Borneo wildlife volunteer project

Borneo wildlife volunteer project

How this holiday makes a difference

Your mission on this unique volunteer programme is to help us monitor migration patterns along the river, explore human conflicts and elephant behaviour towards local villages and make locals aware that the pygmy elephant is an important natural heritage to the location. By being on the project you will demonstrate that the rest of the world comes to Borneo to experience elephants and help to reverse stigma that elephants are treasures not pests. Help us save the pygmy elephant while being on a river safari in the ancient rainforests of Borneo.

As well as planting trees, you will get to track Pygmy elephant migration patterns and observe any conflicts with humans or villages. You will travel round in a small group of 12. Small groups are less intimidating to the local communities and results in less damage to the jungle by trampling. There are only about 150 pygmy elephants left in the wild, and they are an important natural heritage to Borneo. By being on the project you will help to emphasise the importance of elephants to the local community, thereby encouraging tourism and therefore helping the local economy.

You will partake in a day planting trees aimed at offsetting the carbon dioxide emissions generated from your long haul air travel. The trees planted are used to help regenerate rainforest corridors (that were removed because of logging) and bridge the gaps between one forest area and the other. This allows for animals to increase their habitat also. Supporting local economic development is just as important as our conservation work. 80% of our staff are locals. They receive their training from overseas tourism students who teach them to understand the culture and needs of the tourists, and also help increase their English and communication skills.

Borneo wildlife volunteer project