Description

Expedition Summary
Help bring black rhinos back from the brink of extinction by partnering with Earthwatch scientists and other volunteers.

Expedition Details
Working in a classic African savannah landscape, your activities will focus on gathering data on the distribution of wildlife and rhinos. You will also measure the composition and condition of the vegetation that competing large herbivores eat, namely rhinos, elephants and giraffes. Some trekking over uneven terrain on the equator can be demanding, but well rewarded by abundant wildlife, including lions, leopards, zebras, buffalo, impala, baboons, hippos, and many other species, including 232 kinds of birds. One day will be spent with the neighboring communities and seeing firsthand how benefits from wildlife conservation have been used to improve livelihoods of people bordering the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. An adjacent chimpanzee reserve is worth a visit in your recreational time.

Meals and Accommodations
After hot days in the field, you will return to the comfortable Research Center at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, with an open veranda and a campfire for evening chats. An early rise also gives you the opportunity to enjoy the sunrise in the backdrop of the beauty of Mt. Kenya. The center offers single rooms (two doubles available for couples), either in the main building or in rondavels (traditional thatched huts), with potable water, electricity, toilets, and wood-fired warm showers. An excellent cook prepares all meals, including dinners of Nile perch, nyama choma (grilled meat), potatoes, vegetables, casseroles, and pasta, topped off with peerless Kenyan coffee and tea.

About the Research Area
The Research Center is located within the 46,000 hectare Ol Pejeta Conservancy and covers an area of 9,000 hectares, north of Nairobi near the town of Nanyuki on the Laikipia plateau. It lies between Mt. Kenya and the Aberdare Mountains. The Laikipia plateau is a lava plateau used almost entirely for cattle and sheep ranching. It is flat and rolls gently only where it is cut into by rivers such as the Ewaso Narok and Ewaso Ngiro, which flow down from the Aberdare Mountains. The latter flows north through the reserve and provides water year round, but it is supplemented by five earth dams.

Highlights

On the Expedition
Working in a classic African savannah landscape, your activities will focus on gathering data on the distribution of rhinos and other large herbivores, including elephants and giraffes. You will also measure the composition and condition of the vegetation that these competing animals eat, patrol for rhinos, measure acacia trees to determine vegetation growth, conduct vegetation plot surveys, monitor herbivore damage to acacia trees, and observe the behavior of a captive rhino at close quarters. Long hours of trekking over uneven terrain on the equator can be demanding, but well rewarded by abundant wildlife, including lions, leopards, zebras, buffalo, impala, baboons, hippos, and many other species, including 232 kinds of birds. An adjacent chimpanzee reserve is worth a visit in your spare time.

Travel Types

• Eco Tours
• Ecology
• Environmental Studies
• Hiking
• Nature Tours
• Safari
• Volunteering
• Photography
• Tours

Qualifications

No experience is necessary - all you will need is enthusiasm and the desire to make a difference. For over 40 years Earthwatch Institute has pioneered the involvement of ordinary people in peer-reviewed scientific research worldwide. By joining an Earthwatch Expedition, you have a unique opportunity to get up-close and personal with some of the world's rarest animals and visit remote and beautiful locations, while directly supporting conservation science. We offer life enhancing experiences in nearly 50 countries each year, with projects for teens, adults, and families.

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

3,095 USD

Cost Includes:

• Emergency evacuation services
• Excursions
• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Medical insurance
• Medical services
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• Registration fees
• Written materials abroad
• Written materials pre-departure

Program Fees Include:

Our volunteers not only contribute essential funds that help to cover the cost of the research, but also, through their inspiration and effort, they provide the people power without which many of our vital projects simply couldnt take place. We are a non-profit organization but accommodation, meals, insurance, training and transport in the field are also included in your contribution cost. As a non-profit organization that supports scientific research, your contribution and airfare costs are usually tax-deductible for U.S. citizens.

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

Earthwatch expeditions appeal to a variety of people, including students, retirees, families, educators, and anyone seeking an exciting journey that enables them to give back to the environment. Our expeditions have a wide range of activity levels, from hiking intensive to easy expeditions with limited physical activity. There is an Earthwatch expedition out there for everyone!

Age Range

Adult (age 18-90) teams available.

This Program is open to

American, Asian, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Independent living
• Other

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

in Groups of 8-10

Scholarships are Available

Very limited fellowships may be available, mainly for high-school students and educators. Visit our website for more information.

Application Process Involves

• Other
• Phone/Video Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

Brief

Earthwatch Institute's Mission Statement

Our mission is to inspire connections between people and the environment by engaging them in worldwide scientific field research and education. These efforts will promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Earthwatch enables scientists to pursue research goals and members of the public to gain hands-on experience with science. We believe it is essential that people participate in solving the environmental challenges we face.

Year Founded

1971