The program "Living with the big cats" at Glen Afric Estate is more than just a program.
This volunteer adventure is not only intended for anyone interested in African cultures, gaining experience as an animal caretaker, but also for those who have no prior experience in these areas.
What does your day as a volunteer look like?
Each week, one of the volunteer coordinators creates a weekly schedule listing the planned activities. Such a schedule can be adjusted at any time in case of emergencies.
Your morning (8:00 a.m.) starts with a hearty dose of morning exercise. You, along with the other volunteers, have an hour to clean the elephant house. On-site, there are three elephants that spend each night safely in their stable but roam freely during the day. There are only three of them, so you'll be done in no time.
Finished? Then head together to the lodge for a hearty breakfast. You have an hour here to eat and return to the volunteer complex. As a volunteer, you'll be provided with three meals a day by a team of chefs. PS: Pancakes for breakfast are the best!
If you don't feel like cleaning the stables one morning, no problem! Each volunteer is free to choose to walk with the elephants for an hour twice a week with the two head caretakers. This is your perfect opportunity to ask the caretakers your questions about the elephants. During these walks, you're allowed to take as many photos as you like, touch the elephants under supervision, and give them lemongrass. After the walk, you'll be picked up by one of the coordinators.
After breakfast comes the first activity of the day. Each activity lasts 2 to 3 hours. These activities may vary depending on the season and the tasks that need to be completed at that time. Below is an example of such a schedule you can expect.
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
8u - 9u | Elephant house | Elephant house | Lion enrichment | Elephant house | Elephant house | Elephant house | Day off |
9u - 10u | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast |
10u - 12u30 | Shit Monday | Meat preparation | Paint poles Cheetah camp | Fix fencing predator camps | Paint poles Cheetah camp | Walkthrough camps | Day off |
12.30u - 14u | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Buffet à 14u |
14u - 17u | Shit Trailer | Predator feeding | Paint poles Cheetah camp | Fix fencing predator camps | Predator feeding | Wash vehicles Clean meat room | Day off |
Feed Animals | Feed Animals | Feed Animals | Feed Animals | Feed Animals | Feed Animals | Day off | |
17u.30 | Dinner | Dinner | Monte casino | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | Take Away |
Every Monday is Shit Monday. This means that in the morning, with the help of shovels, rakes, and brushes, you'll clean all the enclosures of the predators. All the big cats are carefully locked away so that everyone can work safely. There will be one wheelbarrow for feces and one for bones. Additionally, this is a great opportunity to get a close look at these beautiful cats and ask questions to the coordinators. In the afternoon, it's time for the 'shit trailer'. This involves scooping up all the feces (including those from the elephants) collected throughout the week into a trailer. If the group of volunteers is large, this task is quickly completed. The coordinators also pitch in. The trailer is then emptied at a location on the other side of the estate.
Below are some activities that we would like to briefly explain:
Feed Animals
Every day, weather permitting, the safari animals are fed. A bale of alfalfa and a bag of pellets are loaded onto the Modjadji truck. All volunteers can take this opportunity to observe giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, ostriches, and other savannah animals up close, ask questions to the coordinators, take as many photos and videos as you like, or simply enjoy a long day in the company of these amazing animals.
Meat preparation
Every week, Glen Afric receives a notification about a deceased animal, which could be pigs, chickens, a cow, horse, or other savannah animal(s) from the surrounding area that have died a natural death. The aim is to avoid transmitting diseases to the predators. As a volunteer, you have the option to participate in this activity. The animal is expertly prepared, with the meat divided and powdered with extra vitamins according to predator groups. Some of the meat is frozen, while other parts are prepared to be fed to the carnivores later in the day.
Predator feeding
The predators are fed twice a week. The meat is carefully distributed and loaded onto the Modjadji truck. As a volunteer, you can but are not required to assist in feeding the predators. This moment is also a great opportunity to take beautiful photos and videos.
Paint poles, fix fencing, lion enrichment, firebreaks
There are activities or tasks that cannot be predicted. For example, as a volunteer, you may need to paint a new protective layer over the fence of, for instance, the cheetah enclosure. When the season arrives, you may be required to contribute to firebreak activities. Firebreaks are controlled fires around the property. As a volunteer, you assist your coordinators and other employees in lighting these fires, ensuring they burn in a controlled manner, and subsequently extinguishing them. These firebreaks provide protection around the property as a prevention against real forest fires. A forest fire cannot overrun an already burned area, thus the property is saved. Additionally, such burning enriches the soil and allows new planting to enjoy more nutritious ground.
Cheetah Walk
Every week, you can enjoy a real Cheetah Walk! Glen Afric has two cheetahs, and one of them (Louie) goes for a walk. This walk serves as enrichment and takes place in an enclosed area. This allows Louie to stretch his legs, and as a volunteer, you have a wonderful opportunity to see and touch this remarkable animal up close, all under the watchful eye of the coordinators. If Louie isn't in the mood, that's entirely up to him to decide.
Unforgettable Moments!
After all that hard work, there's also room for relaxation. You can enjoy a beautiful sunset every evening and indulge in a weekly night out at the famous Monte Casino! There, you can casually try your luck at the slot machines, enjoy a meal with your fellow volunteers and coordinators. If you're someone who loves action, then a game of laser tag or bowling might be more your style! All of this is available under one roof at the Monte Casino!
But wait, there's more!
As a volunteer, you have the opportunity to participate in external activities. You can book a full-day safari, visit a Monkey Sanctuary, ride quads, go for a hot air balloon ride, and much more.
Feeling excited and ready to become a part of the Glen Afric Family?
Take a look at the 'pre-departure guide' to get more details about the project.
You can also help!
Just like the founder of The Animal Uni, volunteers at Glen Afric Country Lodge can have a direct impact on the lives of wild animals. Volunteering at Glen Afric provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable experience in working with large felines, elephants, and various safari animals such as zebras, giraffes, blesboks, and more. This can be a valuable addition to someone's CV and can open doors to future career opportunities in wildlife conservation.
By becoming a volunteer at Glen Afric Country Lodge, people join a community of individuals all striving towards the same noble goal: protecting wild animals and their habitats for future generations.
Check out their website and discover the wonderful efforts this organization is making:
Feeling excited and ready to become 'part of the Glen Afric Family'? Then quickly book your Glen Afric adventure and learn more about this volunteer work via the following link:
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