Project description
Take part in the ultimate wildlife conservation project with horses in the raw African beauty on the edges of the vast Hwange national park area of Zimbabwe with local wildlife conservationists. This incredible location allows for many riding opportunities through one of Africa’s most renowned wildlife areas with the natural beauty of teak forests to the Miombo woodlands.
All riding abilities can be catered for even those who would like to learn how to be comfortable on a horse with no riding skills.
This volunteer project has so many aspects to it from exciting recycling projects recycling lodge waste into beautiful pieces of art or building materials. Or recycling metal snares into wire art. to assisting with anti-poaching endeavours, community education, wildlife conservation and equine care.
Days are spent on horseback, helping with snare sweeps, boundary patrols and making sure Hwange’s wildlife remains free to roam in and out of the reserve. You will assist anti-poaching units by teaching the rangers to ride and helping with the logistics of the patrols. Snares are often put down by poachers which can have devastating effects on the wildlife populations as so many of them are put down at one time. There are plenty of opportunities to learn new bush skills from the many qualified rangers and conservationists you will be associating with while on the project. Expand your skills and leadership responsibilities by joining professional guides on guest outrides assisting with back up, tracking wild animals and exploring the untamed natural vegetation and its inhabitants- learning how to react to them.
Education is key so rides are taken to local villages where locals are taught about animal husbandry in particular how to treat domestic animals like the donkeys and the proper use of harnesses. This is the perfect time too to educate the younger generations on the importance of wildlife and conservation to try reduce the human/wildlife conflict that often happens at the villages on the Hwange boundary line. And of course pony rides for the little ones are always fun.
Horse duties and activities are very much a part of the project whether it is a sunset outride, a horse swim in a nearby waterhole or lunging a new horse. Show jumping and Polocrosse takes place and even the odd competition. At the stable yard you will be assisting staff from the local community in the care of the horses and general yard duties. This is also a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the Zimbabwean people, their tribes, culture and customs.
Volunteer duties on horseback
- Trail and wildlife rides
- Animal tracking
- Exercise rides combined with litter clean ups
- Riding lessons and schooling sessions- this is key too for the anti-poaching rangers to make them proficient on horseback
- Anti-poaching patrols whether for wildlife or wood poachers with an armed professional ranger
- Litter clean up rides
- Snare sweeps
- Boundary patrols
- Assisting with guest riders
- Local village visits to educate the residents on animal husbandry
Volunteer duties on foot
- Animal tracking on foot
- Bush craft classes
- Eco-friendly, sustainable, recycling and educational community projects
- Vehicle wildlife drives
- Sunrise drives and sundowner trips
- Assistance with the local African Wild dog centre
- Lion research opportunities
- Anti-poaching assistance for example snare sweeps with an armed ranger
- Snare wire art workshops
- Vehicle patrols
- Horse care
- Daily yard duties like feeding the horses and washing numnahs
- Lunging and schooling horses
African Wild Dog research
You may assist occasionally with African wild dog research and monitoring if the research centre requires it or would like snare sweeps through their land.. The project has a very close relationship with a local African wild dog research centre established in the 90’s which monitors approximately 200 dogs in 6 packs in the Hwange National park. Volunteers often get involved or will have an excursion to the research centre to speak to experts in the field working with their survival.
It is also possible to view the few non-releasable African Wild dogs that have permanent sanctuary at the centre. Or those undergoing rehabilitation awaiting release back to their pack. These beautiful, unique, and fascinating social African Wild dogs number at around 7000 worldwide and are critically endangered so it is imperative that all can be done for their survival so anti-poaching units have been established as the packs can be very susceptible to being caught in snares laid for bush meat. As only the alpha female breeds once a year, being caught in snares can have a long term negative affect on the numbers of the African Wild dogs in Hwange.
Wild Lion research
Another area of interest for volunteers is the opportunity to meet the members of a local lion research unit that monitors (often with camera traps) and researches the behaviour of 500 to 600 lions in the Hwange national park of which a few are satellite collared. We endeavour to give our volunteers insight into this important and fascinating conservation work which also assists towards finding solutions with human/wildlife conflict on the verges of Hwange where lions are often found close to local villages.
Community projects
The project is involved with many community projects including a recycling project where the community members from the neighbouring villages collect the lodge waste from the lodges in the surrounds of the national park. They use plastic bottles and clay to help construct houses, and other village projects. They also make different jewellery out of the glass and art out of the wire that the project finds from snares. Really great eco-friendly projects for volunteers to get involved in.
Pony rides are also provided to the local school children and education about wildlife conservation and animal husbandry with their domestic animals especially the donkeys. The project aims to eliminate the human wildlife conflict where possible by starting with educating the younger generations. There are many community opportunities available, however it is preferred to finish one before moving on to another so as to give full attention to one project at a time.
Fun activities
Aside from the conservation duties the project often partakes in Show jumping, Polocrosse, sunset and sunrise rides and rives, horse swims and game drives.
No riding experience need
There are many non-horse riding activities for those not experienced with riding and horse care which include helping with anti-poaching units from the ground, getting involved with the researchers in and around the park with both Lion and Wild dog as well as helping with snare sweeps and setting camera traps etc. Helping with community projects and many other horse related but not necessarily ride related activities. All ability levels can be accommodated.
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