Lion Breeding and Rehabilitation Vic Falls Zimbabwe Volunteer Africa Mature Volunteers Gap Year Career Break

VICTORIA FALLS LION REHABILITATION AND CONSERVATION EDUCATION PROJECT
VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE

An incredible opportunity to help address the seriously decreasing number of lions in the wild throughout Africa. Join the world's leading lion rehabilitiation/release programme at Victoria Falls where volunteers will walk with lions, hand rear cubs and help conduct invaluable research on lion behaviour. As part of this project all volunteers will also be involved with exciting conservation education initiatives and their time at the project will be divided between the lion rehabilitation programme and conservation work in local schools. Take the time to visit the world famous Falls themselves and experience some of the many amazing adventure activities on offer.

Location:

VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE

Dates:

Any date throughout the year.

Fees:

£995 - 2 weeks

£1,780 - 4 weeks

£2,390 - 6 weeks

£2,895 - 8 weeks

Payment:

£180 deposit at time of booking – balance of project fee due 8 weeks before departure

Reference:

AV022

Highlights

An opportunity to join the world's leading programme to release lions back into the wild
Enjoy walking with the lions in the bush and watch them develop
Experience the African bush spending time in the "Big 5" Zambezi National Park
Get actively involved in conservation - possibly even camping out overnight to count the animals coming to drink at the waterhole
Help to protect the environment in the future through conservation education in local schools
Enjoy fantastic optional adventure activities and trips to see more of the area's spectacular wildlife
Make friends for life with other international volunteers on the programme

General Information

This project is based on the outskirts of Victoria Falls town, Zimbabwe - just a stone's throw from the magnificent thundering waters of the Falls themselves. Volunteers will work on the world's leading programme for the release of lions back into the wild - learning how to bottle feed the younger cubs, walking with them and experiencing the African Bush in a special way as they spend time out in the Masuwe Big 5 area where the lion project is based. The opportunity to help with conservation education in the local schools gives volunteers a fantastic insight into the lives of the local community and Zimbabwean culture. There will also be opportunities to take part, with other volunteers, in optional visits to the nearby National Parks, at an additional cost.

Lion Rehabilitation/Release Programme

Although as recently as 1975 more than 200,000 lions roamed the African continent, estimates from 2002 showed evidence of an 80 - 90% decline in the lion population putting the number of lions remaining at between 23,000 - 39,000. This valuable project aims to rehabilitate captive-bred lions back into the wild so that their cubs, raised by the pride, can learn the skills necessary to ensure their successful transition into their natural environment. The involvement of volunteers on this project is vital to achieving these aims. Days will be long but very rewarding, and volunteers will know that they have made a difference to the animals and people with whom they have come in contact. The work is varied and will include:

Lion Walks

Spending part of each day with the lions in the wild is essential to the cubs' upbringing and if they are to be successfully released it is vital that they spend time in a natural environment, from where they will adapt, learn, understand, observe, feel and smell the wild. Since the inception of this programme a marked increase in the lions' awareness of their natural surroundings and an improvement in their bush skills have been noticed and these skills improve each day under the supervision of volunteers. Alongside these walks volunteers will be involved in the care of the animals who spend the nights in enclosures. They need to be fed, cleaned and occasionally will need veterinary care to ensure they remain in good health. Volunteers will gain a deeper understanding of these wonderful beasts as they assist in gathering vital information that will ease their eventual release back into the wild.

Research

A number of research activities are conducted to improve man's understanding of lion behaviour and ecology. Lion walks offer unique opportunities to observe the lions close up in their natural environment and the data collected assists in making the best decisions for any animal's welfare and eventual release. Volunteers will assist the research technician to gather and analyse this important data and will receive training to ensure that they can provide valuable input to the programme, regardless of lack of previous experience. The research studies at any time will vary according to the needs of the project but may include looking at character traits, spoor sizes or mane growth.

Work in the National Park

There is a huge amount of work necessary to keep a National Park ecosystem healthy, and the project has two parks right on its doorstep. The Zambezi National Park is just six kilometres from the Victoria Falls, and stretches for 40 kilometres along the river. Game includes fauna such as elephant, buffalo and lion, large antelope such as the greater kudu and waterbuck, and a variety of smaller mammal species such as common dulker, small-spotted genet and honey badger.

Volunteers will work with research personnel and National Park rangers on several conservation activities that may include some or all of the following, based on need at the time of placement:

assisting in the development of a new waterhole and renovation of a tourist observation tower
camping out overnight to conduct a game census, to see what animals come to drink - herds of elephant and buffalo may be seen, as well as perhaps an elusive leopard
conducting surveys of tourist movements within the Park to improve management and reduce soil erosion by the numerous vehicles entering the Park
conducting surveys of the wild lion population, tracking spoors (eg paw prints), taking photographs and recording important information
carrying out snare sweeps to remove wires set illegally by poachers trying to catch the animals in the Park and working with local communities to reduce lion/human conflict

Conservation Education

Volunteers will join the conservation education programme, visiting local schools and perhaps even teaching a class. The syllabus was originally devised under the WWF "we care" project and lessons are designed to give children a better understanding of their environment so that they may appreciate the need to conserve what remains of this beautiful but wild area. Learning is achieved through classroom-based talks as well as practical activities such as visits to the lion programme, or Victoria Falls themselves.

Provisional School Term Dates for 2010:

Term 1: 12 January to 8 April
Term 2: 12 May to 6 August
Term 3: 8 September to 3 December

Volunteers' time will likely be split in the following ratio, although these figures are only approximate;

Lion Rehabilitation and Release into the Wild Programme	75%
Conservation work with the two National Parks	20%
Conservation Education	5%

Volunteers get one official stand-by day each week, which is a day off unless there is an urgent need for their assistance.

Optional Excursions

There are many optional activities and trips available, at an additional cost. Victoria Falls, Africa's adrenaline capital, has a multitude of fantastic opportunities such as helicoptor or microlight flights over the Falls; bungee jumping, white water rafting, horse riding, elephant rides, game drives, gorge jumps, skydiving, canoeing etc. There may also be the opportunity to enjoy an excursion to some of the other spectacular spots that Zimbabwe has to offer. A guide price for this trip is US$350 per person.

DAY 1

Leave Livingstone after breakfast for the breathtaking Matobo Hills, home of the Matopos National Park where volunteers can join a rhino walk, a game drive or a cave painting tour. There will also be an opportunity to visit Cecil Rhodes' resting place at "Worlds View".

DAY 2 - 4

Leave after breakfast for the headquarters of the lion rehabilitation programme in central Zimbabwe, home to the adult lions, where opportunities will arise to ride - either on horseback or on the back of an African elephant - through the savannah plans of the game reserve or just stay in the safari camp on the beautiful river bank.

DAY 5

Depart for Hwange National Park - the largest National Park in Zimbabwe - where volunteers can join a game drive and possibly get up close and personal with elephants, buffalo, lions, hyenas and many more.

DAY 6

Leave after breakfast from Miombo to return to Victoria Falls.

A day in the life of a volunteer

Every day is different, but as animals rarely operate to schedule, volunteers are asked to remain flexible. However, this is an example of a typical day:

6.15 am	Volunteers will be collected by the local co-ordinator and driven out to the lion project base in Masuwe (10 minute drive).
6.30 am	Volunteers will meet their guides and their clients and join them on a lion walk, taking cubs aged between 4 months to 18 months out into the bush. Data capture recordings will be made as the cubs practice their bush skills.
9:00 am	Breakfast
10.00 am	Perhaps head off to the nearby Chamabondo School to begin the day's Conservation Education classes - with perhaps up to 60 kids in the class! Good Fun! Other groups will be cleaning or feeding the cubs, or driving into the National Park to conduct a game census.
12.30 pm	Lunch back in Victoria Falls at the volunteer base
2.30 pm	Afternoon duties may include updating the species inventory in the Victoria Falls National Park, or taking part in a lion walk at Masuwe.
6.45 pm	Briefing by volunteer co-ordinator regarding the following day's activities
Evening	Volunteers socialise over dinner at 7.00 pm in Hunters Lodge and then perhaps venture off into Victoria Falls town itself to experience the local nightlife! Others may be camping out at a water hole to watch the African Bush come alive at night.

Project Age Range: Minimum age 17 years - upper age limit dependent on participant's health

"Going on this project is the best thing I have done in my life, it has opened my eyes in so many ways and feel I have come back with a much more postive attitude. Amanzi travel were excellent, they answered all my questions and were very friendly and helpful. Zimbabwe is such an amazing country and my 4 weeks there were well spent although I wish they could have lasted a little longer. All of the people at the lodge I was staying (Hunters lodge) and all the guides at the lion rehabilitation centre (Masuwe) were fabulous, I could not have asked for better people to have guided me on my journey. They were all incredible!!! I am so glad I took the courage to go on this trip and I hope I return"
Kerry, UK, 2008

Support

Support and advice is available from the Project Managers whilst on the project and from the UK Amanzi Travel Team.
Find out more about Amanzi Travel support

Orientation

A comprehensive information pack will be sent to all volunteers upon booking their trip and further advice and information will be provided via telephone and email before departure. A full orientation will be provided by the local support team on arrival.

Accommodation and Meals

All volunteers will stay in Hunter's House, the volunteer house in the town of Victoria Falls - 10 minutes' drive from Masuwe. Volunteers will share rooms with no more than two other volunteers, and it is possible to arrange for friends or couples to share rooms. The accommodation provided is simple but comfortable and completely suited to the needs of the volunteers. The house is equipped with satellite television, and the gardens have green lawns, a swimming pool and a barbecue. Three meals a day are provided - breakfast is usually at the guides' quarters at Masuwe Safari area where the lions are based. Lunch is back at Hunter's House and meals there are prepared by the volunteer cook. Dinner is usually a very sociable meal at the lodge over which the guides and volunteers can discuss the day's activities and plan for the next day.

Getting There

Fly into Victoria Falls Airport from where volunteers will be met and transferred to the Lodge.
(There may be a number of ways to reach the destination airport - for further information or advice please contact Amanzi Travel)
Let Amanzi Travel arrange your flights for you

Fees

What is included

A contribution that goes directly back into the project itself which facilitates funding for items such as food for the lions, management and maintenance of the infrastructure and further developments
All transfers to and from Victoria Falls Airport on arrival and departure
"On-the-job" educational activities and support from project staff
All accommodation including 3 meals a day
Unlimited tea, coffee and soft drinks
Laundry and domestic service