Join a wildlife conservation team and research Africa’s big predators

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Program Overview
Life on the Program
Project Details
Volunteer Testimonials

Program Overview

This expedition offers you the unique opportunity to assist GVI with important conservation research and get up close and personal to South Africa’s incredible wildlife, such as lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena and elephant.

Working as a hands on expedition member you will work alongside an international team to collect vital behavioral data on reintroduced predators and large herbivores on a private game reserve. In order to assist with this vital conservation work you will be trained to use research equipment to help locate predators in the reserve and you will receive invaluable training in large animal identification, tracking and behavioral study skills.

Highlights Include:

Experiencing a unique African bush adventure at the heart of a spectacular game reserve; mastering radio telemetry techniques and learning to track animals through the bush; getting acquainted with big game and all the main predators, including lion, cheetah, leopard, elephant and rhino; exploring nearby regions to experience such breathtaking views as from the Blyde River Canyon in the Drakensberg Mountains; living and working alongside FGASA qualified South African Guides getting constant learning and inspiration; having the chance to sleep out in the bush under the spectacular African stars and wake up to a beautiful sunrise.

Scholarships

We are always looking for enthusiastic and dedicated people to join our team. This expedition offers qualifying and high-performing volunteers the chance to stay on the expedition for a longer duration on a GVI Scholarship free of charge and as part of the staff team in the field. If you would like to work towards a field career and make the very most of your time abroad, you might want to work towards a place on a GVI Scholarship. Successful scholars may find themselves offered full time employment with GVI, and many of our current staff have come through this route. Contact us for more information!

Please note, the awarding of scholarships is at the sole discretion of GVI and may be offered immediately after the completion of your program or at a later date.

Life on the Program

A typical day involves spending time out in the reserve tracking the wildlife and conducting research from the game vehicles. This usually happens during the cooler weather at dawn and dusk when the wildlife is more active. Most of the research is on predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyena but we also monitor other wildlife, including elephants.There is a daily schedule and if not assisting on game drives then you may be working on data entry or helping with camp and cooking duties.

Camp is basic but comfortable, the old fashioned African way. Situated deep within the game reserves, they contain dormitory-style sleeping arrangements, bathrooms, a kitchen and an outside social areas.

On this Expedition you will

Live on a game reserve in the heart of the African bush, where you can be woken by a dawn chorus and sent to sleep by the roar of lions
Increase your personal knowledge of the South African environment, its importance and the threats to it, and help to increase both local and global knowledge and awareness
Develop a baseline and holistic understanding of all aspects of the bush
Undergo training to carry out extensive radio tracking and monitoring of all the collared predators on the reserve
Learn a variety of new skills, including mammal and bird identification, tracking, ecology and bush first aid
Participate in educational days with the local communities, teaching schoolchildren the importance of conservation
Have a chance to enjoy the surrounding areas and activities, including visits to local reptile parks and animal sanctuaries, as well as mountain trails
Get to know animals on the reserve individually and following their progress / monitor their behavior
Witness nature in its simplest form, having the opportunities to watch a lion kill, a newborn cheetah cub play or a stand-off between two elephants. In the African bush you can never tell what you will find just around the corner!
Enjoy regular contact with our partners, the reserve managers and other members of the broader conservation and research community

Project Details

Please note that exact project details are always subject to change due to weather conditions, time of year and game movements.

A typical expedition may involve the following;

Detailed monitoring of predators (lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena).

Herbivore sex/age ratio - data is analysed to see how it effects predator movement.

Vegetation monitoring - Elephant impact vegetation surveys are also carried out, monitoring their impact on sensitive areas of the reserve.

Other activities and ecological studies – such as darting/fitting radio collars to predators, invasive vegetation species eradication.

Community projects – when possible visits to the reserve are organised for local school children and we plan fun and interactive lessons to teach them about the importantance of conservation.

How this program makes a difference:

GVI spends up to 12 hours a day collecting data on large predators such as lions, leopards and cheetah. The information gathered is used to give an accurate picture of the predators impact on prey populations, determine social structure, genetics, and spatial movement. This vital information helps maintain a healthy balance of these natural resources and ultimately conserve some of Africa’s important ecosystems.

Volunteer Testimonials

A few of my favourite encounters include a visual of Zero, the male lion, with his zebra kill. One evening we spotted a hippo making her way into the water and grunting at another hippo to keep it...

Tess Hill, USA

A few of my favourite encounters include a visual of Zero, the male lion, with his zebra kill. One evening we spotted a hippo making her way into the water and grunting at another hippo to keep it away from her baby. Also saw a herd of elephants playing together in a huge mud bath.

Community days are incredible! It’s very gratifying to spend time with the local school children. The kids were so excited and had a blast. I am so thankful I had the opportunity to participate in this wonderful adventure. GVI is a phenomenal organisation.

Glyn Donaghy, Australia

My favourite moments were on the drives collecting data and observing the animals, improving my knowledge and understanding of the environment and working with young people who were committing time to help understand and improve the world in which they live. It was most reassuring to see young adults working together. The project gives one a more intimate knowledge of the environment and the animals, than it would seeing them as a tourist.