In one of the world’s last remaining true wilderness areas, in Namibia’s vast Damaraland, elephants roam in constant search for water. As a volunteer with our desert elephant conservation program, you’ll contribute to meaningful projects that protect elephants and people, mitigate conflict and set a path towards peaceful coexistence. Project work includes construction of walls to protect water sources, tracking and identifying elephants and monitoring local herds.
Join us in Namibia’s desert, a remote wilderness area rarely seen by tourists. Witness the uniquely adapted desert elephants, lions and giraffes in their natural environment. You might also spot black rhino, oryx, brown and spotted hyena, leopard, cheetah and more. Sleep under vast starry skies, learn to cook over an open fire in traditional style, experience the local culture and explore Namibia’s wild beauty in your free time.
This program is typically run in two-week intervals, with the first week committed to building activities to protect critical water sources for local communities. During the second week, volunteers will get fieldwork experience tracking desert elephants and collecting data for conservation work.
Species
Desert-dwelling elephants are actually the same species (known as African savannah or bush elephants, Loxodonta africana) found in many safari destinations on the continent. These elephants have made the Namib Desert their home and have developed special adaptations for surviving the extreme temperatures and terrain. With only 150 individuals estimated in this population, your contribution as a volunteer can really make a difference in their conservation. If this population doesn’t survive there won’t be any others, as it’s their unique adaptations that enable them to survive here. Additional species you might encounter include oryx, desert-adapted lions, leopards, brown hyenas and black rhinos.
Location
Our project work is based in Damaraland, a tribal wilderness area running parallel to the iconic Skeleton Coast National Park in Namibia. This area forms part of the Namib Desert, a vast and true wilderness. Because of the area’s low rainfall, farming is restricted, creating a haven for wildlife adapted to desert conditions. The desert is full of surprises, with temporary river systems dotted with large shady trees, and occasional green, lush wetland areas that emerge unexpectedly!
5
