Ethical Predator Sanctuary Assistant

location
2 - 8 Wochen  ·  Alter 18 - 50+

rating  Brilliant 4.7  · 
  von Volunteer World verifiziert
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Highlights

  • A project for the big cat lovers who understand that no breeding, no petting and no trading takes place with truly ethical big cat sanctuaries.
  • Meet the resident non-releasable wild cats and get to know their unique individual characters while helping with their care. The black leopard and white lion are especially unique!
  • The fun part- learn about animal enrichment and how to keep wildlife stimulated in captivity as these wild cats are non-releasable so will live their natural lives at the sanctuary

Highlights

  • A project for the big cat lovers who understand that no breeding, no petting and no trading takes place with truly ethical big cat sanctuaries.
  • Meet the resident non-releasable wild cats and get to know their unique individual characters while helping with their care. The black leopard and white lion are especially unique!
  • The fun part- learn about animal enrichment and how to keep wildlife stimulated in captivity as these wild cats are non-releasable so will live their natural lives at the sanctuary
  • Great for Gappers, career breakers, families, post-retirement gappers, animal lovers, wildlife enthusiasts, volunteers who like to get hands-on, those with DIY skills, conservation students
  • Lots to do in your spare time from diving with sharks, whale & dolphin watching, wine & beer tasting or just visiting the closest city for shopping and a bite to eat


  • Besonders geeignet für

    Alter 18+
    Alleinreisend
    Pärchen
    Gruppen
    50+

    Über das Programm

    Volunteer at an extremely ethical predator sanctuary with the care of lions, tigers, leopard, caracal, serval and jackal in the beautiful Western Cape province.

    In a rural area surrounded by indigenous fauna and flora you will find this incredible sanctuary which has become the forever home for many rescued big cats and predators providing a safe and stimulating environment and sanctuary for the rest of their natural lives. As the years have gone by the ...

    Über das Programm

    In a rural area surrounded by indigenous fauna and flora you will find this incredible sanctuary which has become the forever home for many rescued big cats and predators providing a safe and stimulating environment and sanctuary for the rest of their natural lives. As the years have gone by the project has grown from strength to strength with the help of volunteers with more big cats finding sanctuary and enclosures being upgraded and improved to incorporate platforms, water features and even an amazing enrichment enclosure which ensures they have the best possible life in captivity as these are all non-releasable animals that have been saved from some very negative backgrounds.

    Volunteer duties may vary and may depend on certain factors such as what’s required at the time, the weather, veterinary treatment or preparing for a new animal arriving. Thursdays are excursion days in the neighbouring area and weekends are for free time so a perfect time to see more of the local area or even take an overnight trip to the coast...or Cape Town.

    Volunteer duties

    Caring for the amazing big cats

    Caring for the animals means anything from spending time with Bella, the tiger, as she loves to go for walks, or Max the caracal who also loves to walk (of course on different sides of the fence), sit outside the animals’ enclosures just being in and feeling their presence, and they feel yours, giving them daily reassurance and distraction from being captive. We often recommend to bring a book or diary or drawing paper – whatever is suitable for the different people. You may also be involved in preparing special medication for the animals that need it. The cats’ condition is also checked daily, which you will be responsible for, and report if anything seems out of the ordinary.

    Enrichment program

    You, as a volunteer, personally make enrichment for the animals, and it is all about thinking outside the box! You can make big animals out of cardboard boxes, paper mache balls or structures, make structures out of tyres, make sensory enrichment to stimulate the cats’ smells, with anything from herbs, to fruits, peanut butter, honey, etc. You can also make jumping obstacles, rolling toys and create structures where the animals must use their strength to get through/over. The sky is the limit, although everything is monitored and rules do apply with regards to safety for the animals.

    Assist with feeding

    The feeding runs off a flexible schedule, and not on routine, as this is not in the best interest for the animals as in the wild, there is no routine with the eating habits of big cats. The project believes in making feeds random with both type of meat, size of portions, and times of feeding. Some days they will get a very large portion and not get food for three days, and some days a small portion early morning, small portion next day, medium portion two days later in the evening, etc. They feed as freshly as possible, so when they know a horse/cow/antelope is coming in, they try and feed that day to give them the most nutritious food possible.

    Cleaning and maintaining enclosures

    Every enclosure is cleaned once to three times a week, depending on the animal and size of enclosure. Water bowls and feeding camps also need daily check-ups and the fences are checked every morning and every afternoon to make sure the electricity is working, and that all the fences are in order. When cleaning the enclosures there are always things needing to be repaired, whether fixing or upgrading the wild cat’s houses, trees, taking out weeds or alien invasive plants, planting new bushes, fixing fences, etc.  

    General farm work

    At the sanctuary there are many things that need to be kept maintained, so you will help daily with anything from clearing of alien vegetation, fixing of fences, building of structures, planting, making flowerbeds, fixing the tourist area, clearing of fire breaks, fixing roads, painting, making presentations and so forth. Everyone has different wishes and specialities, and we try our best to make it the most fun for you, and also let you put your “signature” on something while you are there!

    Educating visitors

    Assist staff with educational visits for the public. You’ll also join some tours so that you get a proper understanding of the education they provide on big cats, and understand more about what the sanctuary is about. You may be asked to assist with day events and stalls at markets to raise awareness with the public. During the year fundraisers also take place which you may get involved in. These are normally to raise funds for a specific cause like a veterinary clinic onsite, eye surgery, animal relocation etc


    Tagesablauf

    To keep things as close to how things are found in the wild especially with feeding, there is no fixed schedule so the daily scheduled is varied. There will be a difference between summer and winter months due to temperature and hours of light during the day. Morning starts with a meeting where the ...

    Tagesablauf

    To keep things as close to how things are found in the wild especially with feeding, there is no fixed schedule so the daily scheduled is varied. There will be a difference between summer and winter months due to temperature and hours of light during the day. Morning starts with a meeting where the day’s schedule is planned and set up for you. There will be plenty of breaks during the morning and afternoon projects, and flexibility for sightseeing activities in the area too- of which there are plenty of things to do!

    07.00 am- Wake up, wash and get ready
    07.30 am- Help yourself to breakfast with the food provided
    08.00 am- Morning meeting
    08.15 am- Staff morning project which could be any of the volunteer duties listed above
    12.00 pm- Break for lunch with a meal provided for you
    15.00 pm- Afternoon volunteer duties
    18.00pm- Make your dinner
    19.00pm- Relax, swim, read, contemplate on the meaning of life, listening to the lions roar…

    Thursday's are outings days and weekends are off


    Freizeitaktivitäten

    You will need to fly into Cape Town International Airport for your collection. This area of the Western Cape province has so much to offer surrounded by wine farms, craft breweries, hiking trails, sea kayaking, river cruises, quad biking, zip lining, paragliding, bird watching, whale & dolphin ...

    Freizeitaktivitäten

    You will need to fly into Cape Town International Airport for your collection. This area of the Western Cape province has so much to offer surrounded by wine farms, craft breweries, hiking trails, sea kayaking, river cruises, quad biking, zip lining, paragliding, bird watching, whale & dolphin watching, horse riding, picturesque towns, stretches of untouched coastline, scenic views and even white shark diving. It is also possible to also do a four hour round trip to Cape Agulhas, the ‘Southern Most Tip of Africa’

    If wildlife, nature and beaches interest you, it is a perfect part of South Africa to volunteer in.

    Saturdays, Sundays and Thursdays are normally your days off, so you can expect a good variety of hard work and relaxation. Thursday is your activity day where you will be enjoying the amazing Overberg area together with the other volunteers and our volunteer coordinator. 


    Voraussetzungen

    Voraussetzungen

    Mindestalter: 18 Jahre

    Um an diesem Programm teilzunehmen, musst du zu Programmbeginn mindestens 18 Jahre alt sein. Es kann Ausnahmen geben, wenn du die Erlaubnis deines/r Erziehungsberechtigten vorlegen kannst oder wenn du von deinen Eltern begleitet wirst

    Sprachkenntnisse

    Du brauchst folgende Sprachkenntnisse: Englisch (Grundkenntnisse)

    Staatszugehörigkeit

    Es gibt keine Beschränkungen. Helfende Hände aus aller Welt sind willkommen.

    Andere Fähigkeiten

    Gappers, career breakers, families, post-retirement gappers, animal lovers, wildlife enthusiasts, volunteers who like to get hands-on, those with DIY skills, conservation students are all welcome

    Arbeitszeiten

    Deine Hilfe wird an folgenden Tagen benötigt: Montag, Dienstag, Mittwoch und Freitag von 08:00 - 17:00

    Leistungen

    Leistungen

    Dienstleistungen von Volunteer Int. Adventures

    The volunteer project cost includes pre-departure support and administration, branded t-shirt, in-country staff, 24-hour emergency help, transfers to and from Cape Town International Airport for arrival and departure, shared accommodation with WiFi, vegetarian breakfast (self-made) and lunch (vegetarian) when on-site at the sanctuary, weekly transport to grocery shop and our weekly Thursday activities.

    The volunteer project cost does not include flight tickets, travel insurance, dinner each night, food when not on-site at the sanctuary and any activities with a fee. If you require a special diet (e.g. vegan or gluten free), we ask that you provide your own alternatives (milk, bread etc) these are available at the supermarkets. 


    Abholung vom Flughafen Cape Town International Airport

    Airport collections and  drop offs are scheduled for set Saturday dates ONLY from Cape Town International Airport between 10am and 2pm. On collection you will be met and then taken to your project which is a 2-hour drive away from Cape Town. On the way back from the airport to the volunteer accommodation, you will stop at the supermarket so you can buy your groceries for the week. Your next shopping trip will be Thursday so please buy enough food to keep you going until then. As a reminder, we provide food for your breakfast (DIY) and lunch (a shared meal) whenever you are at work, so you will just need to buy food for weekend lunches, dinners, snacks, alcohol and we also ask that you buy water to drink. The water on the project is safe, but it is more ‘natural’ in colour and taste than most people are used to!  Tea and coffee making facilities, however if you like a particular tea or coffee, we recommend you purchase your own for your stay. If you require dairy or gluten alternatives, these are available to buy at the supermarket.

    Unterkunft

    The volunteer accommodation is in a stunning newly house in the most beautiful with shared natural setting situated an 8-minute drive or 25-minute walk from the sanctuary itself so at night you can hear the roars of the lions. A totally unforgettable sound! The volunteer house consists of 3 shared bedrooms with 3 bathrooms, a spacious and fully equipped modern kitchen and dining room for everyone to cook and enjoy dinners and games nights together, a living room area with a fire for film evenings or relaxing with a good book. Outside you will enjoy beautiful mountain views and indigenous vegetation. There is a traditional South African braai (BBQ) area, and the property is fenced off with a security gate. There is a lovely dam and large garden with space to play games, walk or sunbathe. There are other houses on the small holding where staff members live too so you will always have company. At night you may just hear the lions roaring in the distance. Linen is provided

    You will share a bedroom with a maximum of 4 other volunteers.

    There is WIFI in the house, so you can easily keep contact with friends and family on mail, social media and Skype. However, the internet connection is very slow, so downloading of movies, music, films, etc is not possible, and ask you to only Skype with voice communication. 

    Verpflegung

    Vegetarian breakfasts and lunch's are provided when onsite at the sanctuary. Dinners are for the volunteers own expense as are lunches if away from the sanctuary. Volunteers often assist preparing meals in the communal kitchen and help washing up afterwards. Once a week on a Thursday volunteers will be taken to a nearby town for shopping for extras they might need for their dinners as part of their excursion.  

    Internetzugriff

    Gute Verbindung vor Ort

    Was ist NICHT inklusive?

    Was ist NICHT inklusive?

    Flugtickets

    Der nächstgelegene Flughafen ist Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town. Wir helfen dir günstige Flüge nach Südafrika zu finden. FINDE GÜNSTIGE FLÜGE

    Reiseversicherung

    Ins Ausland zu gehen ist ein Abenteuer, auf das man sich stets gut vorbereiten sollte. Plötzliche Krankheit oder Verletzung, Stornierung oder Diebstahl - eine Reiseversicherung für Südafrika bietet die nötige Sicherheit. ANGEBOT EINHOLEN

    Impfungen

    Bevor du deine Freiwilligenarbeit in Südafrika antrittst, solltest du dich noch einmal von deinem Arzt beraten lassen und deine erforderlichen Impfungen für Südafrika überprüfen. IMPFSCHUTZ ÜBERPRÜFEN

    Informationen zur Anreise

    2024 dates:

    November - 23rd 

    December - 7th, 21st 

    2025 dates

    Available arrival dates for 2025 are:

    January – 4th, 18th

    February – 1st, 15th

    March – 1st, 15th, 29th

    April – 12th, 26th

    May – 10th, 24th

    June – 07th, 21st

    July – 05th, 19th

    August – 09th, 23rd 

    September – 06th, 20th 

    October – 04th, 18th

    November – 01st, 15th, 29th 

    December – 13th, 27th

    You will need to fly into Cape Town International Airport between 10am and 2pm for your collection and then will be taken to the project.


    Verfügbarkeit
    Jan Feb Mär Apr Mai Jun Jul Aug Sep Okt Nov Dez

    Programmgebühren

    2 Wochen (Mindestaufenthalt) 1.816€
    3 Wochen 2.421€
    4 Wochen 3.039€
    5 Wochen 3.505€
    6 Wochen 3.921€
    7 Wochen 4.476€
    8 Wochen (Maximaler Aufenthalt) 5.044€
    Durchschnittliche Gebühren 769€/Woche

    Programmgebühren

    769€ / Woche 2 - 8 Wochen Alter 18 - 50+

    Zahlungsarten

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    KEINE KREDITKARTENGEBÜHREN


    Dauer

    2 - 8 Wochen

    Anzahlung

    Mit der Anzahlung reservierst du deinen Platz beim Freiwilligenprogramm. Zahlungen werden von PayPal abgewickelt, unserem vertrauenswürdigen globalen Zahlungsanbieter. Falls du keinen PayPal Account hast, kannst du die Anzahlung auch mit einer Kreditkarte bezahlen.


    Ausstehende Zahlung

    Deine Restzahlung vereinbarst du mit Volunteer Int. Adventures während des Bewerbungsprozesses. Normalerweise handelt es sich um eine Banküberweisung oder eine Barzahlung am Projektstandort.


    Lerne deine Organisation kennen

    Volunteer Int. Adventures

    Brilliant 4.7 rating (70 Bewertungen)

    Agentur - gegründet 2020

    von Volunteer World verifiziert

      Ausgezeichnete Antwortrate

    Veranstaltet von

    Sharon

    Gesprochene Sprachen: Afrikaans, Englisch

    Über die Organisation

    We are a hands-on volunteer organisation with 16 years' experience of working with volunteers in animal care, veterinary, conservation and youth projects.

    Lerne deine Organisation kennen

    Volunteer International Adventures is dedicated to youth and animal projects, which are areas of great passion for us. We recognize the need for assistance from international volunteers in developing countries and have witnessed the transformative impact of their hands-on involvement on communities and conservation efforts.

    "Empowering Change Through Ethical Volunteer holidays"

    Our core priorities are as follows:

    1. Culture and Cultural Sensitivity:

    We encourage our volunteers to fully immerse themselves in the culture of the country they are volunteering in, understanding that volunteering differs significantly from being a tourist. By working closely with local communities and project partners, our volunteers gain profound insights into the challenges faced by the country. We actively support and facilitate opportunities for volunteers to engage in various activities, interact with locals, and educate themselves about the nation's history, no matter how difficult it may be. Cultural sensitivity is paramount, and we ensure that our approach is collaborative rather than imposing our own ideas. We welcome suggestions and creative ideas from our volunteers, as they often prove to be feasible and enrich the communities we serve.

    2. Fulfilling Volunteer Experiences:

    We strive to ensure that all our volunteers leave with a sense of accomplishment. Whether it is helping a child grasp mathematics, teaching cricket to school children, providing sewing classes to uplift youth, participating in wildlife conservation efforts such as satellite collaring African wild dogs or rhino relocation, collecting data on great white shark populations, treating sick indigenous wildlife, assisting with animal sterilization in disadvantaged communities, instilling a love for reading in children, or teaching marimba classes—the list is diverse and extensive. We want our volunteers to develop a deep connection with the country they are assisting and forge lifelong friendships that can serve as future ambassadors for their respective nations.

    3. Ethical Projects:

    We strictly oppose trophy hunting and the breeding of lions for commercial gain. Our wildlife and animal projects take place in free-roaming reserves, registered rehabilitation centers, or sanctuaries where the animals are non-releasable due to injuries, human habituation, or being non-indigenous to the area. We support local and ethical animal sanctuaries and reserves, which our volunteers can visit during their free time. When working with children in teaching, care, or youth development projects, we require a recent paper copy of a background check (CRB check) from volunteers' countries of origin. This precaution ensures the safety and well-being of the children we serve, who often come from challenging socio-economic backgrounds and have been let down by adults in the past. We prioritize the protection of innocent animals and children who cannot advocate for themselves.

    4. Responsible and Sustainable Approach:

    We take pride in implementing responsible and sustainable projects that involve local community members, ensuring the continuity of operations even when volunteer numbers are low. While some projects rely heavily on volunteer support due to limited funds, we strive to strike a balance by involving sufficient local participation.

    5. Cost Effectiveness:

    Having collaborated with volunteers on projects for nearly 15 years, we recognize that volunteering can come at a significant cost. Therefore, we are committed to making volunteering more accessible, reasonable, and inclusive. Our projects encompass various extras, and we maintain affordability by keeping costs low and encouraging increased hands-on assistance. We offer negotiable family, friends, and group discounts, as volunteering together enables us to further reduce expenses. Loyalty is rewarded, and returning volunteers receive special recognition in our projects. Additionally, our costs include donations to our projects, contributing to their sustainability and impact.

    6. Safety:

    The safety of our volunteers is of paramount importance. We thoroughly vet and assess all our projects, ensuring adequate safety measures are in place. While certain areas may be off-limits due to potential risks, it is important to note that complete safety guarantees are impossible in any location. We have established channels for reporting incidents and maintain close relationships with in-country support on the ground. Furthermore, we possess liability insurance and require all participants to have personal travel insurance. To provide comprehensive support, we arrange airport collections and drop-offs, ensuring our volunteers are assisted throughout their entire journey. We pride ourselves on delivering a personal touch and remain available 24/7 to address any emergencies.

    Please remember to arrange your comprehensive travel insurance at the time of booking your trip, as it is an essential aspect of ensuring your well-being and peace of mind.

    We sincerely appreciate your interest in Volunteer International Adventures and our commitment to making a positive impact through responsible volunteering. Should you have any further questions or require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

    70 Bewertungen · rating4.7

    Lynn van den Broecke rating5

    2024 at Ethical Predator Sanctuary Assistant

    A massive thank you to everyone who was involved in this project! I felt safe and well taken care of. I think about this experience a lot. I would definitely recommend it to everyone! ...
    Esther Burden rating5

    2024 at Big Cat Sanctuary on a Wildlife Reserve

    I would 100% recommend this excellent volunteer programme to anyone interested in big cats. I know now that i didn’t do enough research about the lion industry and ethical vs non-ethical sanctuarys before my three-month stay at this sanctuary, but i was very lucky to end up somewhere where the ...
    It is difficult to know where to begin, this process has utterly changed my life in the most positive ways. During my stay in Knysna I got the opportunity to volunteer at a local NGO that offers so many people the support they need. The work involves engaging and educating prisoners to working in ...
    I have absolutely loved my experience in South Africa volunteering with Endangered Wildlife Monitoring and Research, and I am sad that I have to leave in a few days. By the time I leave I will have spent six weeks in South Africa, so I've been lucky enough to volunteer at all three of the reserves ...
    Kemly Yambay rating5

    2024 at Horse Rescue and Rehabilitation

    An experience that I will never forget and forever in my heart thanks to all the team of the Horse Rescue and Rehabilitation. Amazing team and good people My best wishes for the new farm and see you guys very ...
    Karine Bottiglieri rating5

    2024 at Whales, Sharks and Penguins Conservation

    truly exceptional, Where to start, the warm and sincere welcome. I am French, my English is average, but they made themselves available to me, they took the time to explain to me so that I understood, always with a smile and patience. the whole team goes out of their way to show you the wonders of ...

    Lage


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