Cheetah Rewilding

Assist in hand rearing captive bred cheetahs for release into the wild. Help reintroduce cheetahs into suitable protected reserves.

Assist in hand-rearing captive bred cheetahs for release into the wild while ensuring the cheetahs are successfully rewilded and reintroduced into a protected wildlife reserve

Project Info

Cheetahs have been successfully bred in captivity for decades but releasing them successfully into the wild has been much more difficult. As an intern for this project, you will be part of the only facility in the world that is successfully introducing cheetahs into the wild to increase the population. The scientists at this project have developed new and innovative methods to teach baby cheetahs to hunt, to avoid contact with potential threats, and have successfully released cheetahs into the wild and had them reproduce. With a global population of approximately 7,500 cheetahs and only 600 in South Africa, this program is crucial to helping bolster the natural population.

This internship provides the opportunity to work with these magnificent animals while helping save the species from extinction. You will be helping with daily care of cheetahs, assisting with medical care and procedures, training them to hunt, and reintroducing cheetahs to wild areas.

In addition, this facility houses other orphaned or injured African wildlife that will be released when healthy such as caracals, meerkats, and other African wildlife.

Accommodation

Our accommodation is situated onsite consists of beautiful wood cabins. Cabins are shared between same sex volunteers or couples / families.. Each cabin has an en suite bathroom with a hot water shower. Electrical points are also provided.

The Main Camp has:

Included in this program is breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. If you have any dietary requirements please make us aware prior to your arrival.

Learning outcomes you will gain during this internship

Use proper techniques to approach and handle wildlife when appropriate.
Learn detailed animal husbandry techniques.
Describe the general principles of predator prey relationships and interspecific competition.
Understand dietary requirement of organisms and physiological demands during times of environmental stress.
Identify common organism and their taxonomy.
Maintain exact records of medicine, feeding amounts, and vitals.
Understand normal and abnormal behavior in cheetahs as it relates to health and potential to be released.
Communicate with local communities and scientists to understand the stakeholder viewpoints which are important to the management decisions.
Describe the goals and strategies that wildlife managers employ in Southern Africa to combat poaching.

Activities and skills you will be working on

Preparation and delivery of food to cheetah and other wildlife.
Participating in physical exams and medical procedures of rhino cheetahs.
Maintenance of the rehabilitation center.
Using innovate methods to train cheetahs to hunt.
Recording data on animal activity and behavior.
Identifying African birds and mammals.
Attending lectures about animal husbandry and rewilding techniques.
Interacting with local communities.
Tracking previously released cheetahs.

What's Included

We take care of everything for you

What's Included:

3 Meals Daily
WIFI
24 Hour Emergency Contact
Work With Local Conservationists
Accommodation
2 Airport Transfers
Laundry
Field Study Abroad T-shirt
Hands-on Field Study Internships

Academic Details:

3 credits will be earned for a two week internship.
Up to 6 credits could be earned for 3 to 4 weeks.
Program Fees include: Housing, Meals, On Site Instruction, Laundry, WIFI, Airport transfer from arrival airport/town.
Tuition will be based on total credits chosen by students.