• Life On Land
Available from May 2025

Wildlife Orphanage Animal Manager

location
24 - 36 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

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

Complete your reservation as soon as possible. This project fills up quickly and is already booked on certain dates.


Highlights

  • Ensure the health and wellbeing of the animals in camp.
  • Provide basic veterinary care when required; notify the veterinarian in case of serious illness and administer medication as directed.
  • Run the enrichment program; Improve enclosures.

Highlights

  • Ensure the health and wellbeing of the animals in camp.
  • Provide basic veterinary care when required; notify the veterinarian in case of serious illness and administer medication as directed.
  • Run the enrichment program; Improve enclosures.
  • Manage the volunteers and children whilst they undertake animal tasks.
  • Watch for births, breeding and unusual behavior, and record their observations; Keep the online database up to date with all animals and daily happenings.


  • Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles

    About the program

    As Wildlife Orphanage Manager you will ensure the health and wellbeing of the animals in camp. You will also be responsible for maintenance/repairs of enclosures and more

    The Volunteer Wildlife Animal Care Manager is a vital role in ensuring the health and wellbeing of animals at our camp. You will be responsible for the maintenance and repair of animal camp facilities and the daily care and enrichment of animals in captivity. This position also entails supervising ...

    About the program

    The Volunteer Wildlife Animal Care Manager is a vital role in ensuring the health and wellbeing of animals at our camp. You will be responsible for the maintenance and repair of animal camp facilities and the daily care and enrichment of animals in captivity. This position also entails supervising volunteers and children involved in animal-related tasks.


    Key Responsibilities

    • Animal Health and Welfare
    1. Ensure the health and wellbeing of animals in camp.
    2. Provide basic veterinary care when required.
    3. Notify the veterinarian in case of serious illness and administer medication as directed.
    4. Run the enrichment program to enhance animals' physical and mental stimulation.

    • Volunteer and Children Supervision
    1. Manage and supervise volunteers and children during animal-related tasks.
    2. Provide guidance and ensure their safety while working with animals.

    • Facility Management
    1. Improve animal enclosures to provide a safe and enriching environment.
    2. Run the orphan care department, ensuring proper care for young animals.

    • Visitor Interaction
    1. Take occasional visitors and sponsors on tours around the camp.
    2. Answer questions and educate visitors and volunteers about specific animals and species in general.

    • Data Management
    1. Keep the online database up to date with all animal records and daily happenings.
    2. Maintain stock of resources and order more when required.

    • Professional Development
    1. Stay up to date with scientific findings and developments in captive care guidelines.
    2. Collaborate with the fundraising team to gain sponsorship for resources and materials.



    Typical day

    You will work from Monday until Friday, around 8 hours a day. A typical work day starts at 7:30 AM, with breakfast break at 8:30 and lunch time at 12:30. Your work day will end after 16:30 o'clock. You should be able to organise your hours and be flexible. 

    You will work mostly outdoors. A typical ...

    Typical day

    You will work from Monday until Friday, around 8 hours a day. A typical work day starts at 7:30 AM, with breakfast break at 8:30 and lunch time at 12:30. Your work day will end after 16:30 o'clock. You should be able to organise your hours and be flexible. 

    You will work mostly outdoors. A typical day involves animal care activities with the group of volunteers and children at 7:30 and 16:30 and enrichment activities, enclosure adaptations/renovations, research and more throughout the day. 

    Every Saturday, any volunteer can go to town to do shopping, enjoy a lunch in a restaurant or do an excursion, the latter can also be done on Sundays, as weekends are your days off. DAKTARI also proposes extra-mural trips as visiting the famous Kruger National Park, the Blyde River Canyon etc.

    Free-time activities

    There are a list of excursions that can be arranged by the Office staff. Please ask the volunteer coordinator, as the DAKTARI cars are not available for personal use. You also have the option to organise your own free time activities on weekends; it's important, however, to keep in mind that DAKTARI ...

    Free-time activities

    There are a list of excursions that can be arranged by the Office staff. Please ask the volunteer coordinator, as the DAKTARI cars are not available for personal use. You also have the option to organise your own free time activities on weekends; it's important, however, to keep in mind that DAKTARI is located inside a private game reserve and it is not easy to come and go as you please.

    Interesting things to do in Limpopo Province:

    • Visit Kruger Park. DAKTARI is situated between two gates, Phalaborwa and Orpen. Time to Kruger is about 90 minutes. The entrance fee at the time of writing is ± R220 per day.
    • Moholoholo is a rehabilitation centre roughly an hour from DAKTARI. You can see raptors, honey badgers, cheetahs, lions, wild dogs, a hippo and other animals. The entrance fee is ± R 100 per person. Tours start at 9.30 am and 3 pm that last for 2 1/2 hours. Tours are the only way to visit this facility. It’s not necessary to book ahead.
    • Khamai Reptile Park has snakes, iguana, crocodiles and terrapins.
    • The Blyde River Canyon is also nearby, nestled in the Drakensberg Mountains. There is a panorama route, which takes in the Three Rondavels (mountains that look like huts), waterfalls, great viewpoints and some picturesque villages.
    • White water rafting is available on the Blyde River or on the Olifants River.
    • Other more expensive activities include micro lighting; private game reserve walks/drives, hot air balloon trips and the elephant sanctuary in Hazyview, which is fantastic. 
    • Hoedspruit has shopping, an Internet café, and many bars and restaurants with pool tables.
    • Sundowners (drinks) at “The Leopard Rock” (an outcrop at DAKTARI with great views of the Lowveld and Drakensberg mountains) are another popular evening activity. If you want to go to the “rock”, discuss with Ian and/or Michèle. Obviously this activity takes place after the children have left!

    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 (fluently)

    Education Requirements

    Not required, although education with animal welfare and/or environment focus is preferred. at Undergraduate degree or ongoing undergraduate degree is required. level

    Required Documents

    CV, Passport and Travel Insurance to cover the entire stay in South Africa

    Nationality Restrictions

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

    Other Skills

    Previous experience working with wild animals is important; Must be gentle and patient when working with animals; Physically capable and must be aware of allergies to animals; Knowledge of ethics and welfare issues associated with captive animals; Ability to handle upsetting situations, such as working with injured or mistreated animals; Willingness to perform dirty or unpleasant tasks when necessary; Excellent teamwork, leadership and management skills.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 07:30 - 16:30

    What's Included

    What's Included

    Airport Pickup at Hoedspruit Airport

    We will pick you up on a Saturday in Hoedspruit. Please inform us of your itinerary so that we are able to arrange your pickup. 
    Please note that we are only able to arrange free pick-ups/drop-offs on Saturdays and only in Hoedspruit. Pick-ups/drop-offs are possible on different week days with a fee. 

    Accommodation

    You will have a private room with one bathroom in one of our accommodation sites: either a chalet, a cottage or in a 2-floor house. 

    Food & Beverages

    We have a kitchen staff preparing 3 meals per day for us: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Please specify any dietary restrictions before arrival. 

    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Hoedspruit Airport (HDS) in Hoedspruit. We assist you to find cheap flights to South Africa. 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 South Africa provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

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

    Details on arrival

    This is a long-term volunteer position for a minimum 6-month stay. As a volunteer, you will be provided accommodation, all meals + all living costs inside our camp included in exchange of your work with us. 

    Please apply for details on the available start dates. 

    The project is located 60km outside of Hoedspruit near Kruger National Park. You would need to either travel via plane or shuttle from Johannesburg to get to Hoedspruit. A member of the team will be there to meet you on arrival and bring you to camp. Note that arrivals are only possible on Saturdays. 
    Availability
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

    Program fees

    24 weeks (min. stay) 0€
    36 weeks (max. stay) 0€
    Average fees 0€/week

    Program fees

    0€ per week 24 - 36 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES


    Duration

    24 - 36 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 DAKTARI Bush School during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


    Meet your organization

    DAKTARI Bush School

    Perfect 4.6 rating (118 reviews)

    Non-profit - founded in 2002

    Verified by Volunteer World

      Very high response rate

    Coordinated by

    Pretty

    Spoken languages: English

    About the project

    The mission of DAKTARI is to educate and inspire local children to value their environment and stimulate community development.

    Meet your organization

    OUR STORY: A LOVE STORY THAT BECAME DAKTARI

    Ian and Michele Merrifield officially opened DAKTARI Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage in 2006 but it was a long road to make it happen. Ian and Michele met while Ian was working as a game ranger at Tshukudu Game Lodge and Michele was volunteering there as well. While hand-raising injured zebras, wildebeest, and warthogs, Ian and Michele fell in love.

    Michele had long dreamed about living in Africa and taking care of the wildlife. When she met Ian, she was able to realise that dream. They left Tshukudu after getting married and opened a restaurant in Hoedspruit to start raising capital for their own wildlife orphanage. While there, Ian and Michele helped raise a local boy from the village named Thabo. He had almost no knowledge or understanding of his native wildlife and environment, so Ian and Michele began using the animals in their care to teach him. Thabo's understanding of conservation was typical of children in Limpopo and the idea of adding a bush school was born.

    So where did the name DAKTARI come from? Michele says, "When we were younger, there was a TV program called Daktari. It was about a family in Africa, who looked after and raised many different types of orphaned wild animals. As kids we loved it and we remember getting deeply emotionally attached to the different animals." Sounds familiar right? Michele and Ian adopted the name and so DAKTARI Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage was born.

    OUR MISSION

    The Mission of DAKTARI is to educate and inspire local children to value their environment and stimulate community development.

    Through the combination of the bush school and the wildlife orphanage, DAKTARI has developed an immersive educational experience for local children to learn about the wildlife around them, the environment, anti-poaching, and a wide variety of other issues, right in the middle of the bush. Our work extends into their communities through Eco Clubs at the secondary schools, career guidance for the youth, and community development projects.

    118 reviews · rating4.6

    Valeria Signer rating5

    2024 at Environment and Wildlife Education

    My time at Daktari was great. I met so many nice people, the animals are so cute and I got the impression that my work really makes a difference in the lives of the children we taught. Thank you so much for everything! ...
    Luke Llabres rating5

    2024 at Environment and Wildlife Education

    I wanted to come to Daktari to spend my summer giving back to the world in a good way while learning about myself and progressing as an individual. I was able to accomplish both while here! It's super rewarding to get to teach kids about the world around them and how they can make it a better place. ..
    I had the best time ever at Daktari. You will find the best people to work with all of this in a beautiful environment! You will not regret it if you decide to come here! You will meet so many people from different countries and of different backgrounds, making this experience such a unique ...
    Claudia Bachmann rating5

    2024 at Environment and Wildlife Education

    Out of my comfort zone - an amazing experience! I volunteered 2 weeks at DAKTARI in South Africa (close to the Kruger National Park) - caring for orphaned animals and weekly lessons for children in 8th grade from a nearby school. Besides that I had the opportunity to do a one-day Safari, some ...
    Elsa Vescovacci rating4.8

    2024 at Environment and Wildlife Education

    I volunteered at Daktari for 2 months, and my role was to teach kids (8 per week from the nearby villages) about the environment and the animals. It was really nice to spend time with the children and to better learn about them. Despite some difficulties they might have, it is great to see the ...
    erine coutant rating4.8

    2024 at Environment and Wildlife Education

    Daktari was an experience where I was able to discover many things and learn new things, both in terms of animals and also in the education of children. I really liked being with the children and a little less the animal side. then I met people who were beneficial and enriching for me, I would just ...

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