from 1,119€

Perfect 4.6rating (195)

Elephant Conservation

location
1 - 12 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Perfect 4.6  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Especially suitable

Age 18+
Singles
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Families
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About the program

Encounter the beautiful Asian elephant on this elephant conservation program deep within the lush Sri Lankan jungle.

About the Project

Nestled within the breathtaking surrounds of the Sri Lankan jungle, this project offers volunteers the opportunity to take part in vital ecological research on the region’s elephants. An overarching aim of the project is to assess and reduce human-elephant conflicts in the area, ...

About the program

About the Project

Nestled within the breathtaking surrounds of the Sri Lankan jungle, this project offers volunteers the opportunity to take part in vital ecological research on the region’s elephants. An overarching aim of the project is to assess and reduce human-elephant conflicts in the area, an issue which has become greater in recent years. As a volunteer, you will assist in the implementation of sustainable land-use initiatives using GPS, remote sensing and GIS techniques to develop conservation strategies which in turn will help to protect elephants and other wildlife in the Central and North Central Provinces of Sri Lanka.

Living in harmony with nature is a sentiment deeply embedded in Sri Lanka’s indigenous culture; this is primarily due to the Buddist fabric of the country which advocates ‘Ahimsa’ (non-violence). The project aims to follow this notion, using it to rebuild human-elephant relationships.

The research conducted during this project is carried out to meet rigorous scientific enquiry and is based on adaptive management strategies. Volunteers will have the chance to experience a true, natural wilderness whilst contributing to field research and environmental protection in a meaningful way.

Prior to Arrival

You will need a visa to enter Sri Lanka. Visas for visits of up to thirty days can be obtained online via the Electronic Travel Authority. These can be extended for up to three months once in Sri Lanka from the Department of Immigration and Emigration. However, it is advisable to contact the Sri Lankan High Commission in your country of origin at least one month before you travel. Please note that your passport must be valid for at least six months from your arrival into the country.



Typical day

First Day

You will arrive into Colombo and be met at the airport, and transferred to your hotel in Ambepussa where you will spend your first night. The next morning you will be met by a member of the team, who will then transfer you to the project site. After settling into your accommodation, you ...

Typical day

First Day

You will arrive into Colombo and be met at the airport, and transferred to your hotel in Ambepussa where you will spend your first night. The next morning you will be met by a member of the team, who will then transfer you to the project site. After settling into your accommodation, you will receive an orientation and will have the time to get to know your fellow volunteers before heading out for your first chance to see the elephants!

Regular Days

During the project, your group will be split into two teams who will each engage in a wide variety of different wildlife and elephant conservation tasks in Wasgamuwa National Park. You will also get to visit local villages where you will observe human-elephant conflict resolution projects. Volunteers will also receive time off, where you can choose to relax or visit nearby cultural sites (such as Sigirua and the Temple of the Tooth). However, regarding your workdays, activities may include any of the following:

Human-Elephant Conflict Observations:

This will be a fundamental part of your time on the project, as you will spend your afternoons tracking and monitoring the elephants in vehicles in the ‘elephant corridor’. The purpose of this activity is to allow you to collect data on the special and temporal distribution of passing elephants and observe how villagers and elephants interact, as both factions use the area. You will be able to spot other wildlife, should it walk past! All of the data collected is essential for wider elephant conservation efforts.

Trail Transects:

This activity involves spending a session walking along a trail and recording dung found alongside it. The aim of the trail transect is to investigate Sri Lankan elephant populations outside of Wasgamuwa National Park, as well as to determine their seasonal variation and habitat preferences. Additionally, while not exactly glamorous, this task is incredibly important in indicating the age, size, sex and eating patterns of elephant individuals, and may also illustrate the extent of human-elephant conflicts within the area.

Electric Fence Monitoring:

Each team will check the state of the solar-powered electric fences, which have been erected to stop elephants from entering villages. Once checked, the status of their conditions will then be relayed to the local fence committees, which maintain and operate the fences. This process also enables volunteers and the project staff to see what can go wrong with the fences so that their design and management can be improved.

Elephant ID:

Each team will spend a session at the Weheragala Tank looking for Sri Lankan elephants and then observing and photographing them. Elephant identification data sheets will be filled by observing the different physical features of individual elephants. The aim of the elephant ID is to build up a catalogue of individuals as a basis for numbers, social organisation and movement inside/outside the park. As you observe elephants you may also be able to observe other wildlife present in the area, which includes sloth bears and even leopards!

Sustainable Land Use and Livelihood Project Monitoring:

Agriculture is one of the main contributing factors in human-elephant conflicts. The project has established several sustainable land use and livelihood projects with local communities to develop agriculturally based measures that are compatible with the elephants. You will learn how important the involvement of communities is for sustainable elephant conservation and will also help to monitor and evaluate innovative landscape management systems designed to help buffer communities from elephant raids.

Wildlife Observation and Data Logging: 

You will spend time in your teams at the water tank, where you can look for Sri Lankan elephants and other wildlife including peacocks, mugger crocodiles, water buffalo, macaque monkeys, leopards and an extensive collection of birds within the area. The information collected will then be logged into the system.

Trekking:

During your time on the project, you will spend time observing wildlife and various habitats, as well as visiting forest hermitages and looking out for signs of elephants for wider Asian elephant conservation and other wildlife.

Last Day

After saying goodbye to the project staff and the friends you have made, you will be transferred back to Kandy. From here you can commence your independent travel plans or arrange a transfer back to Colombo to catch your returning flight home.


Free-time activities

The weekends are generally free, so you might want to visit a nearby town or cultural site and the in-country team can assist you with this.

Free-time activities

The weekends are generally free, so you might want to visit a nearby town or cultural site and the in-country team can assist you with this.


Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (intermediate level)

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Other Skills

No specific skills or experience are required, just commitment to the project and its aims. You must be prepared to work alongside other members of the team, and to bring an upbeat, positive attitude to the endeavour as a whole.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

What's Included

What's Included

Services by The Great Projects

A contribution to the project - Transfers between Colombo, Ambepussa and the project site - Full orientation and support from the project managers - Accommodation and all meals

Airport Pickup at Bandaranaike International Airport

On arrival into Colombo, you will be met and transferred to a htoel in Ambepussa where you will spend your first night. A project facilitator will then collect you at 6am the following morning and transfer you directly to the field site.

Accommodation

Volunteers will stay in a 'field house' which can accommodate up to 30 people at a time. There are open walls to catch the breeze and to help keep the building cool. The accommodation itself is rustic and has basic facilities, though there are five modern bathrooms with western toilets, cold showers and sinks. Bathrooms will be split between genders. Please remember to bring your own towel.

Volunteers will share rooms on a same-sex basis, with anything from 2-8 people per room. Electric fans, mosquito nets, pillows and clean beds are provided.

Please note that there is no Wi-Fi at the field house.

Food & Beverages

Three fresh meals per day are prepared for you at the volunteer house. Food is prepared in the local style, with milder spices if preferred. Most meals will involve rice and will be vegetarian, with egg, fish and soy for protein.


What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Internet Access

Sorry, no access at the project site

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) in Colombo. We assist you to find cheap flights to Sri Lanka. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Sri Lanka provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Sri Lanka you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Sri Lanka. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

This project takes place on every Sunday throughout the year. Please contact us to find out whether your preferred start date is available.
Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

1 week (min. stay) 1,119€
2 weeks 1,369€
3 weeks 1,744€
4 weeks 2,119€
6 weeks 2,494€
8 weeks 2,869€
10 weeks 3,244€
12 weeks (max. stay) 3,619€
Average fees 710€/week

Program fees

710€ per week 1 - 12 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

1 - 12 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with The Great Projects during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

The Great Projects

Perfect 4.6 rating (195 reviews)

Agency - founded in 2003

Verified by Volunteer World

  Very high response rate

Coordinated by

Lauren

Spoken languages: English

About the project

The Great Projects work with organisations worldwide to establish high standards in animal welfare and conservation within the responsible tourism sector.

Meet your organization

Looking to volunteer abroad with animals? Here at The Great Projects we believe that there is a better way to holiday. Our award-winning wildlife volunteering abroad with animals projects and signature tours are not only designed to provide truly unique and life-changing experiences for volunteering worldwide, but our donation and conservation pledges ensure that your travel will have a lasting and sustainable impact on some of the planet's most incredible and endangered species and the local communities which live alongside them.

It all began with The Great Orangutan Project in Malaysian Borneo and after a number of years working with local authorities, passionate project facilitators, and hard-working volunteers to create a sustainable, progressive, and effective project - The Great Projects decided to use the experiences and knowledge we had gained to expand our expertise to other projects in Asia, Africa, South America and Europe!

Now with over 35 projects, you can be confident in the fact that you’ll be able to volunteer with some of the world's most incredible wildlife species in completely breath-taking environments. From orangutans in the Bornean rainforest to whale sharks in the Indian Ocean; you’re sure to find something suited to your interests. What’s more, The Great Projects make sure that with us, volunteers are completely immersed into the heart of the matter, at site, delivering an experience like no other as you become familiar with the life of an animal keeper, game ranger, or wildlife conservationist.

Plus, every time someone volunteers with The Great Projects  in addition to their fee which covers accommodation, food, and transfers, we donate up to £350 to the project visited to help the project itself. Therefore, our ecotours and projects are not only designed to be an experience that you will remember for the rest of your life, but you will also join a project knowing that your travel truly does help to save endangered animals and the local communities with which they live alongside.

Here at The Great Projects, we believe that we should practice what we preach. We send volunteers to worldwide destinations on a range of truly unique and thoroughly worthwhile projects that make a real, sustainable difference to their causes. What’s more, The Great Projects provide them with dedicated UK-based staff that ensure volunteers have informative and friendly help throughout all stages of their experience, from initial enquiry to their return.

Through this, we can show volunteers that there is a better way to holiday. Our award-winning wildlife volunteering abroad with animals projects and signature tours are not only designed to provide truly unique and life-changing experiences for volunteering worldwide, but our donation and conservation pledges ensure that your travel will have a lasting and sustainable impact on some of the planet's most incredible and endangered species and the local communities which live alongside them.


Further, The Great Projects does not only aim to provide travel destinations that hold responsibility for animal welfare, but also to the environmental, economic and social impact of our conservation projects as a whole.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Here at The Great Projects, we are completely dedicated to providing our volunteers with the utmost protection with regards to health and safety.

Adventurous travel always involves some degree of risk. Our priority is to keep you safe and protect you as much as possible whilst still giving you an authentic experience of life in your chosen destination.

We conduct extensive risk assessments to make sure we have identified potential hazards and done everything we can to reduce them and we make sure you have the information you need about the destination you are visiting and how to stay safe and healthy while you are out there. We also are partnered with Endsleigh Insurance who are able to offer volunteers comprehensive insurance for all of our projects.

195 reviews · rating4.6

Sarah Dunn rating1.6

2024 at Elephant Conservation

To view these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat is truly an amazing experience! Interaction with the local community was also incredible. However the staff & Field Centre is not terribly welcoming, not good at sharing important information, and lacking energy. Nothing like it’s ...
Emily Toase rating4.6

2018 at Elephant Conservation

I absolutely loved this program! Aside from being able to see herds of elephants in their natural environment - an experience which would easily have been enough!, I also learnt heaps about the projects and initiatives the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society are implementing, about the ...
Michelle rating4.4

2016 at Elephant Conservation

It was great to be so immersed in rustic jungle life. We managed to see elephants every day and I really enjoyed volunteering with elephants and tracking them. There is obviously great conflict between people and elephants here, so to be involved with trying to counteract this was an experience ...
Grace rating4.8

2016 at Elephant Conservation

I volunteered here for three weeks in September, and I had the most amazing time. I learnt immeasurable amounts about the elephants and the relationship between the elephants and the local villagers. We also monitored the use of the elephant corridor, and interacted with the villagers regularly to ...
Imogen rating4.6

2016 at Elephant Conservation

My favourite moment was the first time I saw a family of elephants; the parents, children, uncle, aunt and cousins. They adore their families. ...
Tim rating4.4

2016 at Elephant Conservation

Overall I had a fantastic time, and will certainly do something like this again in the future! The basic nature of the experience – no telly, no contact with the outside world, focussing just on the experience and learning loads about elephants, wildlife and Sri Lanka - was very rewarding and fun. ..

Location

Asia > Southern Asia > Sri Lanka > Wasgamuwa National Park

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