Wildlife conservation is a delicate and complicated process, with dedicated teams trying to rebuild complex ecosystems, manage large wildlife populations, and protect these areas from harm. Many of the world's most magnificent areas of natural beauty are under threat from humans, and conservationists work hard to preserve these places for future generations, and to restore damaged areas back to their former glory.
There's been an increase in recent years in volunteer wildlife conservation, where people on gap years or career breaks volunteer to help work as conservationists for weeks, months, or even a whole year. Conservation practices vary from country to country and from habitat to habitat, but these are a few of the things you are could get involved in as a volunteer conservationist...
Tracking and Monitoring
Animal monitoring is one of the most important elements of wildlife conservation. Whether it is by electronic tracking or by human observation, animal numbers must be monitored so that their populations can be controlled. If the numbers of a particular species grow too large they could threaten other animals, and if they fall too low steps need to be taken to protect them. Following the movement and migration of animals also provides the chance to research their behaviour. Of course, for volunteers, the chance to observe animals like lions and elephants in their natural habitat can be an unforgettable experience!
Habitat and Reserve Maintenance
There are all kinds of efforts that must be made to maintain the habitats in a wildlife reserve. Rock erosion needs be monitored and countered, and any alien plants and animals which could be a threat to the reserve must be found and removed from the reserve. Many reserves rely on perimeter fences to prevent animals from moving out of the reserve (and to prevent unwanted visitors!), and these need to be checked on and repaired if they are damaged. This kind of work may not be the most exciting side of wildlife conservation, but it is just as essential as any other element.
Rehab and Veterinary Care
Out in the wild, sick and injured animals soon become victims of predators, or simple starvation. However, on a wildlife reserve dealing with endangered species or low populations, the loss of even a single animal can be a terrible setback. Wounded, sick, and poisoned animals can be captured and brought back to a veterinary centre to be treated, rehabilitated, and then reintroduced back into the wild, and this is often an important part of any wildlife conservation program.
Reserve Patrol
Wildlife reserves are fragile areas that need to be protected from humans. Some times, people cause damage unintentionally - tourists feeding animals without knowing that it is forbidden, or attempting to take out rare plants as souvenirs. Some times, of course, it is a deliberate effort, poachers being the most well known human threat that conservationists have to battle against. Most wildlife reserves are diligently patrolled to ensure that tourists and the local population are treating the environment with the respect and care that it deserves.
These activities often form the backbone of wildlife conservation, but there are many more elements to the process - and volunteer conservationists will get the chance to experience many of them first hand!
Mark Bottell is the General Manager for Worldwide Experience, an online tour operator offering extended breaks focusing on wildlife conservation work and various adventurous gap years for adults.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Bottell
Saturday 3 July 2010
Wednesday 30 June 2010
A Day in the Life of a Wildlife Conservation Volunteer
You could spend six weeks categorizing your 80's cd collection; you could start work on that novel about a boy wizard you've been planning for so long; or you could just spend the entire time gazing at your navel and dreaming of a desert island. But if you're passionate about animal conservation work, and you're not afraid of a little hard work and a whole lot of adventure, why not head to South Africa and volunteer on a wildlife conservation project on a game reserve. If you do take the plunge and give it a go your day might look a something like this...
A typical day
You'll wake up with the sun in your basic accommodation of wooden hut, mobile home or share house on the reserve. You'll probably be sharing with a few other volunteers, who just like you, are taking a gap year for adults. You'll be starting work around 7.30am so it's a quick breakfast then its time to step out your door and into the office!
Depending on which park you choose, you'll start your day with anything from monitoring a herd of elephants to undertaking predator research! You will be working with a team of experienced wildlife conservation trackers and researchers, on such diverse projects as lion health and breeding programs; wildlife care and capture; rehabilitation and relocation; wetland rehabilitation; animal behaviour; animal census programs; monkey research or many of the other wildlife conservation projects the park is conducting.
The parks are constantly monitoring the animals, and you help with report writing and data entry. Wildlife conservation is a constant cycle of research and field work, and keeping accurate records is an important part of the job.
But working in wildlife conservation is not just about the animal conservation work. There is plenty to be done behind the scenes, and some of your duties may involve a day on fence patrol and repair, erosion control, or clear up duties of broken wire and rubbish which could prove harmful to wildlife. You will also help in the upkeep of the many walking trails throughout the parks, and even turn your hand to vehicle maintenance!
There are two things certain on your gap year for adults on a South African game park - one is that no two days will be the same, and the other is that you'll never be bored! After a long hot day out in the park, if you still have any energy, you could get a taxi to a local bar where you can socialise with loads of wildlife conservation volunteers from other parks. Then it's home to bed to snuggle down and drift off to sleep with the unique sounds of the bush echoing in your ears.
Your gap year for adults working in wildlife conservation will be a life changing experience. Not only will you have a great suntan, but you will have learnt a huge amount about animal conservation work and you will have experienced life in an incredible part of the world. Most important though, you will have played an important role in preserving the destiny of some of the world's precious, endangered animals. So there's only one real question you have to ask yourself. What are you waiting for?
Mark Bottell is the General Manager for Worldwide Experience, an online tour operator offering extended breaks focusing on wildlife conservation and various adventurous gap years for adults.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Bottell
A typical day
You'll wake up with the sun in your basic accommodation of wooden hut, mobile home or share house on the reserve. You'll probably be sharing with a few other volunteers, who just like you, are taking a gap year for adults. You'll be starting work around 7.30am so it's a quick breakfast then its time to step out your door and into the office!
Depending on which park you choose, you'll start your day with anything from monitoring a herd of elephants to undertaking predator research! You will be working with a team of experienced wildlife conservation trackers and researchers, on such diverse projects as lion health and breeding programs; wildlife care and capture; rehabilitation and relocation; wetland rehabilitation; animal behaviour; animal census programs; monkey research or many of the other wildlife conservation projects the park is conducting.
The parks are constantly monitoring the animals, and you help with report writing and data entry. Wildlife conservation is a constant cycle of research and field work, and keeping accurate records is an important part of the job.
But working in wildlife conservation is not just about the animal conservation work. There is plenty to be done behind the scenes, and some of your duties may involve a day on fence patrol and repair, erosion control, or clear up duties of broken wire and rubbish which could prove harmful to wildlife. You will also help in the upkeep of the many walking trails throughout the parks, and even turn your hand to vehicle maintenance!
There are two things certain on your gap year for adults on a South African game park - one is that no two days will be the same, and the other is that you'll never be bored! After a long hot day out in the park, if you still have any energy, you could get a taxi to a local bar where you can socialise with loads of wildlife conservation volunteers from other parks. Then it's home to bed to snuggle down and drift off to sleep with the unique sounds of the bush echoing in your ears.
Your gap year for adults working in wildlife conservation will be a life changing experience. Not only will you have a great suntan, but you will have learnt a huge amount about animal conservation work and you will have experienced life in an incredible part of the world. Most important though, you will have played an important role in preserving the destiny of some of the world's precious, endangered animals. So there's only one real question you have to ask yourself. What are you waiting for?
Mark Bottell is the General Manager for Worldwide Experience, an online tour operator offering extended breaks focusing on wildlife conservation and various adventurous gap years for adults.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Bottell
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