This project will provide you with a rare and exciting opportunity to work alongside carnivore
research experts, Bushman trackers and get close to wild African cheetahs and leopards. You will
actively participate in the research and monitoring activities that take place in our study area
to enable the research project to fulfill its objectives and further the knowledge of large
carnivores for future conservation.
The research program is monitoring the activities of a number of cheetahs and leopards within the
21,000 hectare study site. These predators have been captured using special box traps set out in
various locations where wild carnivores have been confirmed. Once captured the animals are fitted
with radio collars and released in order to monitor their activities and movements and gain a
better understanding of their ecology for future conservation.
You may take part in:
Searching for cheetah marking trees
Locating collared carnivores through telemetry and GPS tracking
Identifying, counting and tracking carnivore spoors
The research team receives many calls throughout the year from farmers who have captured cheetahs
or leopards and want them off of their land or who have problem carnivores they want removed. The
farm provides a temporary safe sanctuary for these animals, which might otherwise be kept in small
cages or even shot.
You may take part in:
Setting and checking box traps
Capture, immobilization and collaring of large carnivores
Building or clearing out temporary enclosures for new residents
you may be involved in could include:
- Wildlife census and game counts either from a 4x4 or at one of our waterholes
- Vegetation surveys
- Data entry
- Measuring and photographing large carnivore footprints for ID processing
Volunteers need to be ready to take on any tasks that may be required of them, and to get dirty in the process!
You may also have the opportunity to join our
tracking project in NamibRand to monitor cheetahs and leopards that have been released
here. This is a chance not to be missed! Together with a member of the research team you will
locate the animals by means of radio-telemetry and record their activities on a daily basis. Find
out about our tracking program.
Volunteers may also have the exciting and privileged opportunity to accompany the research team
during one of our next releases. Read volunteer stories from
their incredible release experiences.
Fun activities available in your spare time
7.00am Breakfast - help yourself to cereals, tea and toast
8.00am Morning meeting with the volunteer coordinators to plan the day ahead
8.15am Morning activity; one of: checking box traps; Spoor Counts and Spoor Tracking
1.00pm Lunch and free time
2.30pm Afternoon activity; Game Count, Telemetry (Tracking)
You may also spend a whole day undertaking waterhole observation
5.30pm Dinner and free time
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