Lion And Cheetah Park Wildlife Volunteer
Zimbabwe
At this unique sanctuary you can make a real difference with both hand-on and hands-off animal management and care. Get stuck in with sustainable and ethical work and ongoing conservation efforts.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Work at a unique sanctuary specialising in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation
Get hands on raising orphans, bottle feeding and nurturing them back to health
Join the onsite vet providing care and treatment to animals
Support conservation through educating the local community
Learn how to manage various aspects of a game park from snare removals to grassland management
Game drive, horse ride, camp under the stars and make friends for lif
The property consists of a 1000 acre wildlife reserve with a sanctuary and rehabilitation centre located at the heart of it. Volunteers asssit with both the reserve and the sanctuary, so the work is always fun and varied. This lifechanging experience will allow you to work closely with lions, white lions, jackal, monkeys, warthogs, zebras, wildebeest, giraffe and antelope, as well as non-native species like camels and wolves, who have found a safe haven in the sanctuary. The project also runs a snake and reptile rescue centre that is open to the public, with a wide variety of snakes, chameleons, scorpions, tortoises and terrapins.
The park strives to provide large, high welfare enclosures for all of the animals, with a focus on behevioural enrichment and world class care of all species. The reserve and sanctuary are open to the public every day of the week. Visitors come to drive around the game reserve and take a tour of the sanctuary enclosures. This is a wonderful way to educate Zimbabweans about the importance of conservation, rescue, rehabilitation and animal rights. School groups often attend to see the animals and learn about preserving the natural world.
This project is popular with those perusing or hoping to peruse a career with animals either through conservation, veterinary or nursing, charity work, zoo work and domestic animal care.
KEY ACTIVITIES
As a volunteer you will undertake a variety of activities, such as:
Morning/evening checks of all animal enclosures. A fantastic time to be alone with these great animals before the busy day starts and to stand just feet away as the lions roar at dawn and dusk
Feed and nurture orphaned and injured animals
Cut, weigh and supplement meat, then feed the lion, wolves, jackal, crocodile and hyena
Enclosure cleaning and maintenance
Making toys and enclosure enrichment
Assisting with educational tours
Behaviour monitoring and research
Game counts and snaresweeps on foot or horseback
Sunset distribution of supplemented herbivore feed in the reserve. Done off the back of a 4x4 vehicle. This is a great chance to get very close to the animals who come within inches of the car as you are stood in the back. Often you are looking up at the underside of a giraffes head!
Volunteers play a central role in caring for the orphaned animals. Such youngsters take a lot of time, care and commitment in order to thrive and stand a chance of wild release. Often volunteers are assigned "primary caregiver" role for one or two animals during their stay. This allows both you and the animal to form a deeper level of trust and bonding. It is not unusual to have to take the animals you are raising home with you in the evenings and feed them in the night. If the idea of sharing your bed with a little monkey, bushbaby or warthog is right up your street, this is the project for you.
ACCOMMODATION
Your accommodation will be within the beautiful colonial thatched volunteer house on the boundary of the game park. There is hot and cold running water with both showers and baths for your use. A central kitchen allows you to make your meals and there is comfy living room with couches and a TV. The TV takes DVD’s and hard drives and you are welcome to bring your own supply.
Bedrooms may be shared if there are a number of volunteers at the time, with a maximum of three people. Rooms are same sex, unless you are a couple and wish to be in a room together. All bedding and sheets are provided. You will need to bring your own towel.
House keeping will come to the house every day, clean your room, make your bed and do any clothes washing that is needed. All your laundry is included in the price of your stay.
LOCATION
Zimbabwe is based in the middle of Southern Africa. It is renowned by locals as being the best place to do a safari because there are considerably fewer tourists and the nature reserves are much more ‘wild’ and free. “Zimbos” (as they call themselves), are without a doubt the most generous and friendly nation in Southern Africa and love showing volunteers the way of life, culture and history.
Situated in the heart of Zimbabwe near the town of Harare, and just 45 minutes from the airport, the game reserve is teeming with African wildlife, including zebra, wildebeest, kudu, waterbuck, impala and giraffe. All the rescued carnivores live safaly in enclosures at the sanctuary which is nestled in the middle of the reserve. Past volunteers will tell you this is a very special place, where friends are made for life and the pace of living, friendly staff and the beautiful animals, will create memories that stay with your forever. If living on a game reserve in the heart of the African bush isn’t enough, there are loads of extra activities to enjoy with fellow volunteers.
PROJECT COST
Want to know what’s included? Great news, it is pretty much everything!
Pre departure assistance with planning and flights from one of our destination specialists
Transfers to and from the airport on arrival and departure
Induction and training on the project
Accommodation with housekeeping
3 meals a day
24 hour project coordinator
Not included in your fee:
Personal health insurance
Flights to and from project
Visa (approx 50 USD depending on your nationality)
1 week £ 570
2 weeks £ 1,140
3 weeks £ 1,710
4 weeks £ 2,280
5 weeks £ 2,800
6 weeks £ 3,370
7 weeks £ 3,940
8 weeks £ 3,940
START DATES
You can join this project any week of the year. Volunteers fly in to and out of Harare International Airport on Sundays. We can help you book the correct flights and also cater for alternative start dates, so if your travel plans are not able to fit the normal dates, please contact us for more information.
