Wildlife Conservation Experience Program
- South Africa
About Program
HESC offers the opportunity to experience, first hand, the work of the centre. This intensive 21-day programme is divided into 3 main sections: Participation; Conservation; and Sightseeing.
Participation: WCE participants will be involved in the everyday care of the many animal species at the centre. This includes cleaning, feeding and, where required, assisting with or observing any veterinary activities that may occur during their stay. The knowledge gained about the animals and the work of HESC through this kind of participation is both specific and personal. Participants may also get the opportunity to learn more about the day-today operations at “Rescued Rhinos @ HESC”, a sanctuary for orphaned rhinos and rhinos which have been victims of poaching.
Conservation: This section of the programme involves informal lectures on all aspects of conservation and includes specialist input on all animals, grasses, trees and basic biodiversity.
Video and Photos
Program Highlights
- Working with the cheetah, wild dog, white rhino and many other animal species (including those born at HESC and those rescued)
- Possibility of working with the wildlife vet (including darting and capturing for the purpose of operating, blood sampling or translocation of animals, as well as assisting with post-mortems)
- Preparation of food and feeding of the animals
- Possibility of assisting in the hand-rearing of animals
- Local community involvement (e.g. visiting schools in rural areas) – Refer to community work section further on
Related Programs
Questions & Answers
Location
South Africa is often thought of as resoundingly unstable and poor; however, this is far from the case. The duality in South Africa encompasses big cities with a well-developed infrastructure, as well as rural areas that are underdeveloped and impoverished. South Africa is well known for having 11 recognized languages, beautiful landscapes, world-class universities, and an abundance of animals.
