Global warming, deforestation, and unsustainable practices are increasingly threatening the environment. That means there’s never been a more important time to contribute to protecting the incredible diversity of wildlife that fills our planet.
Wildlife volunteer programs will give you the chance to see some of the most powerful animals in the world while completing work to protect them.
With all that doom and gloom, the good news is that there are organizations around the world committed to helping reverse these negative effects. From Africa to Oceania and South America to Asia, even Europe and North America, there are no shortage of wildlife conservation programs abroad. Keep reading to figure out which program is the best match for your interests and experience!
Do you dream of helping furry friends and marine creatures while traveling the world? If you answered yes, then becoming a wildlife volunteer abroad is the opportunity you’ve been looking for! With opportunities across the globe to participate in animal rescue, rehabilitation, welfare, and conservation efforts, your biggest question will be deciding between land and sea, mammals and marine life.
The great thing is that with all of the wildlife volunteer opportunities abroad available to you, you might not have to choose just one. Before you know it, you’ll be experiencing a new culture while helping protect the natural wildlife that makes our planet so incredible!
Here’s a sneak peak at some of the best wildlife volunteer opportunities according to animal lovers like you:
- African Big 5 & Wildlife Conservation Project with African Impact
- Volunteer Abroad & Make a REAL Difference with Love Volunteers
- Endangered Wildlife Conservation with Conservation Travel Africa
- Operation Wallacea - Indonesia
- Australian Wildlife Rescue, Care and Rehabilitation with Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers
- Top Animal Welfare Volunteer Programs & Internships Abroad with GoEco
- Affordable Wildlife Volunteering with IVHQ
- Marine Conservation and PADI Divemaster Internship in Mexico with GVI
- Shark Conservation in Fiji with Projects Abroad
- Wildlife Orphanage and Rescue Sanctuary in Zimbabwe with Kaya Responsible Travel
11 of the best wildlife volunteer programs abroad
Editor’s note: This information on wildlife volunteer opportunities abroad was accurate at the time of publishing. Please refer to each individual program for current data.
1. African Big 5 & Wildlife Conservation Project with African Impact — 9.2 rating
Camping out under the stars while helping protect some of the most endangered animals in South Africa is just one of the highlights of this program. With GoAbroad’s top rated program of 2018, you’ll participate as part of a team doing research and conservation work to monitor the Big 5 — elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards, cape buffalos — and many more species.
On daily game drives you’ll collect data to help ensure that animals are able to survive and thrive. African Impact is one of the most-awarded wildlife volunteer programs on the continent of Africa with a commitment to sustainable practices that will ensure you have the experience of a lifetime!
- Where? Limpopo, South Africa
- When? Year-round, up to 12 weeks
- Cause? Wildlife, Conservation, Animal Welfare, Biological Research
- Read program reviews
2. Volunteer Abroad & Make a REAL Difference with Love Volunteers — 9.59 rating
With over 200+ programs around the world, Love Volunteers opens up the possibility to find a unique program that’s just the right fit for you. If you’re interested in animal rescue, marine conservation, or wildlife rehabilitation, there are wildlife volunteer opportunities abroad for you!
You can choose between urban and rural, land and sea, mountains and savannahs, always knowing that you’ll be fully supported on your adventure of a lifetime. Love Volunteers helps you connect with local communities, meet people from around the world, and explore new landscapes while protecting our planet and promoting sustainable practices. Who wouldn’t LOVE that wildlife volunteer opportunity?
- Where? Multiple countries
- When? Year-round
- Cause? Wildlife, Conservation, Animal Welfare, Biological Research, Marine Conservation
- Read program reviews
3. Endangered Wildlife Conservation with Conservation Travel Africa — 9.38 rating
As the only Fair Trade Tourism-certified program across Africa, this program offers an award-winning experience for volunteers located right on a World Heritage Site. You’ll participate in protecting African wild dogs, rhinos, cheetahs, lions, leopards, elephants, and more in the place where conservation efforts saved the rhino from near extinction.
As part of a well-trained and supported team you’ll develop conservation skills, collect data, and monitor endangered wildlife. There’s nothing quite like getting your hands dirty and experiencing the life of a wildlife researcher while making new friends and living in one of the most beautiful (and biodiverse) places on earth!
- Where? KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
- When? Year-round, up to 12 weeks
- Cause? Wildlife, Conservation, Animal Welfare
- Read program reviews
4. Operation Wallacea - Indonesia — 9.26 rating
Join a team of academic researchers and go under the sea or into the forest! You’ll be trained with all of the skills you need to collect data to support marine and forest conservation efforts that protect endangered species in the Coral Triangle. Whether you love the creepy crawlies of the forest or the squiggly swimmers of the sea, Operation Wallacea has it all.
You might even have the chance to conduct your own research or participate in a publication about the unique ecosystems of Indonesia while you’re there. Ideal for serious data wonks and novice researchers alike, you’ll be making a difference as a wildlife volunteer abroad!
- Where? Buton Island, Indonesia
- When? Year-round, up to 8 weeks
- Cause? WIldlife, Conservation, Biological Research, Environment, Veterinary Science
- Read program reviews
5. Australian Wildlife Rescue, Care and Rehabilitation with Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers — 9.39 rating
Go down under and come out on top of the world! Volunteering to exercise wombats, scrub turtle shells, and feed koalas are only a few of the unforgettable opportunities available with Australia’s only locally-owned wildlife volunteer program.
From sea to sand and rainforest to desert, you’ll get to explore the wilds of Australia while getting up close and personal with animals that can only be found in Oz. Kangaroos, dingos, and wallabies, oh my! Whatever your tasks, every day you’ll be learning new skills, making bonds that last a lifetime, and making sure that Australia’s animals are healthy and safe.
- Where? Brisbane, Cairns, Geelong, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland
- When? Year-round, up to 12 weeks
- Cause? Animal Welfare, Conservation, Environment, Marine Conservation, Wildlife
- Read program reviews
6. Top Animal Welfare Volunteer Programs & Internships Abroad with GoEco — 9.74 rating
With over 60 different programs, you can choose from a selection of wildlife volunteer opportunities on every continent. GoEco prides itself on its commitment to sustainable and ethical practices that will leave you confident that you’re doing right while you’re doing good!
From sea life to jungle inhabitants and desert dwellers to urban animals, you’ll have the chance to rescue, rehabilitate, and ensure the welfare of wildlife you might not even know exists yet. You can conserve, sustain, and educate at sanctuaries, reserves, and shelters around the world to ensure that our animal friends will continue to survive and thrive!
- Where? Multiple countries
- When? Year-round, up to a full year
- Cause? Animal Welfare, Biological Research, Conservation, Eco-Tourism, Equestrian, Marine Conservation, Veterinary Science, Water Projects, Wildlife
- Read program reviews
7. Affordable Wildlife Volunteering with IVHQ — 9.52 rating
As one of the most affordable and trusted volunteer organizations, International Volunteer HQ offers wildlife and animal care projects in 13 countries. As a wildlife volunteer abroad you’ll be ensuring the safety and care of animals that need your help!
You can work with elephants, turtles, wolves, and many more. Deciding between a laid back island lifestyle or a faster-paced city experience may be the toughest decision you have to make when volunteering with IVHQ. Wherever you land, you’ll be part of an enthusiastic team dedicated to protecting animals through their amazing wildlife volunteer opportunities abroad. What’s stopping you?
- Where? Multiple countries
- When? Year-round, up to 6 months
- Cause? Wildlife, Conservation, Animal Welfare, Marine Conservation, Environment
- Read program reviews
8. Marine Conservation and PADI Divemaster Internship in Mexico with GVI — 9.39 rating
What could be better than protecting exotic marine life while becoming a divemaster? If you’re looking for an extended program that builds in a certification that will allow you to continue working with wildlife around the world, then this is the program for you!
Not only will you be enjoying the pristine beaches and turquoise waters of the Carribean, you’ll also be developing lifelong leadership and research skills on this extended program.
- Where? Tulum, Mexico
- When? Year-round, up to 6 months
- Cause? Biological Research, Environment, Conservation, Business
- Read program reviews
9. Shark Conservation in Fiji with Projects Abroad — 9.88 rating
Sharks are animals too! With habitats that are increasingly threatened, sharks are in need of pioneering protection efforts. That’s exactly what you’ll get to be a part of when you join this wildlife volunteer program.
Not only will you get to dive with sharks while collecting critical information about their habits, you’ll also work with local community members planting mangroves and educating youth about the importance of conservation. These outreach efforts will help humans and wildlife alike for years to come. Explore the islands with your new friends and know that while you’re having fun in the sun you’re making a difference too.
- Where? Nadi, Fiji
- When? Year-round, up to a full year
- Cause? Animal Welfare, Biological Research, Conservation, Education, Human Rights, Marine Conservation, Veterinary Science, Wildlife
- Read program reviews
10. Wildlife Orphanage and Rescue Sanctuary in Zimbabwe with Kaya Responsible Travel — 9.5 rating
Does a full immersion experience as a wildlife volunteer abroad sound interesting to you? Then volunteering at this animal orphanage and sanctuary is just for you! During your stay, you’ll work with dedicated staff and volunteers around the world and the local community to care for sick and injured animals.
On any given day you might be working with big cats, frisky primates, or mud-loving boars. The common denominator? They all need your help to be rehabilitated and eventually released back into the wild. During your time off, you’ll be surrounded by opportunities for incredible adventure travel and cultural exploration that will change your life forever.
- Where? Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
- When? Year-round, up to 12 weeks
- Cause? Animal Welfare, Culture, Teaching, Wildlife
- Read program reviews
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You’re ready to volunteer abroad with wildlife!
Leave your expectations at home and open your heart to serving through wildlife volunteer opportunities abroad!
By participating in wildlife volunteer opportunities abroad, you have the power to help protect some of our most vulnerable species and habitats. As Spiderman’s Uncle Ben (and Voltaire, too) reminds us, “with great power comes great responsibility.”
That means before you choose a program, you’ll want to make sure that it’s treating the animals and community members ethically and responsibly. With a bit of research you can find a program that will take you out of your comfort zone while putting you into the most amazing experience of your life!
You might spend just a short time abroad, but whether you help big cats, great apes, and giants of the sea or the tiniest creatures roaming the planet, your impact will be oversized! Not only will you be helping wildlife thrive, you’ll be transforming your own life too.
By immersing yourself in a new culture and partnering with a local community, you’ll be able to make friends from around the globe and learn about the world from different perspectives. These experiences will help you excel in our globally-connected world all while protecting animals that desperately need your help. What are you waiting for? Become a wildlife volunteer abroad today!
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