African Conservation Experience

Spending 11 days at Golola Rhino Orphanage And Rehabilitation Centre was an experience of a lifetime. Whilst I was there, I did and saw things that I never thought I would and I learnt so much about myself! The work at the orphanage was physically tough at times but the team prepared you very well for this. Some of the jobs I was involved in included helping to roll and lift bales of hay, and carrying large buckets of grass pellets and water. Although it can be demanding, it is also extremely rewarding. For me, it really helped to have a clear vision and understanding of what I was doing this for. One of my main motivations for this trip was to gain an accurate view of what the poaching crisis is really like. I feel like back home, in the United States, the media doesn’t portray the issue correctly so I wanted to visit South Africa to not only learn more but also help make a difference. I feel like I got exactly what I came for. The staff at Golola took the education side of the volunteer work very seriously, and we had some extraordinary talks with them about the issues of poaching and conservation. The team that runs this centre is a force to be reckoned with. They have such a drive for what they do. They are all so knowledgeable and they would answer any question I had. It was also incredible to work with rhinos. It was wonderful to observe them close up in the centre and also to see them in their natural habitat on the reserve. The bond that you build with the animals is amazing and the staff are absolutely extraordinary. I have never seen anyone more dedicated to a cause. They’re incredible! We had a daily routine but there were always things popping up that we needed to help with - working with wildlife is unpredictable. The staff at Golola did a great job of helping us adjust when something new came up and I really appreciated that. I feel like I could see the difference I was making by being there. I put my heart and soul into this work and gave back as much as I could and I felt so rewarded for this. One of the many highlights of my trip was getting to see the rhinos interact with one another - they are all so unique and express such different personalities. Another highlight of mine was the daily drives into the reserve. We would be out for a few hours each day, providing supplementary food for the older rhinos who had been released from the centre. It was amazing to see these animals interacting with one another in their natural habitats. I think if you are on the fence about volunteering, read some more testimonials. They give you a real insight into people's experiences. I also felt very reassured by African Conservation Experience (ACE) as the first step in the process was to have a phone call with one of their consultants. They asked me so many questions about what I wanted to do, why I wanted to do it and what I wanted to gain from the experience. ACE immediately provided me with so much information and they were always so quick to respond to any questions I had! I was so pleased with the ACE team in South Africa, too. Every single detail was worked out for you - they meet you at the airport, make sure you’re safely on your way to the project, and check in with you whilst you are at the project to make sure you are doing well. I appreciated this level of care and consideration so much! Volunteering is a life-changing experience and the more that you give to it, the more interest and awareness you have and willingness to get stuck in, the more you will get out of it.

My two weeks at Phinda Wildlife Research Project were amazing. The project staff and other volunteers were incredible and I loved seeing so many animals out in the field. It was fantastic! A typical day started quite early which can be an adjustment if you are a night owl like me, but it was so worth it. Most days we were carrying out game counts, checking the collars and tags of any animals that Phinda tracks in the reserve, like their Pangolins, and also using telemetry to track animals through the bush. One of the most exciting tracking experiences I had whilst at the project was with a male lion. He had recently been relocated to Phinda and they wanted to keep a close eye on him to see how he was adjusting to his new environment. We were also involved in some management work during my stay. One of the first things we did on day one was a rhino horn trimming! It was so interesting to learn about the process and being so close to the rhino whilst it was happening was incredible. We also helped with the relocation of one rhino which was another extraordinary experience. I saw such a variety of animals and ecosystems on the reserve. I was fortunate enough to see rhinos, elephants, lions, and cheetahs, and explore areas like the sand forest (a habitat that is only found in a few places around the world!) There's something for everyone at Phinda - whether you love birds, mammals, plants or ecosystems, you won’t be disappointed. I have participated in a few different conservation projects but this experience gave me a whole new level of education and involvement. I saw and learnt so much which I will be able to use in my future career. For example, telemetry was something I had never done before so it was great to learn about it - I think it’ll be something that I can use in my future field of study or work! I felt so involved in the research that was going on. I also met some incredible people on this experience. During our downtime we would be playing card games, and cooking meals together - we even had a few traditional South African braai’s with some of the researchers on the project. It was amazing to chat with them and learn more about South African culture!

I loved the unpredictability of this project. The day could start at 8 am (which was the usual) or it could be in the middle of the night, at 3 am, depending on what the vet is doing. Obviously you don’t have to get up in the middle of the night if you don’t want to, but for me, that was all part of the experience. I didn’t want to miss out on anything. You can ask the vet as many questions as you like which means you can gain as much knowledge as possible. I even asked the receptionists and nurses in the clinic questions to further my knowledge as much as I could. I found just being around the practice, interacting with the patients and seeing small animal and wildlife procedures eye-opening. The highlight for me in this project was being involved in resolving some human-wildlife conflict between a leopard, her three cubs and a local community. It was so interesting to see how the vet initially responded to the situation, by contacting the village representative. He was trying to gain an understanding of the situation before putting a plan into action. There were talks of euthanasia for the animals, and this would have been the easy alternative but it was admirable to see that the vet pushed for the best approach, which turned out to be rehoming the leopard and her cubs. It was amazing to be involved in this process. It was also fascinating to witness first hand some of the struggles that conservationists and vets face in South Africa, and how they worked through the situation to ultimately gain the best for the animals and their welfare. It’s not all hard work though - the social side of the projects is amazing too! From going to the pub to have a few pints in the evening, to having a day trip out in the Kruger National Park and even swimming under a waterfall! Those are just some of the sorts of excursions that I did which were absolutely fantastic. Besides the excursions being cool, the other volunteers at the projects with me were amazing. ACE throws you into a room of like-minded individuals who are also passionate about conservation and wildlife. So regardless of whether you are going on a bush walk or going to the pub, you are going to have such a fantastic time socialising with your fellow volunteers.