Wildlife Reserve Supporter

Introduction

PMGY’s Big 5 Wildlife Experience is a life-changing experience that allows you to work behind the scenes on a world-class wildlife reserve in South Africa! It is the ultimate wildlife programme, where volunteers get the opportunity to enjoy hands-on involvement and a rich education in Conservation Management. If you have a real passion for animals and the conservation of endangered species then this is the programme for you.

This fabulous South African Game Reserve is situated on the Eastern Cape and spans over 6000 hectares. This experience aims to give volunteers a holistic experience of life on a game reserve with exposure not only to the majestic Big 5 family but also conservation of all types of fauna and flora – they all go hand in hand.

The game reserve’s education and rehabilitation centre is home to a number of species of endangered predators including lions, Bengal tigers and cheetahs. The dedicated conservation team are committed to the preservation of these elusive creatures by rehabilitating them and releasing them back into the wild, while needing to consider the effects on a managed eco system. The work is exciting and varied with lots to learn! Naturally due to the wild and predatory nature of the animals, volunteers are advised to note that interaction and close up monitoring of these animals is not an option for the participants on the programme.

Bengal tigers are also found at the centre. Their population has deteriorated at an alarming rate. Over the last 100 years hunting and deforestation have reduced tiger populations from hundreds of thousands to perhaps fewer than 2,500. The centre has been lucky enough to see the birth of a Bengal tiger cub after an arduous 4 years of work and research.

This is a programme designed for volunteers interested in having a truly African experience while making a difference to the local wildlife and environment. Activities for this programme vary on a day to day basis and are dependent on weather and other factors (so please expect the itinerary to change from time to time!).

The itinerary is designed in such a way that volunteers are divided into groups of up to 10 volunteers per group, depending on the number of volunteers. Each group will have an outdoor volunteer coordinator as a leader and mentor.

The groups will be engaged in different daily activities, but will all do the same type and number of activities by the end of the week. In some cases all the groups might do the same activity at the same time depending on the type of activity.

Working hours are generally quite fixed and split into a morning and afternoon session. The morning session is often more physically demanding where temperatures are relatively cooler running from around 9.30-13.00. A lunch break then follows with the afternoon session usually running 14.30-16.30 thereafter. Please note that times are subject to change based on summer / winter times and the activities.

During their free time, volunteers can relax in the lounge, swimming pool, on the tennis courts or in the entertainment room. At weekends, if volunteers choose to head back into Port Elizabeth, then transfers in both directions do run complimentary at fixed times from the reserve with no additional costs.

On an ad-hoc basis, the local team sometimes arrange evening reptile shows, lectures, and cross cultural dance shows.

So it is a busy yet highly rewarding and exciting programme from start to finish. The dedicated volunteer coordinator will ensure that you have a wonderful learning experience, make a real contribution to the reserve and leave with a stronger understanding of the conservation issues in South Africa.

So, if you fancy rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty in a once in a lifetime setting then this is the programme for you!

Your efforts will help to make sure the reserve is a safe and suitable environment for these animals to not just survive but thrive. You will get the chance to get up close and personal with some of South Africa’s most famous residents. There will be the possibility to care for lions, elephants, rhinos and leopards. 

The activities for the rest of the week are extremely varied so no two days will be the same. Its not all work and no play as the programme is designed to provide a physical and fun experience every day. The volunteer tasks are largely a combination of land management and animal management program activities. Here is just a small selection of the things you can expect to get involved in during the week:

• Lion monitoring
• Rhino monitoring
• Educational lectures and classroom activities
• Removal of alien vegetation
• Planting of indigenous trees
• Landscaping
• Re-establishment of vegetation and vegetation management
• Fence and anti-poach patrols
• Fence repairs and road maintenance
• Monitoring of predators in the rehabilitation centre
• Game counts

All your day to day activities are shown on the itinerary which is always displayed on the volunteer notice board The itinerary will show you what activity your group will be doing and at what time. If you have any suggestions, you are also free to discuss with the local team.

IN & AROUND THE GAME RESERVE

PMGY volunteer in South Africa Wildlife participants are based on the Sidbury plains in the Eastern Cape. The reserve was initially home to Sidbury village, built by British settlers to support sheep farming communities.

On the reserve, you will encounter the impressive Big 5 roaming freely on the Sidbury plains. Kwantu Reserve is located off the beaten track around a 90-minute drive from central Port Elizabeth. At weekends transfers to and from the reserve and Port Elizabeth are included in the Program Fee. Due to the more remote location of the project, you usually stay on-site at the reserve for the entire week.

Participants generally volunteer on a Monday-Friday basis and the weekends are free to relax or travel further afield. As our volunteers will testify, the wider travel opportunities are extremely important to the whole experience and it is something we certainly recommend. Our local team are able to arrange activities, transport and accommodation but please note this is usually an independent experience outside of the core program.

WEEKENDS AROUND THE GAME RESERVE

PORT ELIZABETH

Port Elizabeth is a city on Algoa Bay in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province. Port Elizabeth (PE for short) fringes Algoa Bay at the western end of the Sunshine Coast, and offers many good bathing beaches, great surf spots and excellent water sports. Marine life in the bay is also sensational, with plenty of dolphins and whales that can be spotted throughout the year. The city centre, once a place to avoid, has started to smarten up thanks to a few urban regeneration projects, and it boasts numerous heritage buildings that are well worth a gander.

JEFFREYS BAY

Jeffreys Bay is a town located in the Eastern Cape province and is one of the five most famous surfing destinations in the world. Jeffreys Bay is a popular tourist destination because of its surfing opportunities and the Blue Flag beach. Jeffreys Bay is famous for abundant seashells, great seafood and calamari. The nearby Kabeljous, Seekoei and Krom River lagoons host numerous water birds and are also ideal for many different watersports including canoeing, boardsailing and fishing.

TSITSIKAMMA NATIONAL PARK

Tsitsikamma National Park is an area of the Garden Route National Park, on South Africa’s southern coast. It encompasses a marine reserve, deep gorges and local vegetation. The Mouth Trail crosses a suspension bridge over Storms River. The Otter Trail leads you to Nature’s Valley, with birds including the Cape batis. Bungee jumping is popular reason for volunteers and adventurers to visit Tsitsikamma. Bloukrans Bungy is the highest commercially operated Bungy Jump from a bridge, in the world.