Wildlife ACT

Why choose Wildlife ACT?

Wildlife ACT actively advances wildlife conservation by conducting ongoing & essential monitoring projects on reserves in South Africa. Wildlife ACT performs these conservation services free-of-charge and completely relies on volunteer support to fund the work. We are supported by the WWF and have a very high percentage of returning volunteers - who range anywhere between 18 and 65+. All that is required is a positive attitude and a willingness to make a difference. Those interested are encouraged to visit the Wildlife ACT website to learn more.

Website

www.wildlifeact.com

Founded

2008

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Reviews

A wonderful experience in a beautiful environment! The monitors are really professional. They take good care of the volunteers, making sure you have everything you need and making you feel really comfortable. You will follow them on their daily work and will learn a lot about wildlife and life in the bush.
We were in the uMkhuze reserve in July 2022. Our "routine" was: leaving the camp for the 1st session of the day at 4:30 am and the 2nd session at 3:00 pm. The duration of each session depended on the work on the field.
An unforgettable stay!!!

I have been twice to iMfolozi-Hwluluwe now with Wildlife ACT and both times I have had the time of my life!
To be in the bush for 2 weeks, to see the animals roaming free and wild and knowing you are supporting this, is truly the best feeling.
I have learned so much from the monitors and I felt I really contributed to the welfare of the animals living in the reserve. Every day was a new adventure and every day was different, and I will never forget the beautiful sunrises in the bush and the sounds of all animals in the evening and morning!
I will be back definitely!
I can highly recommend to join Wildlife ACT in one of their projects, because they work very hard to protect the precious wildlife and they are so motivated.
I will definitely go back in the future!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?

Changing the collar of a cheetah will be something I will remember for the rest of my life!

My two weeks with Wildlife ACT surpassed any of my expectations of what I was heading in to. Getting involved in a research group and taking part of the daily monitoring of endangered species was so rewarding and fun as well. The opportunity to spend fourteen days in the bush with a mission to help researchers with conservation of wildlife, is an opportunity I would recommend everybody to take. A typical day is getting up early in the morning heading out with the jeep and target one of the focused groups, say a lion, with monitoring equipment. While this task is being performed the sun rises, the birds and insects start their day and the forest are buzzing with life. When the lion is found; time, place, behaviour and other data is collected and then the search for some other species is started. In that way it continues along with encounters of other animals that is also fantastic to see. It was truly an amazing experience for me and I will definitely go back when time is given in the future.

I had an absolute amazing experience with Wildlife ACT.
The way the projects are organized is very personal and efficient. You get to visit several nature reserves in Kwazulu-Natal which is a stunning natural region.
The contribution you have with the small groups together with the professional and enthusiastic monitors feels very important.
You will help WACT with everything thats most urgent and they will learn you a lot about the nature and everything that matters for wildlife conservation.
This unique exhange of work and knowlegde is of great importance to gain attention on wildlife conservation.
Personally, the best thing of WACT is that the result of what they are doing is just for the african wildlife. Nothing more, nothing less.

If you are wondering about having a real, impactful, meaningful way to spend your vacation helping with conservation - this is a (if not the) great opportunity.

The teams are small, you get to interact a lot with your monitor and colleagues on the back of the car, you get to know how the conservation work with ecologists, rangers, reserve managers is run and monitoring animals and animal populations is just ... great and worth every minute spent outside, in the back of the car. The monitors are really skilled, both academically and in practice. there are lots of good stories, hands-on work collecting data about the animals in the reserves and great visuals - sunrise, sunset, etc.

It is well invested money, it is worth spent the time. I came back with a completely different picture of conservation work, and why I would go back to Africa or other continent to watch nature. Every hand was helpful there, and I came back thinking about my return.

What would you improve about this program?

Volunteers come to help and, of couse, see the animals. If it happens that one reserve has a certain condition that we don't get to see anything, it would be good to have a discussion after some days, if the volunteers could not be rotated to other reserve.

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Programs

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

After doing a substantial amount of research online and a lot of questions to various organizations, I knew Wildlife Act was the best fit for me.

It's an opportunity to not only go see South Africa, but you also get to work with a great organization and help them with their conservation efforts. It's the best of both worlds: you get to see the animals but also be part of their conservation, learning from people on the ground.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Wildlife Act assisted with answering all questions, and they provide transport to the reserves once at the Richards Bay airport.

They also provide the name of a few guest houses in Richards Bay if you arrive early. It's up to you to organize getting to Richards Bay from wherever home is. Not to mention, they also supply all of your food for the time you are there; it is up to you to cook and to supply any snacks or drinks you may want.

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What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Be prepared for varying weather. Also, remember South Africa is in the Southern Hemisphere, so your season at home may be very different than where you are going.

Bring warm & wind/rainproof clothing. It's Africa, but it's still cold at 4am on the back of a truck with the wind, and depending on the season, it does rain and you have no cover.

Also bring sunscreen, it is Africa :)

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Depending on which reserve you are at, you will go out for 2-3 sessions a day, with the possibility of 1 day for data entry (all the info you collect).

The morning sessions start normally well before the sun is up as everyone is bundled up on the back of the truck (with the very important cooler containing hot water, coffee/tea and rusks for your later break). You return to camp in the late morning to eat or relax until your next session. Normally you will go out again in the late afternoon, returning a little after the sun has set. You will get to experience the amazing sun rises, the beautiful sunsets, and the giant sky full of stars.

While out, you will be tracking various animals, depending on the priority for the wildlife monitor. You will be using telemetry equipment, along with a handheld GPS, and a triangulation app to find your animals, stopping to make notes and take a data point for anything important that you come across.

You will have dinner with your group once you're done for the day (maybe even a braai), before getting ready to head out the next morning.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear for this trip was traveling half way across the world alone, to Africa. A lot of planning and a lot of questions to Wildlife Act helped relieve some of the stress, but my desire to go was more than my fear of the unknown.

Now that I have traveled to South Africa alone twice, I know what to expect and have no issues with this travel; I'd go back right now if I could!

What are the groups like?

You will be placed with a max of 4 other international volunteers, and you will have 2 awesome wildlife monitors (they alternate sessions, but they do get days off so you may have 1 with you most of the time). These people quickly become your bush family, and likely lifelong friends, as you experience this adventure together.

Sonja Blum

Haley Pope

Lindsay Conway

Sue Learoyd

Gale Smith

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

What is your favorite travel memory?

Spending a month traveling through Indonesia solo. This was an incredible experience and I made friends from all over the world. By the end, I did not want to leave! I considered a life of surfing, working via the Internet and spending the majority of my life in Bali...

Which destination is most underrated? Conversely, which is most overrated?

Visiting any African country is pretty much underrated. People are so quickly put off by the thought of getting murdered. While it's important to stay safe, it shouldn't deter one from visiting 'third world' countries.

Overrated in my mind refers to any destination that is more tourist-orientated than local - i.e. places that no longer possess a genuine local charm.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Having staff that WANT to work for you who truly believe in what they are doing. People need to know that their work is meaningful and that they are not simply a pawn or cog in a big machine making a few at the top rich through their hard labor.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I went from being totally disheartened by the thought of having to endure a 9 to 5 job that I didn't particularly enjoy, to actually wanting to work - knowing that I am helping to make a genuine difference in the world. Nothing is fake anymore.

What unique qualities does your company possess?

Family-like relationships with their staff; completely open and transparent; taking everyone's feelings and ideas into account; progressive; doing incredibly admirable, on-the-ground, difficult work that is truly making a difference for the planet. Never giving up.

Describe a time when you felt especially proud to be part of your current team

Approaching Google and applying for Google Grants, which they granted us based on the nature of what we do!

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

That their experience with us genuinely changed their life... (and the same has been said by several returning students).

Simon Morgan

Director