Volunteer in Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in South Africa

Gain valuable experience in animal care as you volunteer at a world-renowned wildlife rehabilitation center in South Africa! This program is open to all volunteers, including veterinarians and vet students, offering the unique hands-on opportunity to work alongside wildlife professionals in the rehabilitation of injured and orphaned wildlife.

Program Highlights:

Gain experience working with a wide variety of African wildlife species, including eagles, vultures, leopards, wild dogs and honey badgers
Learn new career skills from experienced wildlife rehabilitation professionals
Attend educational talks on conservation, wildlife rehabilitation and raising wild orphans
Observe and support the care of animals admitted to the rehabilitation clinic, gaining insight into the rehabilitation process for various species.
Observe and assist with the care of orphaned baby animals.
Observe and participate in the rescue and release efforts for injured and rehabilitated animals when possible.
Improve the lives of animals living at the centre who cannot be released through various enrichment activities

Your Schedule at a Glance (Minimum two-week commitment):

Arrival Day, Monday: Arrive at Eastgate Airport (HDS), Hoedspruit. You will be picked up at the airport and taken to your accommodation at the wildlife rehabilitation center. Enjoy an educational tour through the rehab and an introduction talk from your volunteer coordinator about volunteer life at the rehab.

Day 1: Join your fellow volunteers for an early start as you receive training on how to care for your assigned animals. Attend an informative conservation talk by the rehab center staff, where you’ll learn about the center’s conservation efforts in South Africa and the importance of these centers.

Days 2-5: Armed with a clear understanding of your responsibilities during your stay, you start with rewarding animal care jobs alongside your fellow volunteers and staff members. Morning rounds focus on enclosure cleaning and daily health checks, followed by a cooked breakfast. Big predator camps are then attended to under direct supervision of staff. A buffet style lunch is then enjoyed in the common room where you will then have a chance to recharge, explore the rehab grounds and capture some great photos. The afternoons are filled with engaging educational activities at the rehab. Evening rounds are dedicated to feeding your assigned animals before thoroughly cleaning the clinic and meat room in preparation for the following day’s tasks.

Day 6: Sundays are free for volunteers to relax after completing some basic chores. Optional excursions and day trips to nearby areas are organized, but please note they are subject to the current needs of the animals at the center.

Remaining Weeks: Remaining weeks will follow the schedule of volunteering Monday-Saturday and having Sundays mostly free. Departures are on Monday.

Location of the Project: 33 kilometers from Hoedspruit, Limpopo Province. Just a short drive from the Kruger National Park.

Project length: Minimum 2 weeks – Maximum 12 weeks

Arrival Airport: Eastgate Airport (HDS), Hoedspruit

Volunteer Work: Daily cleaning of animal enclosures, food preparation, and feeding of allocated animals

Age: 18-80, ages 17 are welcome with signed parental consent

Number of Volunteers: Up to 20 international volunteers

What’s Included

Accommodations: Volunteers will stay in shared rooms.

Food: Three meals per day are included.

Airport Transfers: Airport transfers are included on both arrival and departure days.

Support: Comprehensive and professional pre-departure travel guidance, 24/7 GoEco emergency hotline, experienced local field team.

What’s not Included

Flights, visas (if required), travel health insurance, personal expenses, optional day trips and excursions, meals and drinks when visiting restaurants.

Location

The rehabilitation center is located at the base of the Drakensberg Mountains, just outside Hoedspruit, between the Kruger National Park and the Blyde River Canyon. This charming town is a key eco-tourism destination in South Africa, known for its game lodges and nature reserves. The surrounding countryside, abundant in wildlife and vast open spaces, is a paradise for adventure and wildlife enthusiasts. It is nestled within the largest conservation area in the world and is also renowned for its mango and citrus fruit production.

Volunteer Work

This center is a non-profit organization, open to the public and entirely reliant on public support. Volunteers will actively engage in various aspects of conservation and animal care under professional supervision. Wildlife is brought to the center from across South Africa, and once rehabilitated, they are reintroduced into their natural habitats. Animals that cannot be returned to the wild due to the extent or nature of their injuries are cared for at the center and become ambassador animals, helping to educate visitors from both South Africa and abroad each year.

Volunteers will live and work alongside fellow volunteers and professional staff from around the world. For those hoping to see baby animals, we recommend volunteering from November to March, which is our baby season.

Some of your tasks may include:

The overall care and welfare of the permanent residents, who, due to the nature of their injuries, cannot be reintroduced into the wild, are prioritized at the center.
Daily cleaning of animal enclosures, scrubbing their bed mats and preparing animal meals
Cleaning food preparation area and equipment
Raking to remove debris from animals’ enclosures
Animal enrichment activities
Assisting with the upkeep of the center such as removal of alien vegetation, road maintenance, etc.
Attending call-outs to capture animals for relocation or to be brought into the center for treatment. This may be by darting or humane trapping. Subject to availability.
Working hours are usually from 6:30 AM until 6:00 PM, with a break for breakfast and lunch. Volunteers are expected to help whenever necessary.

Please note that, due to the nature of rehabilitation work, nothing is predictable or guaranteed, including the types of animals that may be at the center at any given time. The work is physically demanding but rewarding for those who are eager to get their hands dirty and actively participate in animal care.

Holidays: The center operates year-round, as animals require care every day, including public holidays like Christmas and New Year. While volunteer hours may be reduced on these days and the focus of the work may change, they are still considered normal working days.

Living Arrangements

Internet icon Internet: Free Wi-Fi is available in the volunteer common room.

Laundry icon Laundry: Laundry services are available.

Accommodations icon Accommodations: Shared, single-gender accommodations are provided in a comfortable, brick bungalow. Rooms are shared with two to six volunteers. There are shared bathrooms with a hot shower and Western-style toilets, as well as a large kitchen and living area shared by volunteers and staff. Linens and warm blankets are provided, but please bring your own towel.

Food icon Food: Three meals per day are provided and enjoyed in the volunteer common room. Once a week volunteers go out for dinner to a local restaurant, optional and at own expense to volunteer.

Travel Highlights

Volunteers are invited once a week to explore the beautiful Hoedspruit town and visit shops.

Quiet time is on Sundays, and although volunteers still tend to the feeding of all the animals, there is ample relaxation time. If volunteers want to get active, educational trips can be organized to nearby attractions, such as the Blyde Canyon Boat trip, Hoedspruit Reptile Park and Kruger National Park.

Excursions are booked and paid for while on the program, subject to availability, weather, and the number of volunteers interested.