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African Lion Rehabilitation, Zimbabwe Walk and work with lions in this exclusive private game reserve. Be involved in the research of lions’ behaviour and work with us on the world’s only programme for their release into the wild. Also assist with orphaned Elephants and the wildlife management and boundary patrols of the reserve. Work with Lions - African Lion Cub Feeding - Conservation - Elephant & Horse Riding, Gweru - Volunteer Project in Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Midlands Location Antelope Park and Dollar Block Release sites in the Zimbabwe Midlands Project Length 3 weeks – 6 weeks. Available year-round Age Limit Minimum 17 years, maximum decided on potential participants’ health Project Fee £1795 / $3590 (1 month) £2245 / $4490 (6 weeks) Volunteer Project Information The following links will jump you to different sections on this page, which provide all the information you will need for this Africa volunteer project: Work with Lions - African Lion Cub Feeding - Conservation - Elephant & Horse Riding, Gweru, Zimbabwe. » photo gallery | » more about this project | » volunteer & travel highlights » project fee includes & excludes | » day in the life of a volunteer... » volunteer support & orientation | » accommodation & meals | » getting there Photos Zimbabwe Photos of Work with Lions - African Lion Cub Feeding - Conservation - Elephant & Horse Riding, Gweru in Africa.   More about the African Lion Rehabilitation in Zimbabwe “The project has been an experience that I will always cherish. It out weighed all my expectations and the organisation of activities was far better than past projects I have been on. I feel I have gained a reasonable knowledge of Zimbabwe, its culture and people, its animals and plant life. The project provides volunteers with amazing once in a life-time experiences and on top of the obvious benefits to the lions it spreads awareness about Zimbabwe and its struggles. I hope to be able to return in the future.” Emma Stud, UK. December 2007. THE LION REHABILITATION PROGRAMME Over 200,000 lions used to roam the African continent, as recently as 1975. The latest estimates show an 80 – 90% population decline in the last 30 years. The end objective of the Victoria Falls lion project, along with our Antelope Park programme, is the reintroduction of the offspring of captive-bred lions into the wild by means of a four-stage process, which you will learn more about during your involvement with the project. This breeding and rehabilitation project is a World First and is supported by leading ecologists in this field. We invite you to walk and work with African Lions, and to be involved in our in-depth research and data-collection activities. Spending time with the lions in the wild each day is an essential part of the cub’s upbringing. If the cubs are to be released into a wild environment it is important that they spend time in that environment. They need to adapt to it, learn from it, understand, observe, feel and smell the wild. Since the start of this intensive programme, we have noted a marked increase in the Lions’ awareness of their natural surroundings, as well as an improvement in their hunting skills. The larger cubs are now able to take down smaller game species whilst out on walks, and these abilities are being enhanced each day whilst under the supervision of volunteers. These are invaluable discoveries, which have earned us further support for our world first endeavours. Join our team of professional guides and other dedicated volunteers, gain a deeper understanding of the King of Beasts and assist us in gathering vital information that will facilitate their eventual release back into the wild… Elephants… You will also have the opportunity to spend time with our orphaned African Elephants and their trainers. The elephants at Antelope Park were saved from certain death during a severe drought that ravaged Zimbabwe’s South Eastern Lowveld in 1991 and 1992. The elephants play an important role in the Antelope Park’s activities schedule. You may be asked to assist in the daily duties with the elephants. Free roaming wildlife…The few remaining areas of wildlife sanctuary in Zimbabwe are extremely precious and must at all costs be protected. Part of your project will involve assistance with the wildlife management scheme such as finding and removing snares (‘snare sweeps’) within the game park and checking for holes or fence cuttings on the boundary fence (‘Boundary Patrols’) and repairing them. These activities are usually conducted on foot, within the Park and accompanied by one of our trained guides. FROM APRIL 2008 The African Lion and Environmental Research Trust (ALERT) is opening stage two of our lion release program to voluntourists as of 1st April 2008. This will coincide with the release of three further females, followed by a male into the release area, where our existing pride of three females is already successfully hunting prey such as giraffe. The Dollar Block programme will be run in conjunction with the already successful Antelope Park programme; volunteers booked at Antelope Park will spend one week of their stay at the Dollar Block site to assist in research on the released lions, maintenance of the site as well as assisting the larger reserve in caring for its own abundant game species through activities such as snare sweeps. This is an opportunity to take part in a world first lion release programme offering close up access to a pride of lions to watch them adapt to their new environment, to watch them hunt and take part in vital and ground-breaking behavioural research. » back to top African Lion Rehabilitation, Zimbabwe Midlands - Highlights This volunteer project in Africa includes: Work with Lions - African Lion Cub Feeding - Conservation - Elephant & Horse Riding, Gweru • Walk alongside lions as part of the pride and enjoy the exhilaration of being part of a hunt as the young cubs learn to stalk their prey • Bottle feed and help take care of younger lion cubs, should there be any in camp at the time • Work on the world’s first, and currently the only, programme for the release of lions back into the wild of its kind and visit the first Stage 2 release site for 1 week of your programme • Experience the African bush in a very special way on this private reserve. Explore the savannah grasslands on horseback or whilst riding on African Elephants • Have horse riding lessons from our experienced guides • Immerse yourself in local Zimbabwean culture • Make friends for life with the other international volunteers on the programme Zimbabwe Travel Highlights During your stay at Antelope Park you will have the opportunity to enjoy an optional excursion to some of the other spectacular spots that Zimbabwe has to offer. These trips are also a great time for volunteers to interact and get to know each other better. An expedition such as the one outlined below will cost you approximately US$315, payable in cash on arrival (this includes National Parks fees, transport, meals (except in Victoria Falls) and accommodation). • Day 1: Leave after breakfast from Antelope Park for Motobo National Park. Enjoy a half-day Rhino Walk & Game Drive as well as a Cave Painting tour. You will also have the chance to visit Cecil Rhodes’ resting place at ‘worlds’ view’ • Day 2-4: Leave after breakfast for Victoria Falls. Adrenalin capital of Africa! You have the option to bungee jump, white water raft, visit the Falls, gorge swing across the Batoka Gorge below the Falls or just enjoy the great social atmosphere at this tourist hot-spot! • Day 5: Leave Victoria Fall for Miombo Safari Lodge (Hwange National Park); the largest national park in Zimbabwe, and the same size as Belgium! You will get the opportunity to go on a game drive where you could get up close and personal with a herd of elephant, buffalo, a pride of lion, pack of hyena and many more • Day 6: Leave after breakfast from Miombo for Antelope Park » back to top Project Fee Includes • Project Fee: this entails financing that goes directly back into the project that you are involved with. This project fee facilitates funding for items such as food for lions and elephants, management and maintenance of lion enclosures, and the development of the lion breeding and rehabilitation programme. • All transfers to and from and overnights in Bulawayo or Harare International Airports upon your arrival and departure. • One week at our Dollar Block Stage 2 release site. • Assistance in your projects and comprehensive orientation by various trained guides and staff during your stay. • Any wildlife education talks that take place during your stay and that you might wish to partake in. • Full board and lodging which includes 3 meals a day. • Unlimited tea, coffee and juice throughout the day. • Weekly laundry service during your stay. • The service of a cleaner to attend to your room each day. Project Fee Excludes • All items of a personal nature, such as curios, gifts, clothing (work and other). • Return flights to Harare or Bulawayo International Airports. • Email and telephone calls made during your placement (charged out at cost). • Any excursions over and above your planned itinerary in Zimbabwe e.g. visit to the Victoria Falls. • Personal insurance cover for the duration of your placement, which is expected to include cover for repatriation. » back to top Day in the life... This is a typical day in the life of a volunteer working on the African Lion Rehabilitation project: A day in the life of an Antelope Park volunteer… • 6:00am – Bottle feed the cubs in camp ranging in age from 3 weeks old to 5 months (If there are cubs in camp at the time). • 6:30am – 8:00am Meet the guide and their clients and join them for a lion walk, taking cubs from 7 months to 18 months out into the bush. Observe and take data notes as the cubs practice their hunting skills. • 8:00am – 9:00am Breakfast • 9.00am – Head out into the bush for a snare sweep, and remove the devices that would otherwise cause the certain death of wildlife on the property. • 9:30am - 12:30pm You could be involved in various duties including enclosure cleaning, cub walking, boundary patrols or meat preparation. • 12:30pm – 2:00pm Lunch • 2:00pm - 6:00pm Your afternoon duties could include lion walks, making fence for new lion breeding enclosures, horse rides or conducting a game count of the park’s many antelope species • 6.45pm - Briefing by your volunteer coordinator about the following days activities Evening – The volunteers socialize at dinner at 7.00pm and around the cosy camp fire pit under the stars. On some nights we take out the larger cubs for a night hunt and watch as they stalk, chase and catch prey – a vital stage in their development and training for release. » back to top Volunteer Support Throughout your placement you will have the support and guidance of our experienced volunteer coordinators. They are part of our greater African Impact support team, which will provide you with competent 24-hour field support and assistance. Volunteer Orientation Volunteers’ orientation upon arrival at Antelope Park • Introduction to all senior camp staff including Guides, Handlers of elephants, lions and horses, Heads of departments and Assistants. • Familiarization of the Safari camp and Antelope Game Park – including the park boundaries, internal roads and tracks and some of the wildlife species. • Introduction to the cubs and activity enclosures including lion handling training and full safety instructions. • Further information on the lion breeding programme and Antelope Park’s ultimate objective of releasing lions into the wild. • How to conduct “Snare sweeps” and “Boundary patrols”. • For those of you who have not ridden horses before you may also spend time being instructed in the basics of horse riding. » back to top Accommodation AT ANTELOPE PARK • You will be staying in comfortable twin or triple room thatched accommodation at the main reserve camp and situated next to a beautiful dam • Volunteers have separate shower & toilet facilities to the rest of the camp which are located adjacent to the sleeping area • Your room will be cleaned daily by the housekeeping staff, and free use of the laundry service is available to all volunteers AT DOLLAR BLOCK • The research station is located in the heart of a BIG 5 game area allowing for close encounters with the abundant game species of the Dollar Block reserve. The accommodation is comfortable but basic. Volunteers will live alongside the research & project staff and share all facilities. Meals You will enjoy 3 wholesome cooked meals a day prepared for you by our camp staff. » back to top Getting There Antelope Park and Dollar Block Release sites in the Zimbabwe Midlands. • Fly in to Bulawayo from Johannesburg, overnight Bulawayo at our volunteer lodge, and transfer by 2 hour bus/coach ride to Gweru at 8am the following morning • Fly in to Harare (Zimbabwe’s capital), overnight at our volunteer lodge, and then transfer by 4 hour bus/coach ride to Gweru at 8am the following morning • We organise all volunteer pick-ups, overnight accommodation at respective volunteer lodges (Bulawayo or Harare), and transfers to your programme of choice as part of your fee. » back to top Make an Enquiry Volunteer Project in Zimbabwe - Work with Lions - African Lion Cub Feeding - Conservation - Elephant & Horse Riding, Gweru     print this page | bookmark this page (CTRL-D) | send to a friend back to top