Enjoy the spectacular backdrop of South Africa whilst working at a monkey sanctuary where a range of different species are rescued and rehabilitated. Nicknamed "The Rainbow Nation", South Africa has something to offer everyone; a colourful and enjoyable country full of history and culture that will make you never want to leave! If you have an interest and passion in primates then this project is perfect for you. From the moment you arrive on site, you will be involved with a wide range of hands on activities and working alongside the expert park rangers.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
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Work closely with rare & endangered primates
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Discover the Rainbow Nation
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Make lifelong friends
PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
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Location |
South Africa |
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Activities |
Feeding the primates
Helping clean the facilities
Giving tours to visitors
Educating visitors on the problems facing primates in South Africa
Helping out at reception & in the gift shop |
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Transport |
Airport pick-up |
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Accommodation |
Shared volunteer house |
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Before you go |
Pre-departure support & documentation
Travel & medical advice & documentation
Advice on visas & equipment
Discounted medical kit
Free Frontier t-shirt |
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In-country |
Project orientation
Accommodation
Project equipment
In-country emergency support
24-hour international HQ back-up |
What Next? Apply Now!
WHAT DOES THE PROJECT DO?
One of the sad consequences of population growth and industrial development in Africa is that animals have increasingly been under threat by habitat destruction and hunting. As a result, many orphaned or injured animals can no longer live in the wild and need care and support. Bush meat is the most significant blow to wildlife populations in South Africa, and refers to the unsustainable over utilisation of the wildlife resources of this part of the world where natural habitats are being denuded of their indigenous wildlife. Primates in particular are hunted for their meat, as pets and for medicine, and their habitats are being destroyed at an alarming rate.
Wildlife refuges and rehabilitation centres are a crucial means of providing this support and, wherever possible, reintroducing animals into the wild. They’re also a vitally important as a means to educate the public about human wildlife conflicts.
You will be helping with all activities of the centre – maintaining the animal's living quarters, helping with game reserve maintenance, caring for the orphaned animals and helping maintain the reserve in general. The work will be hard but extremely rewarding and being so close to some of the world's most fascinating primates is sure to be an experience that you'll never forget!
WHAT WILL I BE DOING?
Whilst working in the primate reserve you will be indispensable to the park rangers, helping them with all the daily tasks necessary to keep the monkeys healthy and happy. You will carry out tasks which may include feeding the primates, helping clean the facilities, giving tours to visitors, and educating visitors on the problems facing primates in South Africa, such as the bush meat trade and other conservation issues. You may also be helping out at reception and in the gift shop. As you can see there are a great variety of activities to enjoy and get involved in, and in addition to this, you will be able to see a multitude of different types of monkeys interacting and living in their natural surroundings. These include Common Marmosets, Black Lemurs, White-handed Gibbons, Brown Howlers and Grey Necked Owl Monkeys, amongst many more.
What Next? Apply Now!
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I ARRIVE?
You will fly into Cape Town where you may like to spend a few days sightseeing before taking the 500 km bus journey to Plettenberg Bay where you will be met by one of our friendly Frontier representatives and taken to your project accommodation which will be a short 1 km walk from work. Alternatively book your flights straight into George where you will be collected from the airport.
WHERE WILL I BE STAYING?
Whilst participating on this project, you will be sharing accommodation with your fellow volunteers, which is a great opportunity to make friends and build a great team spirit. You will be staying in clean, comfortable houses, and individual mobile housing units. There is also a cafe and post office 2 km from the project location.
WHAT WILL I BE EATING?
This project is self catered, giving you a great opportunity to enjoy communal cooking with your fellow volunteers. You will have access to cooking facilities which you will share with your housemates. There are plenty of farms, markets, restaurants and shops nearby to buy food. The local's farms and supermarkets are very inexpensive and you should not expect to pay more than around £15 each week for food. You'll have great fun cooking with your new friends as it is a great way to bond, so make sure you have a look at some cookbooks before you head out!
What Next? Apply Now!
A day in the life of a primate sanctuary volunteer
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25 Aug 2010
As a volunteer I live around 10 minutes walk from the project. I live with two other volunteers i...
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ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
In your spare time you can take advantage of your incredible surroundings and try out some adventurous activities that you've never tried before! The project is in Plettenberg Bay. The local area has a variety of activities which can be booked through local providers from horse riding to hiking. You'll have plenty of days off to try other extreme sports, such as windsurfing, surfing, hang-gliding and many more.
