Volunteer as a vet in South Africa

The project

Did you know that, in addition to treating injuries, wildlife veterinarians play a crucial role in the conservation and management of wildlife in South Africa?

Nowadays, much of Southern Africa’s wildlife lives on smaller, fenced game reserves, meaning their ability to migrate is severely limited. This project’s wildlife vets play a crucial role in game capture and release, relocating wildlife to prevent genetic bottlenecks and prevent overpopulation. In addition to helping maintain genetic diversity, they also act as the first line of defence against disease in a disease-free buffalo zone, and attend to callouts for injuries in the field and at a large, busy clinic.

What to expect?

On this project, you’ll join a small team of experienced wildlife veterinarians and assist with a wide variety of cases involving rare South African wildlife. You could find yourself working on antelopes, buffalo, and even rhinos out in the field, allowing you to gain exposure to unique aspects of veterinary medicine.

Your days will be varied and consist of travelling to different wildlife reserves to shadow the vets. Since you will be assisting with real, everyday work, we cannot predict exactly which activities you will get to help with. To give you an idea, typically our volunteer vets assist with game capture and relocation, disease prevention, pregnancy testing, and field clinical work. You will also get the chance to assist a large, busy clinic in the heart of town, giving you a unique opportunity to experience local culture.

In your downtime, you’ll have a chance to relax, explore the local town, or just ask the project staff to help you organise an excursion to see more of the stunning landscape that South Africa has to offer!

Who can be a wildlife volunteer?

This volunteer project is open to anybody, and we welcome travellers from all walks of life. The project doesn’t require any prior experience or knowledge, just enthusiasm and curiosity.

As a volunteer, you’ll receive:

• Access to 24/7 support from our in-country team
• All of your in-country transport, accommodation, and food
• A personal consultation with our conservation team to answer any questions

What makes us different to other companies?

• We are southern Africa’s original conservation travel company, made up of qualified zoologists and conservationists.
• Every traveller of ours receives personal guidance before they book to ensure we find the right experience for their goals and passions.
• We work with a range of real partner projects, offering hands-on experience and meaningful work, so you know your efforts are truly making a difference.
• We offer 24/7 in-country support. We will meet you when you arrive, see you safely onto your flight home, and throughout your trip we are always available if you need assistance or just want a chat.
• Your trip is financially protected through ABTA or ATOL, giving you full peace of mind when booking with us that your money is safe.