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Elephant and Wildlife Monitoring and Conservation Education, Zimbabwe Experience the African bush in a very special way as you work alongside our experienced field guides on exciting elephant and wildlife monitoring initiatives in Hwange National Park. Just 2 hours from the magnificent Victoria Falls you will also have the chance to get involved in unique rural conservation education programme. Wildlife Conservation & Field Training - Game Management, Hwange National Park - Volunteer Project in Zimbabwe, Hwange National Park Location World famous Hwange National Park, two hours drive from the magnificent Victoria Falls Project Length 2, 3 and 4 week placements available Age Limit Minimum 17 years, maximum decided on potential participants’ health. This project is very suited to more mature volunteers. Project Fee £995 / $1990 (1 month) £745 / $1490 (2 weeks) Enquire for 2 or 3 week placements. 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 & Field Training - Game Management, Hwange National Park, 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 & Field Training - Game Management, Hwange National Park in Africa.   More about the Elephant and Wildlife Monitoring and Conservation Education in Zimbabwe “I gained a great deal from both the project and by just being in Africa. I saw such an abundance of wildlife that you can only dream about seeing back in England. All the people we came in contact with were so warm and giving even though they live in very difficult times. The program itself is very worthwhile and gives volunteers the opportunity to see such a different way of living and appreciating life. Everything we do whilst on the program is so worthwhile and has taught me a lot about Africa and the wildlife” Bethany Foote, UK Your volunteer programme begins with a one-week bush awareness course, which offers you an amazing insight into the characteristics of the African bush as well as local cultures and customs. The Pathfinders bush awareness course involves aspects of the following: • Tuning in to the Bush: Lessons from the land - smells, sights and sounds • Cultural Familiarisation: Understanding the Shona & Ndebele cultures & beliefs • Logistical Planning: When to move, what to take, how to carry it • Edible Plants and Animals: What you can and cannot eat • Animal Identification: By shape, smell, and sound • Identifying Tracks: Matching the animal to the imprint • Basic Safety: Areas and situations to avoid • Dangerous Animals: The realistic threat and evasive actions • Basic Tracking: What to look for, what to avoid, common mistakes • Basic Navigation: Reading a map, using a compass, estimating time, distance, speed • Finding Water & Gathering Food: Seeking with all your senses, and tips for collection • Building a Fire without Matches: Finding the materials, effective techniques, safety • Basic First Aid: Emergency first aid and general health care All accommodation will be tented camping during this week. Weeks 2 – 4 As a volunteer you and the team will have access to the most remote areas of one of Africa's premier game reserves and its surrounding conservation areas, which are home to the Big 5. Including herds of elephant, buffalo, plains-game, and lion and leopard. You will be helping to protect and conserve one of Africa's few remaining wildlife sanctuaries. Your duties will be fairly varied and you will be expected to turn your hands to whatever is required at the time you're there. Generally, your work will include some or all of the following: • Elephant monitoring and wildlife monitoring for bio-diversity studies • Human-elephant conflict resolution efforts in rural communities • Maintenance of parks infrastructure • Estimation of Game Populations within Hwange • Removal of Snares from animals Hwange Community Involvement: We believe that our work in the Hwange area would be incomplete without contributions to the community. Volunteers will have the chance to be involved in the following areas: Conservation Education No Conservation Programme is complete without a community element. Community Outreach and Conservation Education is vital and needs to be conducted hand in hand with any field research implemented. It is important to explain to the local villagers the project aims, and why the project needs to be undertaken. Red Cross Centre and Orphanage Africa is home to many orphaned children, at the Red Cross Centre in Dete alone 300 children are currently being looked after. All time spent with the children is immeasurably important as many if not most have very few contact experiences and all they desire is attention and love which can be given by you. » back to top Elephant and Wildlife Monitoring and Conservation Education, Hwange National Park - Highlights This volunteer project in Africa includes: Wildlife Conservation & Field Training - Game Management, Hwange National Park • One week introductory bush awareness course with our experienced professional guides • Participation in our studies monitoring elephant populations and biodiversity – this will take you to the far flung corners of the Park and offers an amazing chance to explore this Big 5 area • Camp out opportunities in the National Park surrounded by the African Bush • Wildlife population counts and snare checks on wildlife • A deeper understanding of large-scale wildlife management and in-depth exploration of Zimbabwe’s most famous National Park and it’s surrounding conservation areas • Community Involvement – We believe that our work would be incomplete if we were not involved in the development and assistance of the local communities. Join our team in their exciting Conservation Education work in rural schools Zimbabwe Travel Highlights During your stay you will have the opportunity to enjoy an optional extra excursion to some of the other spectacular spots that Zimbabwe has to offer, including our Antelope Park lion rehabilitation programme and the Victoria Falls. The Victoria Falls will be your entry and exit point from Zimbabwe, so this will give you the chance to stop over and enjoy some of the exciting activities on offer, including walking with lions, bungee jumping over the Batoka Gorge which flows below the Victoria Falls, or rafting the mighty Zambezi River. » back to top Project Fee Includes Project Cost 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 park entrance permits, darting equipment and professional scouts that accompany you on all your activities • One-week introductory bush awareness course • All transfers to and from Victoria Falls town upon your arrival and departure • Assistance in your projects by various trained guides and staff during your stay • Any wildlife education talks that take place during your stay and that you might wish to partake in • Full board and lodging which includes 3 meals a day • Unlimited tea, coffee and juice throughout the day • Laundry service during your stay • The service of a cleaner to attend to your room each day Project Fee Excludes • All items of a personal nature, such as curios, gifts, clothing (work and other) • Flights to Victoria Falls 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 Elephant and Wildlife Monitoring and Conservation Education project: Project Typical Day: 08:00 – Breakfast 09:00 – Leave camp with the project managers for a walk in the Dete Annexe to conduct snare sweeps and take down information on species sighted OR head out for an early morning drive, and conduct spoor transects and note down GPS locations and contribute to the monitoring studies 12:00 – You will be taken to Dete village where you are able to participate in the local Red Cross feeding programme, or plan for your next Conservation Education session 13:00 – Lunch and siesta until about 14.30 14:30 – 17:30 – Elephant Pepper programme, either: discussing new methods and areas of distribution of various deterrents with local villagers, working in the chilli pepper nursery, assisting in the planting and distribution of chillies to assist with human-elephant conflict resolution 19:00 – Dinner, which is often followed by elephant viewing at the base camp pan by floodlight as they come for their evening drink. » back to top Volunteer Support Throughout your placement you will have the support and guidance of our experienced volunteer coordinators. They are part of our greater African Impact support team, which will provide you with competent 24-hour field support and assistance. Volunteer Orientation On arrival at the programme, the following orientation will take place • You will receive your volunteer's manual which includes information that will help with your integration into the project, as well as give you further tips for your involvement at the Hwange programme • Introduction to all senior camp staff and heads of department • Familiarization of the area • Familiarization with all duties you will be involved in » back to top Accommodation You will be based at our safari camp in the heart of the African bush, on the border of Hwange National Park. Volunteer rooms are simple and comfortable. You will share a room with no more than three other volunteers. The volunteers have their own dining room and recreation room where Satellite TV, a library and various interactive games are available. Meals Your home-from-home mother/cook, Gladys, will ensure that you never go hungry. Breakfast may consist of cereals, porridge, or fresh fruit, yoghurt and scones. Lunch may be cold meats and salads, burgers or lasagne – usually something not too heavy as the daytime temperatures can be quite high and this diminishes your appetite. At night delicious meals are served in a buffet style after which volunteers are welcome to sit around the camp fire. » back to top Getting There World famous Hwange National Park, two hours drive from the magnificent Victoria Falls. We will meet you at the airport! Fly in to Johannesburg International Airport, and connect to Victoria Falls International Airport where you will be collected and transferred to Hwange. This is a 2-hour drive. Fly in to Harare International Airport and connect to Victoria Falls International Airport where you will be collected and transferred to Hwange. This is a 2-hour drive. » back to top Make an Enquiry Volunteer Project in Zimbabwe - Wildlife Conservation & Field Training - Game Management, Hwange National Park     print this page | bookmark this page (CTRL-D) | send to a friend back to top