Animal Sanctuary Helper

As the sanctuary is very large, there is always a very wide variety of areas that you could be involved in. All volunteers are expected to help together as a team and the duties are very rewarding with a lot of time to spend special moments with the animals too. Volunteers team up in groups to accomplish the daily feeding routes. You will work 5 days on with 2 days off which allows you time to explore the beautiful beaches of nearby Jeffreys Bay, South Africa’s surfing capital, wildlife reserves and the many other activities in the area or hike the adjoining nature reserve to bird watch or do some wildlife viewing of the giraffe, zebra and other antelopes that roam freely.

Currently there are roughly 250 different species of birds of which there are hundreds including Ostrich, Emu, Hawks, Owls, Black Eagles, Cape Vultures, Blue and Crowned Cranes, Macaws, African Greys, Cockatoos, Amazons plus lots of other parrots!

Also between the sanctuary and adjoining nature reserve there are Cheetahs, Servals, Caracal, Ground squirrels, Marmosets, Meerkats, Tenrecs, Grysbok, Blue and Common Duiker, Bushbuck, Kudus, Springbok, Goats, Tortoises, Giraffe, Zebra, Blesbok, Impala, Nyala, Waterbuck, Wallabies, Crocodile and Water Mongoose.

Morning feeds start early at 7.30 am and the day normally ends at 4pm with lots of little breaks in-between.

Your duties may include:

• Food preparation- you will receive instruction on how to do this and what each animals diet is and how much to give them
• Feeding routines through designated areas around the sanctuary
• Checking the fences of the nature reserve
• Cleaning, tidying and repairing animal enclosures
• Building new enclosures and expanding existing enclosures
• Assist with the rehabilitation and release of rescued wildlife
• Animal enrichments
• Removing alien and invasive vegetation
• Data collection on the nature reserve
• Guiding tourists around the sanctuary and helping with tours
• Cutting firebreaks- this has helped save the sanctuary during wildfires in the past
• Assisting with general duties in the restaurant
• Unloading deliveries
• Administration work and any other general maintenance or project

7am- grab a quick coffee or tea at the restaurant which opens at 6.30am before heading to the food preparation room. Or catch a few minutes extra sleep if you prefer a bit longer of a lie in

7.30am - make your way to the food preparation room where  volunteers group up and are given various feeding routines for the animal enclosures around the sanctuary to make sure the animals and birds get their necessary daily dietary needs

9am- a quick break for breakfast at the restaurant helps you refuel for the day ahead

9.30am to 12pm - various duties are then taken part in around the sanctuary which can be anything from cutting firebreaks, checking and cleaning animal enclosures, maintaining the wildlife reserve fence, removing alien vegetation or food preparation for the afternoon's feeding routine for a few examples

12.30pm - time to break for lunch and take a quick break from the South African sun at the restaurant 

2pm - the feeding routines for the animals starts again. This is always the most enjoyable time of the day spending time with the animals

3pm to 5.30pm- time to finish off the day's duties and hopefully finish earlier than 5.30pm. Some of the allocated duties will only need a short amount of time and many hands make light work so you may be finished for the day a lot earlier by 4pm

5.45pm- its time for a dinner and no doubt after lots of helping with the animals and birds at the sanctuary, everyone is hungry! Volunteers take it in turns to do washing up duties after everyone has eaten. For those who are not off to bed early from the long day, it is time to chill in the social area and unwind with the other volunteers, catch up on a book or watch a bit of TV

Volunteers have 2 days off every week to get to sightsee and explore the area. Occasionally you may be asked to assist extra early at 6am with food preparation for the morning for the animals

As the volunteer accommodation is based on an adjoining wildlife reserve, there is plenty of time to hike and explore the reserve and view the free roaming wildlife which includes giraffe and various antelope species. Beach horse-riding is also a fun activity that volunteers enjoy and free time is often spent at nearby Jeffrey's Bay- South Africa's surfing capital- shopping ,enjoying restaurants, swimming in the beautiful ocean and even taking up surfing lessons. Volunteers often hire a local taxi for trips to the world's highest bridge bungee, elephant sanctuaries, primate sanctuaries or game drives to Big 5 reserves so there is plenty to do.