Tourism is one of the world’s largest industries with a global economic contribution of almost 7.6 trillion U.S dollars. This booming industry is driven by the desire to explore and learn about new cultures. In every country, tourist attractions are constantly being refreshed and marketed as the best way to immerse yourself in the countries culture. Part of the tourism industry are wildlife attractions, which contribute 20 – 40% of all tourism worldwide with two to four million tourists contributing to these excursions each year. Unfortunately, 80% of tourists who visit wildlife attractions each year are blind to the fact that these attractions are havingRead More →

Anyone who travels to Africa and goes on a safari has the hope and anticipation that they will be the one to witness the next famous Battle at Kruger. However, the wild is unpredictable and timing is crucial. If you come to Africa and see the Big Five (elephant, rhino, leopard, lion and buffalo) you are lucky. If you witness a kill or fight in the wild, then you are REALLY lucky. For those of you who aren’t able to make it to Africa (yet!) the power of a camera and the internet will allow you to live vicariously through those who have witnessed AfricanRead More →

With the population growing at exponential rates and global resources getting more and more scarce it is important that everyone does what they can to help our environment. Many of our volunteers that come join us in South Africa are world travellers and understanding ones carbon footprint when travelling can be tricky. In an effort to guide our volunteers and any other travellers we put together five tips on eco friendly travel to keep in mind when planning your next trip to ensure that helping our environment is kept top of mind. Step 1: Choose eco-friendly accommodation. When looking for a place to stay, doRead More →

Join the fight to save the rhino! With the amount of publicity that rhino poaching has been receiving, it is tough not to be aware of the dire situation rhinos are finding themselves in. All species of rhinos; Black rhino, White rhino, greater one-horned rhino, Sumatran rhino and Javan Rhino all find themselves on the critically, threatened and endangered species list. With fewer than 31,000 rhinos left in the world it is a crucial time for conservation efforts to kick into high gear to save these species. Rhinos once roamed Euroasia and Africa but their numbers have dropped dramatically due to a variety of humanRead More →

To the untrained eye spotting the difference between the white and black rhino can be quite difficult. Both breeds have a similar color and the same prehistoric look. Although similar, they are many differences in their look and how they socialization and interact with each other. One of the most notable differences between the white and black rhino is their mouth. Both white and black rhinos are grazers but black rhinos have hook-shaped lips which allow them to grasp prickly shrubs and trees where white rhinos have a wide square mouth. In terms of bodies, white rhinos are typically larger and weigh more; they areRead More →

Deciding to do a wildlife internship in a different country can be exciting. The anticipation of learning about a new culture and stepping out of one’s comfort zone can be both exhilaration and nerve racking. It can be even more intimidating when there are hundreds of agencies, companies and programs all claiming to give you the most authentic experience. For anyone looking to volunteer in South Africa there are several different types of internships to choose from. Depending on what interests you there are wildlife center internships, wildlife photography internships, wildlife biology internships and wildlife conservation internships. They all sound similar but each are uniqueRead More →

African elephants are the largest land-animals on earth. Though generally peaceful, timid animals, elephants can be extremely dangerous if they feel threatened or confused by humans, cars, or other animals. The elephant species live in herds and function in a matriarchal society, meaning the mother or oldest female in any given herd is the leader of the pack. All the young elephants look up to their matriarchal ruler to learn which plants to eat, how to use their trunk, and how to act like an elephant. Thus, just as human parents teach their children how to behave like civilized human beings, elephant parents demonstrate toRead More →

If you were given the following clues, could you guess which African animal was being described? • It is a big cat • It has four legs • It has a long tail • It is golden/yellow with black spots • It has claws • It has sharp teeth • It is a predator • It has seven letters in it’s name If you guessed leopard, you are correct! If you guessed cheetah, you are also correct! Both of these African cats fit the above description. To some people with no prior exposure to leopards and cheetahs, these wild cats are unidentifiable. So, what makesRead More →

Many people, initially dislike hyenas because of how they are depicted in The Lion King; evil, ugly creatures with terrifying laughs that killed innocent Simba’s heroic father, Mufasa, leaving poor, young Simba fatherless and devastated, and the entire kingdom in disarray. Because of this children’s-film-based-interpretation, I did not have much interest in meeting the hyena on the Living with Big Cats program. All of the other volunteers raved about how beautiful and magnificent she was, but all I kept thinking of was a scraggly, gray creature with an annoying laugh. The hyena on the farm, four-year-old Roxy, to my pleasant surprise, looked and behaved nothingRead More →

Unfortunately, cheetahs are among the many African animals whose population is depleting at an extraordinarily rapid rate. And yet, people seem to be completely unaware regarding just how endangered cheetahs are. Currently, there are only 7,500 cheetahs left globally – including those captive in zoos. The numbers for wild cheetahs are far lower, and decreasing daily. Our Living with Cheetahs project is a place where cheetahs are bred, trained, and released with hopes of resolving this detrimental issue. Quite a few aspects contribute to the stunningly quick decline in population: 1. Natural predators Cheetahs are thin cats, and are quite small in comparison to theRead More →