 African Wildlife Research South Africa
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Help researchers collar and track leopards, get close to a troop of baboons and record their behaviour, or help a local community develop an environmental management plan.
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 Interested in a safari as well? Please click here for more information! (PDF 173 KB) |
The research station is located on a large game reserve in the northern part of South Africa, high up in the Soutpansberg mountain range. The area is famous for its breathtaking mountain scenery, pristine wilderness and its close proximity to other tourist “must-sees” such as Kruger National Park, the Tuli wilderness area in Botswana and the Mapungubwe National Park
The programme also includes 2 nights in Kruger National Park and 2 nights in Tuli Wilderness Area in Botswana
The objective of this project is to give volunteers the opportunity to participate in research and outreach programmes aimed at the management of the unique biodiversity of a proposed new Reserve in the area. The new Reserve will cover the area from the Blouberg and Soutpansberg Mountain ranges up to the Limpopo River and will include the northern part of the Kruger National Park and the Mapungubwe National Park. The area is well known for the character of its wilderness and its interesting cultural history. The programme will operate from a research centre situated high up in the Soutpansberg Mountain.
Two renowned PhD zoologists and their staff who have a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of wildlife research will host you. They have been instrumental in setting up the Western Soutpansberg Conservancy and have a strong interest in the regions ecology and conservation issues. Project work includes (the programme is broadly divided into 5 areas):
1) The impact of Elephant on the environment
Volunteers will spend two nights in the Kruger National Park and two nights in the Tuli Wilderness area in Botswana to evaluate the impact of Elephant and to discuss elephant management issues in South Africa. Elephants are threatened in Africa but in South Africa and Botswana numbers are so high that they have an impact on the environment. The following activities will be included:
- Observation of herd structure, behaviour and environmental impacts in the Kruger National Park.
- A visit to the Elephant Museum in Letaba Camp.
- A lecture on elephant management in the Kruger National Park by a park official.
- General observations of the impact of high elephant numbers on the vegetation in the Tuli Wilderness area in Botswana.
- Participation in a study to determine the impact of elephant on trees and smaller mammal species in the Tuli Wilderness area.
2) The management of leopard and other species
Volunteers will participate in a study on leopard in the Soutpansberg Mountain where numbers are relatively high and conflict with game and cattle farmers occur. The study includes the following:
- Recording of tracks and other signs to determine density and distribution.
- The use of scouting cameras to identify individual animals and to determine leopard densities
- The use of radio-telemetry to determine home range sizes.
- Gathering of information on conflict between land owners and leopard
- Prey composition from scat analysis
- Computer modelling of leopard population dynamics
- Information on other predators such as brown hyenas, caracal, civet, genets, honey badgers and mongooses are also recorded.
3) Conservation of primates
Primates in the region are threatened by increasing conflict with crop farmers. Volunteers will participate in studies on habituated troops primates at the Lajuma Research Centre. Behaviour, home range, food habits, predator avoidance and interaction between species are studied in a fragmented environment. Most of the primate troops are habituated to human presence and this often leads to some unforgettable up close encounters!
4) Involvement of rural communities in conservation
Volunteers will participate in a programme aimed at the establishment of a nature reserve on the Machabeng Plateau, a wilderness area owned by a rural community. Activities will include discussions with community leaders to compile a management plan, establishment of boundaries, vegetation mapping, species lists, development of a camping site, a socio-economic survey of the community, training of game guards and other staff and an environmental awareness programme.
5) Preservation of biodiversity
The area has a remarkable biological diversity, particularly in the mountainous areas. This biodiversity is linked to a high diversity in geomorphology, soil and climate with a resultant high diversity in vegetation types. Field surveys are conducted to record the diversity and to explain the complex interactions between the environment and species diversity as well as the interactions between species. Volunteers will participate in one or more of the following field surveys:
- The distribution and habitat requirements of rare and endemic plant species.
- The occurrence and habitat requirements of spiders and scorpions
- The distribution and habitat of endemic reptiles in the western part of the Soutpansberg Mountain.
- The importance of ecological communication for the survival of bird species.
- The distribution and habitat requirements of small mammals.
Work begins at 08:00 in the morning with an hour’s break for lunch and the day ends at 16:00 in the afternoon.
The schedule is set up so you have one day off per week, to see the sights nearby or just to catch up on your tan. Apart from the day off you will also have a town day where you will be taken into Makhado town where it’s possible to stock up on any essentials, catch up with your emails and to buy your groceries for the week.
Accommodation is rustic but comfortable, and located on the research site. During your visit to Tuli, your accommodation is a tented camp on the banks of the River Limpopo. You will be required to share a room with fellow volunteers or research students, however there will never be more than 3 to a room. Bring a sleeping bag. Electricity in the rooms is based on hydro-electricity from a nearby dam and is therefore limited. You will be able to recharge your cell phone, camera batteries, laptop etc with converters but you won’t be able to run a hairdryer, kettles etc.
Please note this project requires volunteers to buy their own groceries and cook their own meals. You will be taken into Makhado town once a week to buy your groceries. On arrival, you will be given a budget of US$100-150 per month for your meals, depending on your requirements.
- You can join the programme between 1st – 3rd of each month
- The programme operates in 4 weekly cycles
- International flights are not included.
- Included in your contribution is a bus ticket from Johannesburg Bus Station to Makado where you will be met and taken to the project.
- All of Twin’s volunteer placements are in partnership with recognised Charities, Non Governmental Organisations (NGO’s), government ministries or registered agents, giving you the confidence to work with reputable organisations.
- Comprehensive insurance is available for each of the volunteer placements.
- Our local partner provides 24-hour support.
Apart from a positive, open minded enthusiasm... not much! You will be required to buy and cook your own meals. There will be constant on-site support to provide you with training and to make your stay enjoyable. It would help if you were in a reasonable state of fitness to get the most out of the experience.
This conservation initiative is truly dependent on volunteer funding and support, to remain operational and to make a meaningful contribution to the preservation of biodiversity.
- The project operates in a 4 weekly cycle: £1,200
- If you wish to join the programme for additional months, then you can choose to specialise on a particular project (leopards, baboons, biodiversity etc) The cost for this is £250 per month and includes accommodation and a food budget – however, it does not include any further trips or research to the Kruger National Park or the Tuli Wilderness Area.
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