Past conservation efforts have focused on reversing the decline of large game, but their habitats and smaller species are also becoming increasingly threatened.

Volunteer Role

As a volunteer, you will investigate the ecology of savannah species, getting involved in research and hands on conservation in northeastern Swaziland.

For example, the raptors and predators that are at the top of the food chain suffer from the increasing effects of the degrading of savannahs, yet they can roam massive distances and are therefore exposed to a variety of threats. Also, relatively little is know about bats and reptiles, which both play an important role in the ecosystem, and often become overlooked.

The project has uncovered important findings about the conservation of savannah species and without this, some of these species may be lost. The project has identified the species that can be used as general indicators of the health of the savannah ecosystem. Therefore the main focuses on the project will be on:

• Monitoring rhinos and elephants in order to identify their activity patterns and changes in social structure
• Monitoring threatened birds and bats, in particular their movement and reproduction.
• Monitoring of tortoise movements and activity.
• Surveying threatened plants (some of which are not found anywhere else in the world) to monitor reproductive success and survival.

Location

The Lubombo Conservancy area, North-Eastern Swaziland.

Accommodation and Meals

Your accommodation will vary, depending on the time that you are there and the project needs.

You will either be staying in a rustic cottage or camping out in tents in a National Park, where you will experience the excitement of the bush, by getting back-to basics.

You will have access to communal bathrooms and kitchen facilities. You will be provided with 3 meals a day.

0845 344 7636

Real Gap Experience offers hundreds of exciting gap year and career breaks from two weeks to two years in over 40 countries. Real Gap and their partners have developed a wide variety of programmes to suit everyone, including adventure travel, sports training and coaching, conservation work, volunteering, paid work, teaching English and expeditions. A team of experienced travel advisors, all of whom have taken their own gap years, can help you plan your life-changing trip. They can offer you lots of advice and support through the planning stages and get you off to the destination of your dreams.