Internship/Volunteer Placement
Bambelela is a great opportunity for wildlife enthusiasts to get involved in true wildlife conservation, rehabilitation and release. Volunteers work directly alongside the experienced wildlife staff and will be trained in all aspects of primate care, including acting as “surrogate parents” to orphaned baby monkeys, introducing juvenile monkeys to existing troops at the sanctuary, and preparing established troops for release. Long-term volunteers may even get to experience living at the release site and monitoring the progress of the newly released troop.
Bambelela has four (4) openings for an internship as a Primate Caretaker and Animal Medic per year.
- Monkey hand-raising and introduction in troop/rehabilitation
- Caring, cleaning, and feeding (including formula preparation) of orphaned or injured Vervet monkeys in the wildlife care
- General husbandry
- Preparation of food and feeding of sub-adult and adult animal
- Assistance with treatment and transport of sick animals
- Data collection on wild, released, and caged animals possible
- Game Ranch Management / minor farm maintenance
- Assistance with awareness and educational tours
- Helping with rescue-rehabilitation and releases
- Irregular working hours guaranteed
- Send your CV a photo and references to info@bambelela.org.za
- Special Rates and info@Bambelela.org.za
In addition to the many projects which are constantly running, volunteers also assist with the day-to-day running of the sanctuary. The volunteers’ daily tasks may include:
- Feeding of animals in the wildlife care (with food prep / cleaning)
- Making baby bottles and feeding orphaned baby monkeys
- Caring for and playing with baby monkeys, as surrogate parent and/or in Bambelela “kindergarten”- -Caring for injured or sick animals
- Assisting with basic medical practices, administering medications
- Cleaning of cages, camps, clinic, kitchen, bomas and enclosures
- Creating natural environments in enclosures
- Developing behaviour enrichment programs for the animals
- Going out on calls to collect monkeys and/or food supplies
- Assisting with introduction of new monkeys
- Monitoring monkeys requiring daily attention
- Building of new camps and quarantine facility
- Writing up reports and keeping data lists
- Assisting with fundraising and social media efforts
- 24 hour emergency stand-by (once a week)
Caring for animals requires patience, compassion, and a calm demeanor. A positive attitude, willingness to help and learn, and a sense of humour are essential – volunteers should expect to be dirty and exhausted by the end of the day!
