 Meerkat Manor South Africa
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Spend your days as part of a meerkat colony, recording their fascinating behaviour and educating surrounding communities about the importance of meerkats to the ecosystem. |
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 Interested in a safari as well? Please click here for more information! (PDF 173 KB) |
The project is based between Ficksburg and Rosendal in a beautiful undiscovered piece of nature hidden in the Eastern Free State. Bordering on the Lesotho Mountains, and at the base of one of South Africa’s highest mountains, the area also boasts herds of zebra, wildebeest, gemsbok, and ostriches and of course- a large density of meerkats. The nearest large town is Ficksburg and you will be able to buy your supplies here on weekly trips.
Working closely with various colonies of these incredible animals is a truly special experience! Volunteers will experience life as part of a meerkat colony as wild groups of meerkats are habituated to human presence and accept people in their lives as just another part of their landscape.
Meerkats seeking a high point from which to perform sentinel duty will often choose the head of a seated person and this closeness to the cogs of life in nature’s wheel is priceless.
Working with meerkats introduces people to the astonishing diversity of subterranean life that is dug up during a meerkat day of foraging leading to an increased knowledge of the importance of conserving what is left of natural habitats. Being involved in the rich social life of a meerkat family is enormously rewarding.
Duties include:
- Data capture
- Behavioural observation
- Mapping territories
- Habituating new groups
- Educating the surrounding community on issues that meerkat populations face
- At least once a week, we will visit a nearby orphanage to help with maintenance (painting etc) and get to meet and help with the kids.
The resident meerkat specialists have extensive experience in meerkat habituation and conservation, and will be your principal hots. Wendy has lived and walked with meerkats for two years in Springbok (South Africa) and the Makgadikgadi Pans (Botswana). One of her greatest achievements is the many hours she has served as a meerkat sentinel post! The daily scent marking that she undergoes by the dominant male is testimony to the fact that she completely accepted within the meerkat family.
Her research has been documented in “Meerkat Adventures with Nigel Marven” on Animal Planet and in South Africa’s nature program 50/50. She has published two articles on meerkats in Africa Geographic September 2005 (“Meerkats of the Makgadikgadi”) and Diversions September 2006 (“Meerkat Moments”). Shelton has a rich background of working with wild animals and with film crews on National Geographic documentary film productions.
Work hours will vary with weather and meerkat behaviour. Generally you will be up before the sun hits the burrow and spend the morning with the group of meerkats. You may take a packed lunch or return to the base for lunch. In the afternoon you’ll stay with the group until they go into their burrows for the night. As a general rule, there are between 6 – 10 volunteers at the project at any given time. There are daily activities and volunteers will have one day off per week (or two half days off).
 Volunteers stay in Wendy’s cosy cottage on the farm property, equipped with braai (barbeque) facilities and a fantastic view of the mountain!
Two meals a day are provided (Breakfast and dinner) and you can help yourself to lunch. The main house (pictured) is an original sandstone structure teaming with character.
- You can join the programme on the 1 st of each month. The summer months (August - May) are recommended as it sometimes snows in winter but this doesn’t stop the meerkats from surfacing and the research continues year round.
- Minimum duration is 4 weeks and you can extend your stay up to a maximum of 3 months in multiples of a week.
- International flights are not included.
- A transfer service is available on arrival. If you arrive at Bloemfontein airport / bus station or Ficksburg bus station, you will be met by project staff. Alternatively if you require a transfer from Johannesburg airport, please notify at the time of booking.
- Weekly trips to the nearby town of Ficksburg are arranged weekly at no extra cost
- 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 you will need to be relatively patient and happy to spend long periods of time in the field. Being moderately physically fit will ensure you enjoy a project to the fullest, as there is often manual labour involved
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.
- Minimum duration: £1,300 for 4 weeks
- Weekly extension: £200 per week
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