volunteer for ethical organizations only!
Situated in Stanford in the Western Cape, Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary was founded in 2014. It is a true sanctuary and provides a home for life to 20 rescued big cats and 3 jackals. Each cat’s journey tells a remarkable story of love, determination, patience and commitment. Owners and founders are Cathrine S Nyquist and Lizaene Cornwall. Animal communication is also a vital part of the animals’ welfare, and volunteers are invited to join one of their courses. www.pantheraafrica.com
WorkingAbroad runs interesting volunteer projects globally for all ages, and all skills or backgrounds. The projects run in partnership with international NGO’s at the forefront in their fields. Projects include marine conservation, wildlife and habitat conservation, environmental education, teaching, and community and rural development. The company's motto is: “Offering the ability to take action for nature and society". www.workingabroad.com/
Drakenstein Lion Park. This is an award winning, acclaimed sanctuary for captive born lions rescued from failed zoos (for example in war zones) or lion farms. Volunteers become part of the team of dedicated animal care givers and experience the daily running of a lion sanctuary. It is currently home to 35 lions, including 5 rare white lions and 2 Bengal tigers. The Lion Park is also home to caracal, chimpanzees, capuchin monkeys, marmosets, wallabies, duiker and other species. www.lionrescue.org.za/
World Animal Sanctuary Protection. WASP is an interactive and informative site for ethical volunteering and sanctuaries world wide. The organisation is relatively new and its mission is to provide links to as many ethical tourist locations around the globe as possible. Michelle Merrett and her team provide a fresh, easy to navigate portal for volunteers. www.waspinternational.com/
Via Volunteers supports non-profit community, conservation & wildlife projects in South Africa through the provision of affordable, rewarding volunteer placements for international volunteers. Based near Cape Town VV maintains regular personal contact with all its project partners. Each project has been personally vetted by the Via Volunteers team. With more than 10 years’ experience organizing project placements for thousands of volunteers from more than 50 countries, the Via V team is well placed to provide you with a memorable volunteering experience. www.viavolunteers.com/
Samara Private Game Reserve in South Africa is a shining example of wildlife conservation and re-introduction in the stunning Great Karoo. As a volunteer you get to work on wildlife research and management as well as assist with community development and environmental education. www.samara.co.za/
Lionsrock Sanctuary near Bethlehem in South Africa is for those "who are passionate about helping our big cats" and the organisation invites volunteers to get hands-on with the many critical aspects of their animals’ welfare and the smooth running and maintenance of the sanctuary. "At LIONSROCK we not only welcome volunteers, we depend on them," and volunteers are encouraged to join for a minimum of 4 weeks. ww.lionsrock.org/get-active/volunteer/
Projects Abroad offers a wide range of conservation projects helping to protect some of the world’s most beautiful and fragile ecosystems in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the South Pacific. The projects run year-round; you choose your start and finish. With over 700 staff worldwide, volunteers benefit from the support and back-up that Projects Abroad provides. There is no age restriction and no volunteering experience is required; training is supplied. www.projects-abroad.co.uk & www.projects-abroad.de
Natucate offers volunteer projects which fully comply with their high sustainability standards, in places of great natural beauty. "Travellers want more value from their travel experience than just days of idleness: interesting activities, gaining knowledge, and helping where help is needed. We offer travel with adventure, internship and volunteer services to make a completely unique venture." www.natucate.com
INGWE Leopard Research in South Africa is an independent, not for profit research organisation that is studying leopard density and numbers outside of formally protected areas (reserves). Due to increasing human settlement (and therefore conflict) ILR attempts to measure the wild leopard populations via camera trapping and the identification of individual leopards and other species. www.ingweleopard.org
Praktikawelten is a specialist for volunteer work, internship and high school programmes worldwide. “Be more than a tourist” says the company's mission statement. For 15 years the company has "given our participants the chance to enjoy a break from their daily routine, to offer an eye-opening and unique experience before they start a new chapter in their lives". www.praktikawelten.de
Askari is based on 'Pidwa Wilderness Reserve' in Limpopo, South Africa’s wildlife rich province. The programme teaches hands-on conservation of wilderness in a world where habitat loss is the biggest threat to wildlife. The goal of Pidwa is to restore and regain a functioning ecosystem in which wildlife can thrive. Askari volunteers actively participate in the daily management, wildlife research and monitoring activities taking place on the reserve. Askari offers world class wildlife viewing while contributing to conservation. www.askariwcp.com/
The Lion Whisperer. You will work very closely with the team and play an important role in the maintenance, care, management and enrichment of all the animals at the sanctuary. Enjoy the spectacular African bush, come face-to-face with majestic lions, hear their magnificent roars at night. You also get to see the unique dynamics in a clan of hyenas, and marvel at the beauty of the leopard. www.lionwhisperer.co.za/
Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers has the largest offering of Australian wildlife volunteering projects in the world. "We offer placements with private carers, wildlife hospitals, rehabilitation centres and animal shelters and need the help of volunteers to look after a huge variety of Australian animals." Animals are rehabilitated to be released back into the wild if possible. Projects in Ecuador, South Africa, Malawi, Kenya, Mexico, the Galapagos Islands. www.oceans2earth.org/volunteer
Rainbow Garden Village (RGV) organizes and guides volunteer placements in conservation projects in Ghana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda, plus Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Turkey. Volunteers are all ages, the youngest being 16. The objectives of RGV are sustainability of its project work, mutual learning, and intercultural exchange. Its head office is in Munich, and RGV has teams of two to six members in each of the above. www.rainbowgardenvillage.com
LEO Africa is a Big 5 & wildlife monitoring and conservation volunteer project located in Marakele National Park north of Johannesburg. It aims to help the Park management with data about the Park's key species such as lion, black and white rhino, leopard, elephant, buffalo and hyenas, as well as contribute with conservation work (alien plant removal, road maintenance, erosion control, bush clearing etc). "Learn new skills while living the African experience" says LEO. www.leoafrica.org.
Lilongwe Wildlife Trust is an award-winning project, reputed by PASA as one of Africa’s best sanctuaries, and houses almost 200 rescued wild animals, including carnivores, primates, reptiles and antelopes. Volunteers are able to contribute to the full rehabilitation process of the animals, from orphan care to integrations to observations to reintroductions. Volunteers can also take part in LWT's education programme and community initiatives, designed to reduce human-wildlife conflict and promote sustainable livelihoods. www.lilongwewildlife.org/volunteer-programmes/
Wegweiser Freiwilligenarbeit is a German-speaking portal for flexible and responsible volunteering abroad that lists volunteer placements all over the world (Africa, Asia, South America...). Partner organisations must undergo a strict selection process, and certain types of projects are banned from the platform, such as projects in lion breeding farms or in fake elephant sanctuaries. www.wegweiser-freiwilligenarbeit.com
Guidisto is a French-speaking portal for flexible and responsible volunteering abroad that lists volunteer placements all over the world (Africa, Asia, South America...). Partner organisations must undergo a strict selection process, and certain types of projects are banned from the platform, such as projects in lion breeding farms or in fake elephant sanctuaries. www.guidisto-volontariat.fr
Knowledge is power. Use it.
It's no longer a secret: South African lion farms are a massive and growing threat to the extinction of wild lions. Whistle blowers have come forward in Botswana, telling how wild lion prides are chased to the point of total exhaustion by 4 x 4 vehicles, adult lions are then shot and the cubs are captured, for sale to unscrupulous lion farmers in S.A. Policing is non-existent.
Plus: the growing lion bone trade to the East means that we can expect a surge in
wild lion poaching for their bones.
Worse: South Africa's conservation authorities are imploding. Some provincial governments are totally dysfunctional, and money for conservation is zero.
Volunteers make a meaningful difference
Understand your power as a volunteer to turn around this catastrophe in the making. Do not work for, or support in any way, an organisation that offers lion cub petting, lion cub feeding, or lion cub "care". This - the presence of cubs - is clear evidence of a canned lion farm.
Choose your volunteer project with great care, such as those listed above. There are of course many more. Be ultra-selective! If in doubt, ask us for help. We are here for you.
It's no longer a secret: South African lion farms are a massive and growing threat to the extinction of wild lions. Whistle blowers have come forward in Botswana, telling how wild lion prides are chased to the point of total exhaustion by 4 x 4 vehicles, adult lions are then shot and the cubs are captured, for sale to unscrupulous lion farmers in S.A. Policing is non-existent.
Plus: the growing lion bone trade to the East means that we can expect a surge in
wild lion poaching for their bones.
Worse: South Africa's conservation authorities are imploding. Some provincial governments are totally dysfunctional, and money for conservation is zero.
Volunteers make a meaningful difference
Understand your power as a volunteer to turn around this catastrophe in the making. Do not work for, or support in any way, an organisation that offers lion cub petting, lion cub feeding, or lion cub "care". This - the presence of cubs - is clear evidence of a canned lion farm.
Choose your volunteer project with great care, such as those listed above. There are of course many more. Be ultra-selective! If in doubt, ask us for help. We are here for you.
The way you spend your money affects the world around you. If you work on a lion farm that is posing as wildlife sanctuary, where breeding occurs, or "rescued" lion cubs need bottle feeding, you are in fact promoting and expanding the canned lion hunting industry. Every place that offers cub petting is linked to the canned lion industry; the cubs often end up looking like this lion. Miserable. Starving. Waiting to be shot. facebook.com/volunteersbeware