Volunteer at a wolf sanctuary in Portugal
Description of Volunteer at a wolf sanctuary in Portugal
Experience the Thrill of Volunteering with Wolves Near Lisbon!
Join a Unique Opportunity to Work with Iberian Wolves! Once roaming freely throughout Portugal, only about 300 Iberian wolves remain in the wild today. Your best chance to witness these majestic creatures up close is by volunteering at a wolf sanctuary just outside Lisbon.
About the Sanctuary
This sanctuary spans 17 hectares of lush landscape and is home to around 10 rescued wolves. These animals have been saved from cramped zoos and human captivity and now live in an environment designed to mimic their natural habitat. While you won’t be able to cuddle with the wolves, you’ll have daily opportunities to see them while preparing and feeding their meals, allowing you to monitor their behavior for the sanctuary.
Essential Conservation Work
Your tasks will include vital conservation efforts such as:
Clearing invasive vegetation and planting native species in the wolf enclosures.
Engaging in demanding physical work, whether wielding a scythe or weeding the land.
Taking night shifts during summer fire-watch in guard towers, where you’ll stay alert to the wolves' howls.
Accommodation and Local Exploration
You’ll stay in a cozy shared log cabin throughout your volunteering experience, where you can cook and share meals with fellow volunteers. The weekend before your project begins, enjoy exploring the vibrant city of Lisbon—with accommodation provided!
In your free time, you can surf at nearby beaches, hike in a national park, or visit the enchanting town of Sintra, all while immersing yourself in the stunning beauty of Portugal.
Join us in making a difference for Iberian wolves and experience the adventure of a lifetime!
Price information
Departure information
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Accessibility
Responsible Travel
Planet
The projectThis project is all about conserving the dwindling population of Iberian wolves. These wolves have been rescued from hunters or from zoos, and will be living their lives out in the sanctuary.
Additionally, part of the volunteer project is to remove alien vegetation from the National Park and the wolf sanctuary itself. This is mainly eucalyptus, which grows very aggressively, killing off native species. This impacts on the survival of the local fauna and flora. Volunteers help to remove eucalyptus and plant native species of plants.
Protecting the world
We are passionate about encouraging our travellers to be kind to the environment as they travel. Each participant receives advice about how to care for the environment whilst they are away. This includes water usage, how to avoid single use plastic, and electricity usage.
We insist that all participants bring their own water bottles when they travel with us, and clean free water is always available. We have even created a water bottle that can be purchased before departure and encourage people to use it at all stages of their journey including at the airport, on flights and whilst on their project. We are striving for all of our projects to be free of single use plastic.
People
This holiday's commitment to the local community in PortugalThe project also helps the local economy. Our participants spend money on food and leisure; rent is paid to the local landlord and a local driver is used to help the volunteers to get around. All shopping is done locally in the town, creating jobs and supporting the local economy.
Cultural sensitivity
Our pre-departure briefing includes a special session entitled ‘Responsible Tourism’ where we discuss cultural differences and sensitivities as well as advising volunteers on appropriate conduct. People a briefed on what is considered polite in terms of eating, greeting and dressing. It is encouraged that all volunteers learn some Portuguese prior to departure, and they get a helping hand whilst out there as well.
Keeping it local
Where possible, money is invested in the local economy and local staff are employed. We are passionate about supporting the local community, as without them, our projects could not run.
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