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Black Rhino & Elephant Conservation, Zimbabwe You will live in close contact with black rhino, elephants, buffalo and all the other species of wild animal on the 10,000 acre conservancy…you will witness incredible animal relationships, hear their sounds, record vital information, and learn the appreciation of simplicity from the surrounding rural communities. Wildlife Conservation - African Elephant & Black Rhino Conservation, Harare Area - Volunteer Project in Zimbabwe, Imire Safari Ranch Location Imire Safari Ranch, West of Harare, Zimbabwe Project Length 3 weeks - 2 months Age Limit Minimum 17 years, maximum decided on potential participants’ health Project Fee £1295 / $2590(1 month) Volunteer Project Information The following links will jump you to different sections on this page, which provide all the information you will need for this Africa volunteer project: Wildlife Conservation - African Elephant & Black Rhino Conservation, Harare Area, Zimbabwe. » photo gallery | » more about this project | » volunteer & travel highlights » project fee includes & excludes | » day in the life of a volunteer... » volunteer support & orientation | » accommodation & meals | » getting there Photos Zimbabwe Photos of Wildlife Conservation - African Elephant & Black Rhino Conservation, Harare Area in Africa.   More about the Black Rhino & Elephant Conservation in Zimbabwe Further Information on the Imire Black Rhino Programme: During the late 1980’s, at the peak of the rhino-poaching era in Southern Africa, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife decided to remove the remaining 120 black rhino out of the danger zones of the National Parks and into the Intensive Protection Zones of Conservancies. Imire Safari Ranch offered their expertise and was awarded 7 baby rhino between the ages of 4 and 6 months; 3 males Noddy, Fumbi, Sprinter and 4 females Cuckoo, Mvu, D.J. and Amber. Initially all efforts were centred around stabilizing the calves condition, introducing them to the correct milk formula, and generally adapting them to their new environment in which we would play a vital role. All 7 calves have been hand-raised on a bottle for at least 8 years. The rhino were kept on the milk formula for that length of time to continue the human contact and of course as a comforter. They have been raised together as a semi-domesticated herd. The black rhino have since bred successfully ….the total births on Imire are 13. All in all Imire Safari Ranch have handled a total of 32 black rhino since the project began in 1987. We have returned 10 rhino back to the Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe. As the rhino adjusted to their new environment, so they were released. The females have bred successfully within the Park. Imire’s black rhino project continues. At present we have 6 rhino; 3 breeding adults and 3 sub adults on the ranch: one mature male, Sprinter… and two pregnant females, Amber and DJ, as well as an adorable nursery of 3 youngsters who are hand fed and handled daily at close quarters. The rhino are penned in a boma nightly and during the day are taken out onto the ranch with their handlers to browse. Noddy, our alpha male, has been recently exported to Botswana to a Conservancy where they had no male rhino to serve their females. Our intentions at Imire are to continue the breeding programme on an intensive scale. We believe that our policy in removing the calves from their mothers at 8 months has been successful as the mother then reunites to breed with the herd again. The calves, once weaned, are monitored and then released back into the National Parks. This has helped boost the numbers tremendously. Imire Safari Ranch is honoured to be the custodians of Zimbabwe’s black rhino, and we are proud that our breeding station is successful. Duties with the elephants will include: • Handling and checking on the training of the elephant • Pen cleaning and feeding • Chores such as, wood collection, ploughing, and farm work using the elephant • Elephant patrols and snare sweeps • Observing the elephant in their natural habitat and spending valuable time in their company • Help teach cooperative elephant handling • Gathering research and data • Elephant back safaris - camping out in the bush – a treat for you at the end of your stay. Volunteer Involvement with the Rhino: • Learn to handle the rhino • Clean out pens and gather the evening browse • Walk with the rhino and spend quality time with these wonderful animals in order to collect valuable data on their behaviour and ecology • Interaction with the baby rhino providing the contact and security they need during this important time in their lives » back to top Black Rhino & Elephant Conservation, Imire Safari Ranch - Highlights This volunteer project in Africa includes: Wildlife Conservation - African Elephant & Black Rhino Conservation, Harare Area You will live in close contact with black rhino, elephants, buffalo and all the other species of wild animal on the 10,000 acre conservancy…you will witness incredible animal relationships, hear their sounds, record vital information, and learn the appreciation of simplicity from the surrounding rural communities. Be a part of a world renowned programme to save this ancient animal from extinction. You will play an important role in rehabilitating these endangered animals back into their natural environment. Experience the African bush in a very special way on this private reserve. Explore the savannah grasslands on horseback or whilst riding on African Elephants Zimbabwe Travel Highlights During your stay at Imire you will have the opportunity to enjoy an excursion to some of the other spectacular spots that Zimbabwe has to offer. These trips are also a great time for volunteers to interact and get to know each other better. The exact itinerary of the expedition can be arranged when you arrive in Zimbabwe, but will usually include a visit to Antelope Park, our lion breeding and rehabilitation programme, as well as Hwange National Park and the Victoria Falls. » back to top Project Fee Includes Project Fee: this entails financing that goes directly back into the project that you are involved with This project fee facilitates funding for items such as food for rhinos and elephants, management and maintenance of rhino pens, and the development of the conservation programme All transfers to and from Harare International Airport upon your arrival and departure Assistance in your projects and comprehensive orientation by various trained guides and staff during your stay Full board and lodging which includes 3 meals a day Unlimited tea, coffee and juice throughout the day Weekly laundry service during your stay The service of a cleaner to attend to your room Project Fee Excludes All items of a personal nature, such as curios, gifts, clothing (work and other) Return flights to Harare International Airport Email and telephone calls made during your placement (charged out at cost) Any excursions over and above your planned itinerary in Zimbabwe e.g. visit to the Victoria Falls Personal insurance cover for the duration of your placement, which is expected to include cover for repatriation. » back to top Day in the life... This is a typical day in the life of a volunteer working on the Black Rhino & Elephant Conservation project: A day in the life of an Imire volunteer – Volunteer daily duties: Animal Monitoring Animals will be monitored on a daily basis. You will be expected to help record all information. Mapping and photographing species in their herds Water dependency Interactions with own species and others Competition within and between species Aggression within species and between species Dominance and hierarchy Dead animals...Postmortems and genetic sampling Breeding successes and failures Data collection Plant and tree Identification Boma duties Handling of orphan animals and pen cleaning Early morning rhino / elephant feeds and handling Lion, hyena and crocodile feeding Other Duties Game counts and observations Maintenance of game fences, roads, fireguards, pens, stalls and equipment Building and maintaining bush camps Tree planting and bush clearance Ranch patrols on foot and horseback Ploughing and wood collection with elephant Safari lodge management • Anti-poaching activities » back to top Volunteer Support Throughout your placement you will have the support and guidance of our experienced volunteer project managers. They are part of our greater African Impact support team, which will provide you with competent 24-hour field support and assistance. Volunteer Orientation Volunteers’ introduction to Imire and orientation upon arrival Introduction to all senior camp staff including Guides, Handlers of elephants, lions and horses, Heads of departments and Assistants. Familiarization of the ranch – including the park boundaries, internal roads and tracks and some of the wildlife species. Further information on the rhino breeding How to conduct “Snare sweeps” and “Boundary patrols”. For those of you who have not ridden horses before you may also spend time being instructed in the basics of horse riding. Should the project managers decide that you are suitable and capable then horses may possibly be used for some of your duties. » back to top Accommodation You will be staying in comfortable twin or triple room accommodation in a thatched volunteer farmhouse near a lake. Two communal sitting rooms with fire places are where everyone meets in the evening to relax and talk about the days events A prolific vegetable garden is maintained by the volunteers Volunteers have separate clean shower & toilet facilities Meals You will enjoy 3 meals a day. Breakfast will be on a help-yourself basis and will usually include, cereals, toast, tea and coffee. Lunch will be casual sandwiches/pies and other home made dishes. Dinners will also be cooked dishes or barbeques. » back to top Getting There Imire Safari Ranch, West of Harare, Zimbabwe. Fly in to Harare International Airport (in Zimbabwe’s capital) where you will be met by project staff and transferred 2 hours by road to the wildlife ranch » back to top Make an Enquiry Volunteer Project in Zimbabwe - Wildlife Conservation - African Elephant & Black Rhino Conservation, Harare Area     print this page | bookmark this page (CTRL-D) | send to a friend back to top