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Location
  • South Africa
    • Mossel Bay
Length
2 to 20 weeks
Project Types
Agriculture Community Development Youth Conservation Environmental Conservation Reforestation Wildlife Conservation Elephant Conservation Primate Conservation Tourism Veterinary Service +1

Program Details

Language
English
Age Min.
18
Timeframe
Year Round
Housing
Apartment Hostel
Groups
Small Group (1-15)

Pricing

Starting Price
2699
Price Details
Program Fee includes all work related transportation (including airport pickups), some meals, all accommodation, conservation fees, training material, work related material. The program fee does not include flights, visa, curios, extra activities.
What's Included
Accommodation Some Activities Airport Transfers Equipment Some Meals Transportation Wifi
What's Not Included
Activities Airfare Domestic Airfare Some Meals SIM cards Travel Insurance Visa
Mar 08, 2021
Wish List
8 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

The Wildlife Conservation Program is a unique internship and volunteer opportunity that gives wildlife enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds an opportunity to get involved in the conservation and sustainability of African wildlife and ecosystems. Our volunteers, interns, and students are critical in the continuation of our research and conservation efforts.
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Volunteers, interns, and students spend five days per week assisting in various capacities of wildlife conservation. This can be in the form of field work collecting data, analyzing and entering data into our systems, or in the way of workshops and discussion days with our seasoned team members. We leave evenings and weekends open which allows the chance to explore South Africa and take part in various cultural and tourist activities.

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Video and Photos

Rhino

Program Highlights

  • Live at the beach and work in the African bush
  • Study endangered animals
  • Make a real difference
  • Daily entries to private game reserve

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Questions & Answers

Staff Interviews

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

Arno Smit

Program
Wildlife Conservation and Research in South Africa
Job Title
Managing Director
After studying Conservation Ecology in South Africa, Arno went on to travel and work extensively throughout Africa in various aspects of the conservation industry before returning to his native country and opening Nkonzo Bush Academy. His experience ranges from guiding and managing game reserves in the tourism industry to anti-poaching, wildlife management, and training.
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What is your favorite travel memory?

Once when working in Zimbabwe some colleagues and myself were driving home from a long day's work and just as the sun was beginning to set we spotted an interesting scenario. A sable calf had gotten stuck well above the neck in a quicksand-like mud pool, while the mother and rest of the herd stood helplessly aside as the calf struggled to free itself.

Myself and another decided to intervene and see if we could help. After more than two hours of struggling; one of us would hold the antelope's horns so we weren't impaled, and the other would dig at the mud; we were able to move the calf out of the mud and onto sturdy ground. As the calf stood on his shaking legs in the night and the others watched from nearby, the calf turned and looked down at us (we were now up to our chests in the mud and stuck ourselves) and bobbed his head at us in a way that resembled nodding.

I will never know what was passing through his mind but I can imagine that this simple "nod" was his way of thanking us. He then shakily ran towards his mother who began licking furiously at the mud as the herd wandered off. We were then left for another two hours in the cold while we eradicated ourselves from the same trap.

This was an important event for me because you cannot save every animal, that is impossible, but you can make a difference in the lives of some and in this instance we made a difference.

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

Since founding Nkonzo Bush Academy I realized the need in today's society for an ethical company to encourage and guide the next generation of conservationists.

So many people want to help, want to make a difference, want to do something but they have no idea where to begin or who to trust.

I also realized that there is a massive void in the volunteer industry that focuses on the ethical standpoint of what they are doing. I tried to fill that void with Nkonzo as an initiative that focuses on the future of wildlife and conservation and making a difference in the environment while protecting and not hindering the animal's natural lives and behaviors.

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

The best thing I have ever been told by a past student is thank you. A student once told me that they never realized there was a difference between real wildlife and a glorified zoo that happened to be located in Africa.

Prior to their experience with Nkonzo they were not aware that many safari parks and reserves are not actually wild, and that the animals are fed and used for human interactions and entertainment. But were thankful that they were able to experience the real wild Africa and now know how it was supposed to be. I was glad to have opened their eyes.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

We are the only company that I know of that's priding point is the ethical consideration of wildlife and that makes it their priority while working on a free roaming wild reserve that has their volunteers live at the beach. It is literally the best of both worlds, a company that focuses on ethics at work and lives at the beach.

To say when I am especially proud of my team would be an impossibility, as this is daily. However to give a specific instance I would say when they work day after day and never lose the passion or the drive that I first saw in the interview process. Every day it's as if they are seeing their workplace for the first time. There is so much excitement and passion each day.

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

It all comes down to the opportunity that is provided by the company. Does it fill an empty niche and do so in a way that is both appealing and affordable to the volunteers?

It's to ensure that we stand out and and provide not only the field experience but the whole experience, everything from the accommodation, to the weekend activities, to the personnel the volunteers work with - it's making sure that they see and understand the difference they are making.

About Nkonzo Wildlife

​Based in the Western Cape of South Africa, NWR is a unique company that focuses on regional conservation and strengthening the relationship between conservationists and the general public. Nkonzo leads multiple research projects in South Africa and abroad to develop a better understanding of various social behaviours, human-animal conflict...

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