Volunteer
Project Primate sanctuary near Kruger National Park South Africa
About the Project
This is a volunteer programme that can absolutely guarantee hands on
experience with orphaned baby primates in the stunning South African
bush. Work with over 600 baboons in one of the only sanctuaries that
gives refuge to orphaned and injured primates.
As well as working with primates, the sanctuary is also committed to
the rescue, care, rehabilitation, release and protection of wild
animals and no animal in need is ever turned away. This is rewarding
work as the organisation has an extremely high success rate of
releasing hand-reared, fully formed troops back into the wild.
The main rescue missions involve mostly baby baboons, who’s mothers
have often been killed by poisoning, road accidents, being trapped
& being shot. On many occasions people try to sell these tiny
orphans on as pets, thankfully this sanctuary works with the
authorities to rescue these individuals. Other successful rescue
cases have involved primates being saved from a research lab, lions
rescued from canned hunting and the successfully breeding of a red
listed species; the Samango monkey.
The rehabilitation program has gained much respect within the
scientific community and the success in releasing troops has been
documented on the Discovery Channel and Animal Planets ‘Growing up
Baboon’.
This sanctuary has a constant influx
of orphans who need a human carer present all day to aid them with
drinking, feeding & sleeping. Volunteers are needed to care
for these infants, taking the babies out of their sleeping cages at
6-7am and they go to bed at around 5 or 6pm (dawn and dusk).
Whilst the babies are in the nursery they have a human volunteer
present all day as they are all babies and being left alone is scary
for them & the smallest ones need assistance with drinking milk
& shelter when the other orphans get too much for them and they
need a sleep.This is taken in shifts.
The idea is that the humans act
as the 'aunties' and do exactly what their mothers and aunts would in
the wild: provide a secure place for sleeping, making sure no one gets
picked on, ensure they have access to milk and food and basically make
them feel secure and safe.
In the nursery they learn how to be a
baboon, they make friends and become a cohesive troop. After the age of
around a year, they are weaned from human contact, and contact is
restricted.
There is a minimum commitment of four weeks for this project as there
is on the job training and it takes a while for new volunteers to be
accepted by the baby baboons.
This sanctuary is in the middle of a private nature
reserve, so there a wild animals all around! It is usual to see wild
baboons, elephants, kudu, snakes (some poisonous), scorpions, lizards,
rats and a whole range of creepy crawlies! You will be living in
the African bush and get to experience breathtaking and wonderful
wildlife encounters! You will be provided with a proper bed with
a nice mattress and a mosquito net/tent to keep you safe from any bugs
or other house friends at night. Please bear in mind would be
living in the bush, so encountering rats, snakes, bugs and more should
be expected.
Due to the nature of the wilderness experience it is necessary to
fulfil the following conditions in order to join this volunteer
programme:
* You must be in good physical condition -
the volunteer work is active & babies will use you like a climbing
frame!
* You must be able to tolerate working in all
weathers
* For your own safety and enjoyment you need to be
reasonably proficient in English.
* Minimum age is 18 years
* Minimum stay is four weeks
* You must sign and abide all Rules and Health and
Safety Regulations
Project price includes: Transfers from Phalaborwa to the project,
orientation upon arrival, accommodation, meals, training by qualified
staff, a welcome pack including t.shirt & small gift.
Volunteer to contribute �25 per week to food costs.
Not included: Flights, visas, vaccinations, souvenirs, alcoholic drinks
and snacks, excursions and personal medical and travel insurance for
the duration of your placement – please note, this must include cover
for repatriation You will be working in the vicinity of wild animals so
please check with your insurance provider as you may require particular
insurance.
Excludes placements in our ‘High Season’ from beginning May to end July (surcharge of additional �50 per week for this period)
