Conserve, Rescue, Rehabilitate and Release South Africa's WIldlife, Specialising in Baboons
Project name:
Conservation, Animal Rehabilitation and Education (C.A.R.E.)
Project purpose:
We are the Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education! We are mainly a team of experienced volunteers who are passionate about caring for and conserving South Africa's wildlife specialising in baboons! We were established in 1989 and have released over 12 rehabilitated troops of baboons and a myriad of other smaller wildlife species. We specialise in rehabilitation for release of our beautiful baboons and other small indigenous wildlife, on the riverside of the Olifants River in Limpopo South Africa.
Project activities:
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animal interaction
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animal rehabilitation
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community awareness
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data collection/analysis
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habitat restoration/management
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teaching
Weekly cost (approx USD):
$
280
Direct benefits you gain:
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field research skills
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gain a qualification and/or credit
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remote scenic location
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undertake your own research
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animal care experience
Noteworthy conservation points:
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contributes to environmental policy
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ethical rehabilitation centre/practices
Wild Sun Rescue Center
Accommodation:
Shared onsite accomodation, flushing toilets and hot showers
When does the project run?
All year
Facilities:
accommodation included, food included, cooking facilities, electricity, near-by medical, refillable drinking water, hot shower, western toilet, wifi.
How long can I stay?
Minimum 2 weeks
Requirements:
-
See pre-requisites: https://www.primatecare.org/volunteering-pre-requisits
Details of the day-to-day life on the project:
C.A.R.E. greatly needs volunteers to help with the husbandry aspects of rehabilitation and care for baby baboon orphans in their first phase of rehabilitation, assist with their bonding to baboon surrogate mothers and to assist with the rehabilitation of adult baboons which have been rescued from all sorts of circumstances. We are also seeking research students and anyone with handy-man skills that can help with development of the centre.
Teachers and educators are also welcome since we have just finished building our education centre and are needing assistance to develop our outreach programs.
To be part of the animals healing; bonding with the baboons in a way that is incomprehensible to most, watching them grow in confidence, and to witness them becoming wild, sociable animals again, is an experience with unparalleled rewards; that any helper will never forget.
We need you! Whilst the main bulk of the volunteering involves cleaning enclosures of adult baboons awaiting release and caring for the orphan baby baboons, there are also other essential aspects and additional experiences to ensure C.A.R.E. is achieving its broader goals of helping the communities and environment on a greater scale too. Here are some of the activities you may be involved in, depending on how many volunteers there are available at the centre and which staff are available. The volunteers are always assigned to the raising of the orphans, and if we have enough hands we enjoy getting our other projects off the ground too.
Cleaning enclosures
Helping to supervise Orphan Baby Baboon and caring for them in their first phase of rehabilitation (if orphans are present during your stay)
Enrichment Programme
Husbandry of adult baboons undergoing rehabilitation
Veterinary Experience
Behavioural Observations
Data collection
Enclosure Maintenance & Design
Collecting natural vegetation for feeding
Collecting natural items for enrichment and feeding
Husbandry for the smaller animals including adorable rescued guinea pigs, dogs, cats
Cleaning and organising all areas of the centre
Tracking
Alien and Invasive Plant Removal
Community Outreach and Education
Opportunities to go on excursions; e.g. the Kruger National Park next door, the Panorama Route (Blyde Canyon, waterfalls etc.), horse riding safaris, nearby attractions and other rehabilitation centres.
Reviews & ratings
Francisco
Volunteer
19 Dec 2021
An amazing project with amazing staff
I work as a travel agent, bringing volunteers to DAKTARI and other projects around the world. After helping a lot of volunteers fulfill their dreams of coming to South Africa, I managed to arrange 2 weeks to spend at the project. What a wonderful time I had starting with the staff who are so friendly and polite, the animals being taken care of as if they were family and the amazing food that was prepared catering to each of the volunteers individual needs. I can only say that if you are looking for an unique and quality experience involving a well thought out educational program and the preservation of native animal species, this is the one for you.
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Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage
leslie
Volunteer
19 Dec 2021
great experience
i had an enjoyable stay here in DAKTARI. be surrounded by wild animals is a chance and i also loved the teaching part of my stay
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Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage
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