Wildlife Volunteer Programs: Work with Really Freakin’ Cute Baby Animals NOW!

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Let’s be honest with ourselves for a minute:  we all love animals (sometimes more than humans) and when they get hurt (especially baby ones) we get choked up inside.  Something about little furry baby animals brings out our emotional side.  You can’t avoid getting a fuzzy, warm feeling when looking at this koala for instance. Still don’t give a crap about baby animals?  Maybe these wildlife volunteerships can warm your cold heart:

Wild Dogs: Zimbabwe, Africa

For the love of puppies!  These dogs are not your average domesticated house pet. Around since before humans decided to make them man’s bestfriend, wild dogs are crucial carnivores of the African savannah and are approaching extinction due to poaching.  This program focuses on education about the value of wild dogs in the area, research and data collection.  Since the conditions of the regions are quite harsh, this volunteership requires you to be in good physical and mental shape.  This program runs for a fixed three week time period and costs $1462 (which gets you primitive housing and some food).  This is an elbows-deep type of volutneership that requires you to be out in the bush for some period of time.  If you’ve got the cajones, apply at EcoVolunteer.org.

Wild Cats: South Africa

So all the cat people don’t feel left out, here is a great volunteer opportunity for you.  Through Cultural Embrace, you can immerse yourself in the Kapama Game Reserve which is home to many wild cat species. In addition to lions, tigers and cheetahs, this place has black-footed wild cats (’cause their feet are black) which are only found in Africa, are endangered and so cute they’ll make you want to punch your mother.  Your daily duties focus on the general maintenance of the reserve. For $1650, your food and tent accommodation is covered for 3 weeks.  As a bonus, an elephant-back safari is included in the fee.  Sundays are days off so bring a big ball of yarn (we’re sure the tigers and lions would love it).

Baby Seals: Ireland

Sadly, the imagery associated with baby seals is of a burly guy with a club beating the life out of them.  This association is linked to the big debate around the annual Canadian Seal Hunt where sealers gather each year to kill baby seals and sell their fur to international fashion designers.  As emotionally hurtful as it is to see these helpless, furry white animals get brutally clubbed to death, the existence if this practice is fueled by a simple supply and demand model where the fashion industry demands white furry pelts and Canadian sealers (i.e. humans that need income to support themselves) supply them.  Activists have successfully chipped away some of the inhumanity on both the supply and demand side and as the current climate stands, donating your money rather than your time seems to be the best way you can help the cause in Canada. If your backpacking pockets aren’t that deep and you want to save yourself some seals, you can volunteer your time at the seal sanctuary in Ireland. The Irish Seal Sanctuary is currently looking for volunteers in these areas: writing, driving, fund-raising and animal handling.  No experience is really necessary and it doesn’t cost anything other than a plane ticket (shared housing and food is included). You must be in good physical shape and be willing to commit to the cause for a minimum of 3 months. Start the volunteer process by filling out their application.

Elephants: Thailand

Remember Dumbo? That guy was damn cute.  Well, here are some real life elephants you can hang with.  The Cosmic Volunteers network offers a two week (and up to 12 months) opportunity to participate in an elephant camp in Thailand.  Here, you will be responsible for bathing, feeding and caring for the camp’s 70, or so, elephants.  $1400 shmakers gets you two weeks of food (weekdays) and accommodations.  Price too steep?  You can get 50% off the program fee for arranging your own accommodations (check out hostelworld.com and couchsurfing.com for cheap sleep options).

Beavers: Poland

You’re always looking for beaver anyway, why not do it in scenic Poland? Beavers are nature’s engineers.  They build dams and gnaw down trees which maintains healthy downflow ecosystems and prevents flooding to vulnerable regions. Unfortunately, beavers in the Beskid Niski Mountains of Poland disappeared in the 1500s and their absence has left this beautiful region ecologically unstable.  Volunteers are needed to help re-introduce beavers to the region.  The cost for one week is about $870 and decreases every week thereafter.  Housing in an eco-ranch and organic food are included in the fee.  As far as qualifications, you only need to be moderately fit (able to walk 10-15 km, 6-9 miles, your grandma can do that) and passionate about conservation.  Loving beavers is optional but we highly encourage it.  You can reserve your spot on the project through EcoVolunteer.org.

Giant Pandas: China

OTP’s most huggable animal award goes to the Panda.  So they’re a little vicious but look at this face, so lovable. Through Pandas International, for about $100 per day, you get to interact with pandas in Bifengxia, China at the Panda Center.  Your duties would include feeding, cleaning and collecting behavioral data (we’re sure you can sneak in a hug during off-hours). They advise you to get travel insurance to cover the whole vicious thing (find out how through our Backpacking 101: Health and Safety guide). Also, for $50 bucks, you can have a Panda Party right now.  You get a Panda poster, Panda [piggy] bank, bracelets, stickers and informational materials.  All proceeds go to Pandas International as donations and the Panda party you throw raises interest amongst your friends (maybe organize a group trip to China, it’s cheaper.  Check out STA Travel for group deals).

Great White Shark: South Africa

We We think Great Whites are cute despite the whole biting people’s legs off with their twin rows of razor sharp teeth thing.  We wouldn’t go hugging them but volunteering to aide in their survival through the Great White Shark Study in South Africa is like a hug, but safer. Through White Sharks Projects located in Gansbaai, South Africa, you get to dive deep into the world of the ocean’s greatest predator.  Your time will be spent on a boat, in a shark cage and on Tuesdays, at their Recycle Swap Shop (an incredible community-building idea where local children are rewarded with spending points for bringing in recyclables which then become redeemable for items at the shop).  The first 14-day program costs $1500 and, if accepted for a longer term, the price goes down to only $500 per month thereafter.

Whatever your reason for volunteering to help animals internationally, know that your work will be ecologically important.  Every animal has its own function (besides being cute) in our world ecosystem and their survival is very much intertwined with our own.

Written By:  Anna Starostinetskaya

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