WORKING ABROAD Volunteer in South

Coastal Park

This is a very special and unique volunteer program for those who dream of working with in Africa. Volunteers need to spend a minimum of two weeks at the Lion Park on their first visit, as the project invests a great deal of time teaching volunteers about their animals and how to care for young lions or tigers.

The park was established in 1975 and is situated 25km west of Port Elizabeth and 80km east of Jeffrey’s Bay, on the Eastern Cape’s Sunshine Coast, in a malaria-free­ area. Set on 120 hectares of superb bush and grassland, the park offers a unique aspect of close-up­ game-­viewing and is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The park boasts many of the larger species of wildlife. , , , , blesbuck, nyala, duiker, bushbuck etc. roam free, while lion, tiger, leopard, crocodile, meerkat, caracal, wild cat and bush- pig are housed in camps and cages in the well-­known sanctuary area. It is from here that many sick or injured animals have been successfully rehabilitated or released back into the wild if they are able to support themselves in safety. However, a few of the animals will have to be looked after for the rest of their lives. Some of these can be seen from the 165-meter boardwalk. The leopards, a breeding pair originating from Kwazulu-­Natal, arrived at the park in January 2010.

As the park’s name implies, lions are the main attraction and, at present, the lion population in the park is approximately 50, with roughly half being sub-adults­ and cubs. All the lion cubs born at the park are hand-­reared and have been inoculated against all known feline diseases, including rabies. They have been tested and found to be free of feline AIDS and TB. All the cubs are micro-­chipped. When lions are hand-­reared and imprinted with humans, they ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE HUNTED!

Arrival and departure Volunteers should arrive and depart from Port Elizabeth Airport, and can be picked up from the airport or any point within the Port Elizabeth region. The project runs from a Monday to a Monday, and volunteers start working on the Tuesday after their arrival. Arrival and departure transfers are included.

Dates All year round.

Duration From 2 weeks.

GOOD HOPE STUDIES

161 Sixth Avenue, New York, NY 10013 TEL 212.924.0446 FAX 212.924.0575 www.InterExchange.org WORKING ABROAD Volunteer in

Location South Africa, Eastern Province, Port Elizabeth (closest town).

Details This program is special in that volunteers are able to interact with sanctuary animals and baby cats (when present). From bottle-­feeding baby lions or Siberian tigers, to walking with them, to learning about their personalities, volunteers will be able to experience what few can.

Application documents Application form, CV/ résumé, police clearance certificate (see InterExchange application)

Requirements ``Minimum age: 18 ``Minimum level of English: upper intermediate.

Highlights Looking after the baby animals is where most time is spent, along with the preparing and giving food. This includes cutting up meat and feeding it to the animals. Volunteers interacting with the public visiting the cubs will supervise and control the behavior of the public entering the cub enclosures.

The volunteers’ role Schedule (example):

``07:30-­ 08:30 Morning duties -­ meat preparation, walking cubs, feeding animals, cleaning enclosure, cleaning cub kitchen. ``08:30-­ 09:30 Breakfast. ``09:30-­ 13:00 Project time - ­mandatory for all! Bush walk, raking enclosures, building enrichment toys, checking for snares, road repairs, alien plant removal etc. ``13:00-14:00­ Lunch. ``14:00- ­16:30 Animal quality time -­ mandatory for all! All cubs and sanctuary animals must get "human quality time" during those hours. Volunteers should rotate between ALL animals' enclosures. ``16:30-­ 17:00 Meat preparation -- cutting up meat. ``17:00-­ 18:00 Evening duties - ­ walking cubs, feeding animals, cleaning enclosures, cleaning cub kitchen.

Typical Volunteer Duties

All volunteers need to refer to the white board in the restaurant for the exact routine during their stay, as their duties will depend on which animals, and their ages, they are looking after, as well as on the number of volunteers at the park.

``Make bottles and feed cubs a priority. ``Clear and wash cub’s area of feces and any other rubbish and generally make sure it’s neat and tidy. Clean and refill water receptacles. ``Help clean the cages of any other animals, if required. ``Prepare meat or vegetables for animals. ``Clean up areas where food or rubbish has accumulated. ``Pick up any trash as you see it, in particular looking out for pieces of wire, glass or plastic that can harm the animals. Place in trash bins. ``Observe the animals and report any unusual behavior. The animal may be sick and need prompt attention. ``Take note and immediately report any situation that may cause danger to either the animals or us and the public (e.g. public behavior, snake in close proximity etc.). ``Notice where the animals are and be ready to inform the public. ``Be responsive to the interest shown by visitors to the park. Read up on details of the animals so that information can be given if questioned by the public.

GOOD HOPE STUDIES

161 Sixth Avenue, New York, NY 10013 TEL 212.924.0446 FAX 212.924.0575 www.InterExchange.org WORKING ABROAD Volunteer in South Africa

``Check camps and cages are locked when passing. ``Note and report any vehicles that may cause an obstruction. ``Help unload supplies when they arrive. ``Help the permanent staff with any projects they are working on. ``Remember that the public will always judge you on your appearance and thereby judge the park. Always look as clean as possible. The park will wash work clothes. A t-­shirt will be issued and the dress code is to wear this with jeans, long pants or shorts with belts - ­ in khaki, black, brown or blue. Wear closed shoes for safety reasons. ``Always clean up after yourself wherever you are. Do not cause unnecessary work for those on cleaning duty. ``Always treat all animals with respect!

The park is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and these will be your usual working hours. Looking after the baby animals, where most of the volunteers’ time is spent, will include morning and evening feeds so please be ready to help out and take turns with the ‘out of hours’ feeds, as nature does not work according to a clock!

One day can be taken off for every week worked. Volunteers can take two days off in a row every second week if you prefer. Time off must be arranged in advanced.

It is important to note that this description serves as an example only. The daily tasks and challenges depend on the volunteer, the time of the year and the work that needs to be done. The final job description can therefore vary from the above substantially.

Accommodation The cabins are located within the park, approximately 300m from the restaurant. It is important for volunteers to have a flashlight for walking from the restaurant to the cabins. There is a second kitchen and TV/lecture-­room adjacent to the cabins. Volunteers need to bring their own towel.

NO smoking inside the cabins, restaurant or communal wild-­life cabin. The project strives to reflect a clean, responsible image to the public and therefore if clothes get soiled by the cubs, we’ll ask you to change. We do not allow any heavy tattoos, or facial-­piercings with studs or rings. We must point out that even earrings can be hooked by a cub’s claw.

Cabin Keys

Volunteers will need to leave a R100 deposit for their key. This will be returned at the end of their stay, unless of course you lose your key and it needs to be replaced. Your cabin key will also have a key to the communal kitchen/recreation cabin.

Washing and ironing is a service provided daily on your behalf. Walking shoes or boots are best suited to the game park terrain, as there is often heavy dew.

Meals Breakfast is taken in the restaurant or the cabin’s kitchen. Lunch is prepared by the kitchen staff and taken in the Wilderness Cabin. Evening meals are self-­catered using the volunteers’/restaurant supplies and volunteers take turns in cooking and preparing and usually eat together.

Local transport Not included.

What to bring? ``Driver’s license - ­ it is easy to rent a car for sight-seeing.­ It will save volunteers any hassle if they also bring a photocopy of their driver’s license. ``A flashlight.

GOOD HOPE STUDIES

161 Sixth Avenue, New York, NY 10013 TEL 212.924.0446 FAX 212.924.0575 www.InterExchange.org WORKING ABROAD Volunteer in South Africa

``A towel (an old towel that volunteers can then donate for use by the cubs when they leave – if they like). ``Warm clothing for the evenings. ``Strong pants or shorts in shades of khaki, dark colors or blue jeans must be worn while working. Animals are easily upset by bright colors and are frightened by us “changing our spots.” ``Raincoat. ``Toiletries – toothpaste, shampoo, shower gel etc. ``First Aid kit – antiseptic cream for any scratches; non-­drowsy antihistamines for any itchy bug bites. ``Summer clothes for daytime wear, although strong cotton trousers with pockets are better than shorts, even if it’s hot, because of wandering claws and thorny plants. ``Solid shoes – maybe even boots -­ are better for the walks in the grounds. ``Several pairs of socks – they get quite dirty during the day. ``Sun cream for those coming in summer months. ``Day rucksack – useful for carrying things like a water bottle, camera, any personal items, etc.) as it’s about 500m to the cabins. ``Alarm clock – to make sure you wake up for the early morning feeds!

NOTE: T-shirts­ – DO NOT bother bringing too many T-­shirts and tops as volunteers will be in their park T-shirts­ every day (provided by the park). For those coming during the colder months, it is worth bringing some long-­sleeved tops that fit underneath the uniform T-­shirts.

Nice-­to-have:­

``Treats, e.g. chocolates or your favorite tea. ``Flip-­flops – for evenings in cabins. After a day in heavy boots / sneakers, they’re just what you’ll want. ``Evening entertainment – e.g. DVDs (there is a DVD player in the communal lounge cabin), pack of cards, books etc. ``Water bottle – useful to have your own refillable and distinguishable bottle to put in the fridge. Still/ sparking water is on sale in the restaurant. ``Ear plugs may be useful as the lions can be pretty noisy at night. ``A laptop, although please note that the cabin does not have lock-up­ facilities. There is a laptop that volunteers can use in the restaurant/sanctuary area to email home etc. but there is a charge for use. ``Hot pants, string bikinis and flip-­flops are not suitable for work.

Is the work dangerous? While all safety precautions are followed, volunteers should remember that they are working with wild animals and need to be aware at all times and follow the safety guidelines.

Potential health risk Volunteers should bring any of their prescribed medication with them. If you have not had a recent tetanus inoculation we strongly urge you to do so before your arrival. This is a Malaria-free area and volunteers will not need any other special vaccinations for the Eastern Cape.

Included ``Airport transfer on arrival and departure (Port Elizabeth). ``Accommodation (shared room, breakfast and lunch). ``Laundry.

Not included ``Dinner (self-catering).­ ``Any items of a personal nature.

GOOD HOPE STUDIES

161 Sixth Avenue, New York, NY 10013 TEL 212.924.0446 FAX 212.924.0575 www.InterExchange.org