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Black Rhino and Elephant Conservation Zimbabwe
You as a volunteer on this programme, can make a serious and meaningful impact on the conservation and survival of the Black Rhinos and Elephants of Africa, whilst also having an amazing, life changing experience that will stay with you forever.
This project provides you with the opportunity to work closely with two of the African big 5: Rhinos and elephants, as you share a common interest with the project staff in protecting an endangered species. You are welcome to come and share this unique opportunity to witness wildlife and study their behavioural patterns and relationships in a safe environment.
Project Age Limit
Minimum 18 years, maximum decided on potential participants’ health. You must be in a good physical condition, as you will be expected to walk long distances and participate in physical activities.
The Volunteer Programme
This programme offers you a unique opportunity to live and share Africa’s rich, wild and colourful experiences. You will be living in close contact with the black rhino, elephants, buffalo and all the other species of wild animal on the 10,000-acre conservancy. You will witness incredible animal relationships, hear their sounds, record vital information, and learn the appreciation of simplicity from communities. During your time on the programme you will have brilliant opportunities to get outstanding photography, as there is a variety of wildlife all within close proximity.
Your Role as a Volunteer
Your time at this project will be divided into spending time with the elephants and working with the rhinos. There will also be an opportunity to work within the local community at the small school, located close to the project. For those of you who wish to study and gain vital training in conservation, there are a wide variety of projects available and due to the semi habituation of the large mammals, they are very easy to study.
The Black Rhino Project
You will play an important role in rehabilitating these endangered animals back into their natural environment. It will be an experience of a lifetime and a chance to make a massive contribution to helping save this ancient animal from extinction. The black rhino populations in Africa suffered dramatic declines throughout the 1970s and 1980s as a result of poaching to supply the illegal trade in rhino horn. Noble efforts to protect and manage rhino populations throughout the 1990s have resulted in a stabilisation and slow recovery of the continental population, particularly in the southern African rhino strongholds of South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
During the late 1980’s, at the peak of the rhino poaching era, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife decided to remove the remaining 120 black rhino out of the danger zones of the National Parks and into Intensive Protection Zones of Conservancies. The Black Rhino Safari Ranch offered their expertise and was awarded 7 baby rhino aged between 4 and 6 months; Noddy, Fumbi, Sprinter, Cuckoo, Mvu, D.J. and Amber.
Initially all efforts were centred around stabilizing the calves condition, introducing them to the correct milk formula, and generally adapting them to their new environment in which we would play a vital role. All 7 calves have been hand-raised on a bottle for at least 8 years. The rhino were kept on the milk formula for that length of time to continue the human contact and offer comfort. They have been raised together as a semi-domesticated herd.
Research has been carried out and the result of the behavioural research shows the success of the breeding programme and return of rhino into their natural habitat, with 10 rhino being returned back to the Matusadona National Park Zimbabwe. Also, the black rhino has bred successfully with a total of 13 births at the safari ranch. It is vital that we continue this work of stabilising and building up rhino populations on the continent. That is where wildlife conservancies such as the black rhino conservancy are invaluable to global conservation efforts and the protection of these humble beasts.
Your duties will include:
• Learn to handle the rhino
• Clean out pens and gather the evening browse
• Walk with the rhino and spend quality time with these wonderful animals in order to collect valuable data on their behaviour and ecology
• Interaction with the baby rhino providing the contact and security they need during this important time in their lives Your work with the Elephants
You will love your time with these magnificent animals…it is a privilege to work closely with them and their handlers. Makuvusi, Toto and Mundebvu, known as the 3 Musketeers, add colour and humour to the project. Nzou, a 35-year-old elephant, is the matriarch to a herd of buffalo, has great wisdom and is loved and respected by everyone at the ranch. Nzou’s presence is grand and her size is mighty. Working with qualified elephant handlers, the ranch offers you endless opportunities to learn about and interact with these amazing animals.
Your duties will include:
• Handling the training of the elephants and teaching cooperative elephant handling
• Pen cleaning and feeding
• Chores such as wood collection, ploughing and farm work using the elephants
• Elephant patrols and snare sweeps
• Observing the elephants in their natural habitat and spending valuable time in their company, whilst gathering research and data.
• Elephant back safaris and camping out in the bush Other Activities with the Wildlife
Your regular daily duties on the project will vary but here are some examples of what you may be doing:
• Anti Poaching – You will be helping to conduct anti-poaching patrols on foot, horseback or with the elephants. Patrols can last up to 2 days and nights with at least 2 members of staff. Anti poaching sites are recorded and photographic evidence taken. Snares will be collected and recorded as evidence.
• Cattle and Game Management: This will involve game counts, ranch patrol on horseback, game park maintenance, building bush camps, ploughing with the elephants and removing tick-borne fever form the wildlife on horseback!
• Animal Monitoring: The animals will be monitored on a daily basis. You will be expected to help record information such as herd interactions and dynamics, breeding and mortalities, plant and tree identification and competition between animals.
• Boma Duties: This will involve cleaning the animal enclosures, feeding the rhino and elephants during the day and any other species at the reserve, such as lions, hyenas and crocodiles! Community Involvement
During your time on the programme you will be required to spend time in the various classes at the local primary and secondary rural community school and help teach the following:
• AIDS awareness – through lessons, colourful posters, videos, discussions and play groups you will help educate the children about AIDS awareness whilst also teaching them vital skills for self-sufficiency.
• Permaculture – educating the children and their parents on vegetable gardens and cropping.
• Conservation – teaching the children the value of conserving wild animals and environmental issues. Project Support
Throughout your placement you will have the support and guidance of experienced volunteer coordinators who will provide you with competent 24-hour field support and assistance. You will be working with 2 full time qualified guides plus Rhino and Elephant handlers who will be to hand 12 hours a day.
In addition you will have access to a 24-hour emergency contact number, so that you can always reach one of our UK staff members should you need to.
Project Orientation
On arrival you will have a briefing as to the rules of safety of the safari ranch. Your orientation will also include:
• Introduction to all camp staff including managers, guides, researchers, and assistants
• Familiarisation with the Safari camp and the conservancy, including the boundaries, internal roads and tracks and the wildlife species of the area where you will be working
• Introduction to current research procedures
• Further information about the Rhino protection programme
• Familiarisation with all other duties you will be involved in
• You will be working with the indigenous population of Zimbabwe, so you will also be given a short briefing on local culture and etiquette etc. Accommodation and Meals
The accommodation on this project is fantastic! You will be staying in a comfortable double storied farmhouse, which is situated at the centre of the ranch and on the edge of a dam. Often Elephants, Rhinos and Hippos will come to browse in the garden, which is a stunning sight.
You will be staying in a shared bedroom (either double or four people sharing) with shared bathrooms. Hot water and electricity is available but there may be power cuts so remember to bring a torch! The house has a large dining room, two communal sitting rooms with fireplaces in each and a kitchen. In the evenings volunteers can meet in the sitting room to relax and talk about the days events.
Three substantial meals and basic house keeping duties will be provided for you each day and you will be required to help with keeping the house clean and tidy, maintaining the garden and the vegetable garden. You may even eat down by the stunning waters edge, sharing your lunch with the elephants who always enjoy your company at the river!
For further information or to secure your place on this programme, please call the Africa Team today on 01892 516164 or email us at Africa@realgap.co.uk
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