Contribute to the conservation of cheetahs as you work with a local breeding facility in beautiful South Africa, interacting with cheetah of all ages and preparing individuals for release back into the wild.
We invite you to come and work with our beautiful cheetahs, and help us save this incredible species. This volunteer programme is designed to introduce you to the fascinating wildlife Africa has to offer as well as all aspects of cheetah conservation. The Cheetah Breeding and Reintroduction Centre is based near Parys in South Africa (100 km south of Johannesburg). You will get large amounts of hands-on experience with the cheetahs, as you will be spending time with them every day as well as what has come to be fondly known as cheetah time in the afternoons an exclusive time for you to just spend time interacting with the cheetah with no duties to do! Volunteers are also responsible for cleaning and maintaining the cheetah enclosures, exercising and feeding them, and monitoring any cubs (from the age of three months) that we may have at that time. We are building a new and improved small cat enclosure for the servals and caracal at the project. Volunteers can also spend time with one of the servals (Tigger), who was hand raised. Once a month, we take our volunteers on a trip to Kruger National Park, one of the largest national parks in South Africa which is home to the Big 5, where you can see the best of Africa s wildlife in its natural habitat. In the wild, cheetahs only live on average to between 4 to 7 years of age. This is due to the many pressures facing them, such as competition from other predators, threats from humans, and disease and injury affecting their ability to hunt. Cheetah cubs in the wild have a 90% mortality rate. In captivity cheetahs can live to around 15 years of age. In 2001 the Cheetah Breeding and Reintroduction Centre started breeding cheetahs to prevent organizations from taking them from the wild for zoos. For every 4 cheetahs that are taken from the wild, 3 will die of stress-related diseases. The Centre has successfully bred and hand-raised 20 cheetahs, of which 12 have been sold to other breeding programmes in South Africa and internationally. However, the Centre soon realized that breeding alone is not enough as wild cheetah populations continue to decline.
In response to this threat, the Centre has launched a reintroduction programme where they plan to release captive bred cheetahs back into their natural habitats. They are currently in the process of rolling out a three phase programme to restore cheetahs back into the wild. This is the first cheetah project of its kind in the world and it is tremendously exciting for all involved! The aim of the programme is to give you a deeper understanding of conservation and its importance in the 21 st century, as well as giving you the incredible experience of interacting with our cheetahs on a daily basis. The volunteer aspect of the programme has been running for just over five years now and we have a maximum of 8 spaces available per month, providing you with the best possible experience by giving you plenty of interaction and hands-on time with the cheetahs. The reintroduction project is made up of three phases. The first is the breeding and hand raising of cheetahs so that we can teach them to hunt using our lure system. Mother's in captivity do not know how to hunt themselves as we do not take any cheetahs from the wild. This is why we need to teach them ourselves. The second phase is to move suitable cheetahs that are not related (to avoid any inbreeding as cheetahs have very low genetic diversity as it is) into a large, secure, fenced area stocked with appropriate prey species. Here the cheetahs can hunt for themselves. There will be no human interaction at this point, and so the cubs born will be taught to hunt by their mothers whilst retaining their natural and healthy fear of humans. Once the cubs are old enough, the mother will chase them away as they will be ready to fend for themselves. At this point we will move them to new reserves, either to start a new population, or bring a new bloodline into an existing population. As a volunteer, your involvement in each of these crucial phases will be as follows:
PHASE 1 PHASE 2 Enclosure maintenance (i.e. keeping the grass short, removing rocks and thorns which could get in the cheetahs paws) Preparing the meat and feeding the cheetahs Enclosure cleaning (i.e. picking up waste every day to avoid the spread of bacteria, scrubbing and disinfecting water bowls, cleaning straw in their houses, etc. Once a week a more thorough clean is carried out, where rocks and ledges they waste on are washed down to avoid the spread of bacteria; the straw in their houses is cleaned; as well as their water bowls being disinfected and scrubbed out) Cleaning the cheetah kitchen, where the meat gets prepared, as it needs to be kept spotlessly clean and hygienic at all times Exercising the cheetahs with the lure and training them to hunt by associating running and chasing with meat Helping monitor and interact with any cubs over the age of three months Alien plant species removal General reserve maintenance Creating fire breaks around the cheetah camps Organising and implementing cheetah enrichment and stimulation Preparing the land for Phase 2 (i.e. clearing the overgrown plants, removing rubbish, fencing, etc) Monitoring the cheetahs, using sight mainly (but always maintaining a distance) and radio collars if necessary - checking they are feeding themselves ok and are healthy Maintaining the levels of prey species in the area and removing old carcasses - cheetahs only eat fresh meat, so the old carcasses need to be removed as cheetahs will not return to a kill Regularly checking the fence for any damage or holes, and checking the area for any snares or other danger Organising and monitoring the breeding of cheetahs and subsequent raising of any cubs - obviously from afar so the cubs remain naturally afraid of humans Assisting with the removal of cubs, once at a suitable age, for transportation to another reserve Please note that for Phase 2 there is no interaction with the cheetahs, as they need to lose their dependence on humans
Everyone at the Cheetah Reintroduction Centre has a contagious passion for nature and conservation, and especially the cheetahs. You will be working side by side with the staff and will find their knowledge and expertise invaluable during your stay! Since July 2008 African Impact volunteers have contributed over 8,000 hours to the development of the Cheetah Reintroduction Centre. In that time we've maintained and improved the cheetah camps, by the building of shelters, and the construction and erection of panels which provide shade and protection. We have also implemented behaviour enrichment projects to ensure the cheetahs are as happy and enriched as possible. We have created a database for each cheetah, recording their health, behaviour and feeding patterns, which allows us to build up clear profiles on each one. We have also maintained the roads and fences around the property. Working and interacting hands-on with our resident cheetahs every day, including exclusive cheetah time every afternoon! Helping to monitor any young cheetah cubs we might have during your stay Learning about cheetahs and the environment they live in Making friends for life with the staff and your fellow volunteers! Parys, South Africa- Just a 1.5 hour drive from Johannesburg International Airport in South Africa Minimum 18 years and maximum age 55, however all participants must be in good health and able to carry out all duties required of them. No previous knowledge or experience is required. All we want from you is willingness to work, a desire to learn and a passion for wildlife. Minimum 2 weeks, maximum 4 weeks mid-december Project start dates are 1st and 15th of every month project is closed in
You will be staying in our specially designed volunteer house in single sex dormitory style accommodation, which is very comfortable and cleaned on a regular basis. There are areas to relax and socialise, and there is a TV and DVD player for watching films on as well as DSTV (cable television). We also have Internet on the volunteer computer, available at a small additional cost. The closest town is Parys, 10 km away. There is no access to town for volunteers apart from their days off. You will get one day off a week (usually a Wednesday) during which you can choose to spend it relaxing on the reserve, down at the river, or enjoying one of the many activities, such as river rafting, abseiling and quad biking which are available in the area, for an additional cost. Volunteers cannot go in with the cheetahs on their days off as there is no one to supervise them. Please note that if you go on the Kruger trip, you will not get your day off. Coffee, tea and juice are available throughout the day. We will provide you with a substantial breakfast as we believe this to be the most important meal of the day. Breakfast is a full cooked meal three times a week, and porridge, cereals, breads and fruits on the other days. Lunch will be a cold spread and in the evening volunteers cook their dinners communally from ingredients we provide. This is a chance for you to get together, relax and discuss your day.
Here is an example of a typical day as a volunteer at the Cheetah Re-Introduction Project. While we have a routine in place, our timetable is fairly fluid and we have to be ready to act in any eventuality. 07:30-08:30 am Cleaning the cheetah enclosures and running the cheetahs to exercise them and to provide stimulation and enrichment. 08:30-09:30 am Breakfast, cooked and waiting for you when you get back to the house. 9:30am 1:00 pm Morning duties, which could be meat preparation, a boundary patrol or the removal of alien invader plant species, raking and general maintenance of all areas. 1:00-2:00 pm Lunchtime 2:00-4:00 pm Cheetah Time 4:00-5:00 pm Cheetah Feeding *feeding times can change depending on the time of year Meeting At the end of each day we have a short meeting to go over the events of the day and inform everyone of the coming day 5:30 pm onwards Free time, a time to socialize, relax, and eat dinner Please note that your itineraries may differ from this depending on your own experience and the number of other volunteers on the placement at the same time. This daily schedule is simply to give an example.
Please note your volunteer fee on this project is payable in South African Rands (ZAR), if you would like to check the latest exchange rates we recommend www.xe.com and your destination manager can assist you further. 2017 ZAR 2 Week Placement R 14,684 3 Week Placement R 21,944 4 Week Placement R 29,377 Program Fee this is the large bulk of the program cost and finances all aspects of the cheetah breeding and reintroduction work, for example enclosure improvements and feeding the cheetahs Return transfers to and from Johannesburg International Airport (O. R. Tambo) All accommodation, food and housekeeping costs All transportation and equipment required to carry out your project work Complete 24 hour support and guidance from the project management team All wildlife and conservation education during your stay
Return flights to Johannesburg International Airport (O. R. Tambo) Any items of a personal nature, such as gifts and curios and additional food, drinks and snacks Internet access The appropriate personal medical insurance, which must cover the entire duration of your programme, and should include cover for repatriation and any activities that you will undertake, including working with animals Any additional trips or activities organised in your free time You don t need any experience to join us, and upon arrival you will receive a comprehensive orientation and will be fully briefed and trained in all areas. You will be introduced to all members of staff and given a tour of the reserve. You will be shown where all the tools and equipment are, and briefed on exactly how to use them. You will not be expected to carry out any duties without the appropriate training and supervision. You will also be given more information on our reintroduction project and the plight of the cheetah, so that you fully understand just how important and valuable the project work and your contribution as a volunteer is. Before and during the program you will have full support from the African Impact team and your Project Managers to ensure you receive all the support and assistance that you need. We are committed to ensuring you have the best possible time at the project and your health and happiness are of the utmost importance to us.
PARTICIPANT REQUIREMENTS Regardless of your dietary preferences, it is important to note that you are expected to be fully involved in the preparation of the meat (usually horses and donkeys) for feeding the cheetahs (this includes removing the meat from the bone). You will be fully supervised at all times. Elephant Sanctuary at Hartbeespoort Dam Monkey Sanctuary at Hartbeespoort Dam Curio Market at Hartbeespoort Dam River Rafting / Quad Biking / Abseiling / Paintballing etc at Sunwa (the other side of town) Rhino & Lion Lodge (a game reserve where they can play with cubs) Sterkfontein Caves near Hartbeespoort Dam Lesedi Cultural Village near Hartbeespoort Dam Gold Reef City Theme Park in Johannesburg Shopping at a local mall or in the local town Four day trip to the World Famous Kruger National Park (must be booked in advance before arrival please speak to your Destination Manager about this tour option)
Volunteers fly directly to O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg where you will be met on arrival by one of our project representatives. Pick-ups are at noon on the 1st and 15th of each month, at Avis Car Rental in the airport. So you will either have to arrive in the morning, or arrive in the afternoon/evening the previous day and stay overnight near the airport. Arranging your visa is your responsibility and the information we provide is to serve as a guideline only. We advise that you confirm this information with the embassy / consulate of the country that you will be visiting in your home country before departure. Prior to your trip you will need to arrange medical insurance which will give you full cover for any medical requirements which may arise during your trip, including cover for full air evacuation in the unlikely event that this is necessary. Your medical cover also needs to include repatriation. If you do not already have a company that you are happy to use to take out a policy with, we suggest World Nomads and Mind the Gap Year, who offer comprehensive medical and travel insurance. Please be sure to check your policy carefully to ensure that it does cover activities which you are likely to participate in.
African Impact is a multi-award winning volunteer travel organisation which runs and manages meaningful and responsible volunteer experiences and internship programs throughout Africa. The organisation was founded in 2004 in Zimbabwe, and since then has grown into the Africa leaders in volunteer tourism, having facilitated over 12,000 volunteers and interns in 12 countries across the continent. We are proud to offer fun, safe and structured placements where volunteers understand their contribution to responsible projects run in partnership with local communities and conservation efforts. Our journey so far has been both inspiring and humbling and we will keep pushing the horizons of what volunteering can achieve. in the power of volunteering and have seen the amazing things volunteers can achieve. in Africa and all that this inspiring continent can offer to the world. in the passionate people who work with us and alongside us to create tangible positive impacts and change lives. To us, volunteering is a two-way thing. It s not just about the hands-on help and skills that volunteers bring; it s also about what this amazing continent, its people and its wildlife can give those volunteers in return. The volunteer experiences we offer in Africa are based on three key points: 1) volunteers having an amazing time and experiencing everything Africa has to offer; 2) volunteers learning as much as they can about local history, culture and wildlife and soaking up the essence of the country; and 3) supporting local communities and conservation efforts through education and hands-on help.
We look forward to welcoming you for a unique, rewarding and unforgettable experience!