Baboon Orphan Care-Giver

About the program
C.A.R.E. is located within a stunning Big Five Private Nature Reserve, in the Greater Kruger National Park. Our volunteer program provides a unique experience working with the beautiful chacma baboons of South Africa alongside other iconic African animals. You may wake up one morning, look towards the electric fence and see an elephant, grazing peacefully on an Acacia tree. You'll hear the rutting of the impala, the call of jackals, and even the low roar of lions. Located 45 minutes from the nearest town, C.A.R.E. is truly out in the bush and offers an escape from the bustle of everyday life. 

C.A.R.E. greatly needs volunteers to help hand-raise baby baboon orphans, assist with their bonding to baboon surrogate mothers, assist with the rehabilitation of baboons who have spent up to 13 years of their life in a lab-cage, and to help animals which have been rescued from all sorts of circumstances. To be part of the animals healing- to bond with the baboons in a way that is incomprehensible to most, to watch them grow in confidence, and to witness them becoming wild, sociable animals again, is an experience with unparalleled rewards that our volunteers will never forget.

Whilst the work is varied and involves caring for the orphan baby baboons, some ex-laboratory sanctuary baboons and the husbandry of the adult baboons, there are never any guarantees that orphans will have just arrived and be in the early hands-on care stage of rehabilitation during your stay with us, but with 430 baboons, all previously orphaned and awaiting release, there is so much essential work and additional experiences you'll partake in to ensure C.A.R.E. is achieving its broader goals of helping the communities and environment on a greater scale.  Here are some of the activities you may be involved in, depending on how many volunteers there are available at the centre and which staff are available. The volunteers are always assigned to the raising of the orphans, and if we have enough hands we enjoy getting our other projects off the ground too. Our Outreach and Education Program is a vital part of the project, working closely with other organizations locally to increase support of the baboons and educating children to respect and understand baboons, all of which you are welcome to help and take part in.

• Hand Rearing Orphan Baby Baboons
• Being a Primate Keeper for Adult Baboons  
• Enrichment Programme
• Husbandry of adult baboons undergoing rehabilitation
• Veterinary Experience
• Behavioural Observations
• Data collection
• Enclosure Maintenance
• Collecting natural vegetation for feeding
• Collecting natural items for enrichment and feeding
• Cleaning enclosures
• Husbandry for the smaller animals including adorable rescued guinea pigs and rabbits
• Cleaning and organising all areas of the centre
• Tracking
• Alien and Invasive Plant Removal
• Education of School Children at the Centre in Baboon Super Hero Programme
• Community Outreach with other projects including Rhino Conservation, Community dogs healthcare programme, spreading the awareness of baboons.
• Opportunities to go on excursions; e.g. the Kruger National Park next door, the Panorama Route (Blyde Canyon, waterfalls etc.), horse riding safaris, nearby attractions all arranged and guided by our CARE Guide.

Working with a large number of wild animals means that your day can change in an instance but generally your day will include the following:

Looking after 430 baboons is a huge task and a 7 day a week job! However, we know that our volunteers need time off so we encourage it! The days at C.A.R.E. can be long and hot so it's essential that you rest and reboot so you can continue helping the baboons.

Many volunteers take a day off each week and head to the lodge next door to swim and relax. As we are located so close to the Kruger National Park, a safari is also a must! We can help arrange 1 or 2 day safaris in to the park. There are other excursions near by that our volunteers love to  visit including, A Rhino Rescue Centre & Orphanage, A Community Dog Care Project helping care for dogs in the Community, Nourish, a local project giving Education to local school children, a reptile park and a rehabilitation centre focusing on indigenous African animals, visits to the Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Tour) and curios shopping. We can schedule all of these activities for you- it's a great way to see more of South Africa and enjoy a much-deserved day off!