the conservation
of species and the protection of habitats. Over the years, Born Free has been
able to rescue animals from situations of serious danger and provide excellent
life-time animal care. Jobs volunteering at the Shamwari Game
Reserve will mean showing a compassionate approach to the welfare of animals
and becoming part of the Born Free conservation mission.
As a conservation
volunteer you may also be involved with the feeding of these big cats as well
as the maintenance of their enclosures. |
MORE
INFORMATION ...
Conservation volunteers at Shamwari Reserve
will have the chance to assist with many on-going short and long term projects;
however, as your placement will only be a relatively short time there is no guarantee
that you will be involved in all projects during your placement. Conservation
at the Shamwari Game Reserve is about the management, development and rehabilitation
of the environment to create a sustainable ecosystem through the implementation
of conservation principals.
The conservation department at Shamwari has
a highly effective team including a qualified wildlife veterinarian, an ecologist
and an environmentalist. The Wildlife Department also boasts a breeding and rehabilitation
centre, an education centre and an anti-poaching unit. Working alongside conservation
volunteers in animal care jobs, the department strives to protect and
to improve the environment to ensure the lasting sustainability of the reserve
as an ecosystem rich in biodiversity.
The reserve is constantly monitoring
existing game and introducing new game throughout the year, making Shamwari one
of our most exciting conservation projects.
| The
wildlife department where you will be working has received the Global Nature Fund
Award for Best Conservation Practice, and Shamwari Reserve's wildlife director,
Dr Johan Joubert, was voted one of South Africa's Top Ten conservationists by
the Endangered Wildlife Trust. | |
 | Location
Shamwari
Game Reserve is situated in the Eastern Cape of South
Africa, only an hour's drive from Port Elizabeth. This area historically had
an abundance of wild game roaming free.
The Eastern Cape is justifiably famous
for a number of other game reserves. The great herds of Knysna Forest elephants
were almost totally eradicated at the turn of this century, and yet, miraculously,
the man most responsible for nearly wiping out an entire species had a dramatic
change of heart and spent the balance of his life fighting for a safe haven for
these rare and wonderful animals. |
Addo National Park and the Mountain Zebra Park saw almost exactly the same thing
happen to the rare mountain zebra. Shot to the brink of extinction, in the 1930s
this rare species struggled to come back. Today, there are over 200 in the park.
Click
here to read more about South Africa |
Accomodation
Conservation
volunteers are accommodated at Madolo's Retreat situated in the northern area
of Shamwari Game Reserve. There are 12 bedrooms as well as a communal living
area, all rooms are twin bedded and en-suite.
Madolo's Retreat boasts many
facilities including TV with DSTV (Sky), CD player and a computer is shared between
all conservation volunteers, (although lines are not always accessible).
There is a Braai (BBQ) area and a swimming pool for all volunteers to relax and
use at leisure.
Time
Off
The working week at Shamwari Reserve is Monday to Friday, between
08:00 and 17:00. Evenings and weekends are for leisure time away from your animal
care jobs. During the evenings conservation volunteers can organise
board games and other activities or relax with a drink at either the Station Bar
or Loui's Bar. During weekends you can explore some of the surrounding attractions.
Popular choices include Storms River Bungee jump, or surfing at Jeffrey's Bay. |
Project
Duration and Rates
| 2
weeks | 3
weeks | 4
weeks | 6
weeks | 8
weeks | 12
weeks | | £1,199 | £1,549 | £1,849 | £2,299 | £2,699 | £3,699 |
|
