On a wildlife conservation project in Africa, volunteers in Botswana spot big cats resting during a monitoring session.

Wildlife Volunteering in Africa

Work with endangered wildlife in Africa and protect vital ecosystems

Africa is home to some of the most diverse and thriving ecosystems in the world. Sadly, it’s also home to many species in danger of extinction. As a volunteer working with African animals, you’ll help our local teams protect endangered animals and habitats, and do critical wildlife research.

No prior experience is needed to do volunteer work with African animals. We also welcome students and professionals with experience in environmental work. You can expect to do things like:

Take part in elephant surveys in Botswana and help remove deadly snares planted by poachers.
Work at a South Africa sea bird rehabilitation center, helping care for endangered birds like the African Penguin.
Help protect the endangered Rothschild’s Giraffe. With only a few thousand left in the wild, our Kenya reserve is home to a large portion of the Rothschild's Giraffe population.

Looking to fulfill internship requirements for conservation work? We can organize this easily at any of our Conservation Projects. Read our blog to learn more about Wildlife Conservation internships in Africa and beyond.

I absolutely loved my project in the rainforest. We did a bird and lemur census, planted trees, collected seedlings, picked up litter, did path restoration, built bins, and educated local villagers about recycling and waste management. It was such a wonderful experience to work with the locals, learning from them, as well as teaching them. - Katie F, Lemur Research and Protection in Madagascar

Africa's wildlife: What animals can you volunteer with?

On a Wildlife Conservation Project in Africa, your days will be spent learning more about and helping to protect animals like:

Elephants
Leopards
African Penguins
Rothschild’s Giraffes
Lemurs

These animals are just a few of the species you’ll work with as part of your African conservation experience.

"I am extremely proud to have been part of a group that helped to remove a whopping 47 snares in one anti-poaching activity. Knowing it may prevent another animal suffering like this makes me feel like we achieved something." - African Bushveld Conservation in Botswana by Clayre B

A volunteer in Kenya monitors the giraffe population during an African conservation experience abroad

Conservation Volunteering in Africa for all ages

Our goal with African wildlife conservation is to help local people protect as many animals as possible. We need your helping hands to make this goal a reality!

Our Africa volunteer programs with animals are for:

High school students who want a program during their summer break with 24/7 support
Groups who want to make an environmental impact together
Career breakers, or older volunteers who have the time to dive into environmental efforts
Travelers of any age who want to make a tangible difference and work with animals

"I decided to volunteer in Kenya as I wished to see how animals live in their own natural habitat, not just how they acted in a zoo, which led me to the Conservation Project. The High School Special suited me as my summer holiday could only be so long and it allowed me to have a glimpse at what Africa could offer." - African Savannah Conservation in Kenya by James W

While working in Africa with animals, volunteers and staff monitor birds during a rainforest walk in Madagascar.

Our Ethical Approach to Wildlife Conservation in Africa

We’re immensely proud of the work done by our conservation volunteers in Africa. You can read about their efforts (and the efforts of all our other volunteers around the world) on Our Impact page.

Our work with animals in Africa, and all of the work we do around the world, is guided by our Animal Welfare Policy. We also collate all information collected by volunteers on our Global Impact Database. Through these guidelines, we can do more for animals and environments in need.