Animal Welfare Volunteering in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

I booked this trip as a graduation gift for my daughter, Megan. She had never been to Africa before, and I wanted her first experience to be something meaningful. We wanted the chance to see wildlife in its natural habitat, get involved in hands-on work, and most importantly, give back to a worthwhile cause. The African Conservation Experience team organised for us to join the team at Phinda Wildlife Research Project, and it turned out to be everything that we hoped for and more. What really stood out about ACE was the variety of projects that we could join and the focus on real conservation work. From our very first call with the team, it was obvious that this wasn’t going to be anything like a typical safari experience. ACE offers something much deeper - the chance to actively take part in genuine, impactful wildlife conservation work alongside professionals in the field. We also felt reassured by what ACE doesn’t offer. Whilst we were planning our trip, we came across other organisations promoting experiences like lion or cheetah cub petting. Megan did some research and discovered how unethical those activities are. It was a relief to find out that ACE not only refuses to support these unethical practices, but also helps travellers understand why they’re harmful. On our first day at the Phinda reserve, we were lucky enough to assist with a rhino horn trimming. Watching the wildlife vet dart the rhino from a helicopter and then seeing the procedure up close was an incredible experience. A pretty good first day! We also had the pleasure of seeing lots of big cats. Cheetahs have always been Megan’s favourite animal, and she was thrilled when we got to see a coalition of three males, three days in a row! We also got to see a mum and her cub, another exciting moment. Another day, we were driving through a forested part of the reserve, and as we rounded a corner on the dirt path, we came across a pride of lions, sitting just metres away! I was surprised at how much wildlife we got to see; it was constant. Every day brought something new… From spotted hyena cubs coming to sniff our car to waking up early in the morning to search for pangolins and finding one! One of the most interesting things for me was seeing how technology is used to help track wildlife. Our ecological monitor showed us how to use an infrared drone to track down rhinos - we found several white rhinos, but the black rhinos proved more elusive! We also got to learn more about the history of Phinda and all of the research being carried out at the reserve. It was a very informative experience. Travelling like this opens your eyes. It gives you a new perspective on the world and the challenges faced by conservationists every day. We could have stayed in a lodge and done a traditional safari, but this was something entirely different. To get hands-on, to see behind the scenes, and understand the struggles and successes of conservation work is invaluable. I would absolutely come back to help again.

Cheetahs chasing down an impala, wild dogs feasting on a fresh kill, hundreds of elephants crossing a river… I really got to see it all! After four unforgettable, action-packed weeks and three amazing projects with African Conservation Experience (ACE), I’ve come home with incredible memories and a much deeper understanding of conservation in Southern Africa. My journey began at the Phinda Wildlife Research Project, where I had so many special experiences. The highlight for me was witnessing three cheetahs, two brothers and a male, take down an impala. We watched the whole thing unfold, from the moment they began to chase it to the kill and eating it afterwards. Phinda reserve is also home to a number of pangolins that have been rescued from the black market. During their first few weeks of release, the research team tracks their movement to make sure that they are doing well. During my time at the project, I was lucky enough to help locate one of these pangolins to replace a tracking device that had fallen off. Knowing that pangolins are one of the most trafficked animals in the world, it felt amazing to play a small part in their protection. Another unforgettable experience was taking part in a rhino horn trimming, a procedure that is done every few years to reduce the risk of poaching. In the morning, I got to speak with the wildlife veterinarian, and they explained how the horn trimming would go ahead. A group of us helped locate the rhino from the ground, whilst overhead, the vet sat in a helicopter ready to dart and immobilise the rhino. Standing beside the sedated rhino as the procedure took place was a deeply humbling experience and a once in a lifetime moment which I’ll never forget! I loved the team that I was with and we had a great ecological monitor working with us, but whilst I was sad to leave, I also felt very excited to go to my next project, the Vikela Kruger Conservation Experience. At Vikela, one of the highlights was tracking rhinos on foot through the bush. We also saw wild dogs, and got to see a cheetah hunt an impala again, but this time the impala was too fast and it got away! What struck me most was the difference between Phinda and Vikela. Phinda is a fenced reserve of around 30,000 hectares, which is already a massive area. But then you have Vikela which is situated in the Greater Kruger, adjacent to the Kruger National Park: together the Greater Kruger and the Kruger make up 20 million hectares of interconnected, unfenced, protected wildlife area. I felt that because of this, the wildlife at Vikela was less habituated to seeing humans, and this gave me a good sense of being off the beaten track. My third and final project was the Okavango Wilderness Project in Botswana. We did a lot of tracking and our guides were extremely knowledgeable, showing us how to read animal tracks and teaching us about the different wildlife and trees in the area. I also got to learn about how the data that we collect is passed onto the Botswanan government to help inform management decisions - this gave real meaning to the work that we carried out. My favourite part of this project was definitely the weekends of remote camping near the Kwai River, which was such a cool and unique experience. On our way to the remote campsite, we came across some wild dogs eating a fresh impala, only to see a hyena rush in moments later and steal the meal! A few hours later, we reached the Kwai River and saw hundreds of elephants crossing. It was a crazy day that I will never forget! Visiting all three projects was an extremely worthwhile experience. I got to understand the differences between all three settings on a deeper level, from Phinda’s well-managed and fenced reserve, to the vastness of the Greater Kruger, to the remote expanses of the Okavango. The whole experience was extremely educational, and I gained a much better understanding of the roles that tourism, funding, and even hunting play in conservation. Conservation is difficult and complicated, but this trip showed me that there is a lot of hope. I’m already missing the adventure, the sounds of the wildlife, and the amazing teams I met along the way. I’ll definitely be returning as a volunteer with ACE, that’s for sure.