Shamwari Game Reserve conservation project

Set in 25,000 hectares of bio-diverse lush, green South African bush, Shamwari Game Reserve is the ultimate Big Five experience. As a volunteer you will work behind-the-scenes with the conservation department, whilst getting the opportunity to become involved with the two Born Free Big Cat Sanctuaries located at the reserve. Situated in the Eastern Cape of South Africa Shamwari strives to conserve what man is fast destroying. Set-up in early 1990 the reserve was the vision of one man’s dream, to bring the once free roaming wildlife back to this part of Africa.

The reserve is constantly monitoring and introducing game throughout the year, making Shamwari Game Reserve one of our most exciting options for your volunteer placement. Conservation at Shamwari is about the management, development and rehabilitation of the environment to create a sustainable ecosystem. The conservation department at Shamwari has a highly effective team including a qualified wildlife veterinarian, ecologist and environmentalist.

The accommodation is situated on the reserve; and volunteers stay in twin rooms with en-suite bathrooms. There is also a lounge, dining room and a swimming pool as well as internet access and phones. All meals are provided for the volunteers – they have three meals a day, lunch is normally a packed lunch out in the reserve. The course coordinators also lecture the volunteers on different aspects of the reserve and the wildlife, helping the volunteers understand their role at the reserve and the impact that can be made. If exposure to the African wildlife is your dream, then gap year voluntary work on Shamwari will exceed your wildest expectations. Volunteer placements at Shamwari allow you to become part of the conservation team and to assist them in their long and short-term projects and ambitions.

As your placement will only be a relatively short time in regards to many projects there is no guarantee that you will be involved in all of them during your placement.

Game monitoring / counts

Game capture

Community project

General reserve maintenance

Camping out under the stars (weather dependent) 

Orientation of camps and facts

Fence, wire and rubbish clearing

Fence patrol

Survival sleep out

Road maintenance and bush clearing

Rock packing along fence lines

As part of your placement there may also be the opportunity to observe at the Big Cat sanctuaries situated within the Reserve. The Wildlife Department also boasts a breeding and rehabilitation centre (which is currently home to an orphaned elephant), an education centre and an anti-poaching unit. To ensure the lasting sustainability of the reserve and its rich, bio-diverse ecosystem, the ecology department strives to protect and improve the environment. As a volunteer you will assist the conservation department in their important work.

a day in a life of a volunteer

All work is based on the needs and requirements of the reserve and the conservation department, so exactly what you do cannot be guaranteed on a daily basis. Nonetheless, you will generally work from 8-5 Monday to Friday, with evenings and weekends free. However, volunteers have been known to get up at 5:00am to help track and darts animals, and the volunteers recently helped to track a cheetah (through telemetry) and then dart it. Lunch breaks are taken around midday and will either be picnic in the bush or back at the accommodation.