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© VolonTerre Africa – Wild animals in general, and baboons in particular, are not pets. The photos posted were taken at a specialist centre for the care and rehabilitation of chacma baboons.
© VolonTerre Africa – Wild animals in general, and baboons in particular, are not pets. The photos posted were taken at a specialist centre for the care and rehabilitation of chacma baboons.
© VolonTerre Africa – Wild animals in general, and baboons in particular, are not pets. The photos posted were taken at a specialist centre for the care and rehabilitation of chacma baboons.
© VolonTerre Africa – Wild animals in general, and baboons in particular, are not pets. The photos posted were taken at a specialist centre for the care and rehabilitation of chacma baboons.
© VolonTerre Africa – Wild animals in general, and baboons in particular, are not pets. The photos posted were taken at a specialist centre for the care and rehabilitation of chacma baboons.
© VolonTerre Africa – Wild animals in general, and baboons in particular, are not pets. The photos posted were taken at a specialist centre for the care and rehabilitation of chacma baboons.
Volunteer at a chacma baboon sanctuary in South Africa and help with their rehabilitation. See all our primate-related volunteer opportunities here.
The centre is home to 450 baboons
The project you will be working on is situated within a 1,200-hectare section of a 40,000-hectare game reserve that is home to the Big Five. There are four types of primates in South Africa: the vervet monkey, the galago, the samango and the chacma baboon. The Baboon Rehabilitation Centre is currently home to more than 450 individuals. Most were brought in as orphaned infants. Before arriving, they were often kept as pets. In some cases, their mothers were killed because of the damage baboons can cause to farms and crops. Only a few of them arrived at the centre as adults.
The baby monkeys are being looked after for three months
Baboon infants arriving at the centre are looked after by volunteers until they are three months old. This is because the bond with their mother is vital for baby baboons. When they arrive at the centre, this bond must not be broken. From the age of three months, they are introduced to a surrogate baboon mother before gradually joining a larger troop. To date, the centre has successfully re-established 28 baboon troops, comprising a total of 450 individuals.
15 groups of rehabilitated baboons over 30 years
Rehabilitation is a very long process. Each individual arrives separately and, as baboon troops have a highly structured hierarchy, socialisation is crucial for these primates. The stages must therefore not be rushed if rehabilitation is to be successful. Over the past 30 years, the centre has rehabilitated 15 troops of baboons, amounting to around 350 individuals. 99 per cent of the animals at the centre are chacma baboons. However, other small animals are also taken in, such as small mammals, birds and even some domestic animals (dogs, rabbits, cats and guinea pigs).
The role of volunteers at the baboon centre
Some tasks are carried out on a daily basis, such as preparing meals for the animals. Others depend on the centre’s needs at any given time. The tasks you will be assigned are very varied. You will not always be in contact with baboons.
Here are a few examples of activities carried out as part of the project
- Nursery for babies (up to 3 months)
- Preparation and distribution of meals
- Cleaning the enclosures and the nursery
- Fencing / repairs to enclosures
- Introduction of ‘enrichment’ activities, which are techniques designed to help monkeys develop their instincts for foraging
- Observation and data collection on their behaviour and interactions
- Supervision of the introduction of babies to their surrogate mothers
- Collecting twigs, grass, seeds and other natural food for baboons
- Removal of non-native plants that are harmful to the nature reserve
- Helping to educate the local population (and children in particular) about the protection of baboons
The minimum duration of participation in this project is 2 weeks and the maximum is 12 weeks. You can arrive on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month (barring exceptions) in the town of Hoedspruit.
- All year round
- 2 weeks: €900
- 3 weeks: €1,120
- 4 weeks: €1,360
- 6 weeks: €1,950
- 8 weeks: €2,370
- 12 weeks: €3,140
Included in the price
- Return transfer from the town of Hoedspruit
- Accommodation & linen
- Three meals a day (mainly vegan)
- The laundry
- One day a week in the nearest town
- Technical supervision
Not included in the price
- The international flight and the transfer from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit
- Additional drinks and personal expenses
- Insurance cover for assistance, repatriation, medical expenses, cancellation and luggage
- Internet access (Wi-Fi available at an extra charge)
Terms and Conditions of Participation
- No specific experience is required to take part, other than a genuine commitment to the project’s ethos
- Aged 18 or over, or aged 16 or over if accompanied by an adult
- Language: English
Accommodation and meals
- The volunteers’ camp is located within the project site.
- It is a permanent campsite offering 6 rooms, each accommodating between 2 and 4 people depending on the time of year.
- There is a communal building housing the toilets and showers, and a small kitchen where you can make coffee or prepare simple meals (the three vegan meals a day are served in the centre’s courtyard)
- The volunteers’ camp also has a communal lounge, with games, a TV, a DVD player and so on, so that volunteers can relax after a day’s work.
- This project is predominantly vegan.
A project that has been running for over 30 years, has a proven track record, and will enable you to play a key role in the process of reintroducing baboons into their natural habitat…
Tous les avis sur les missions de l’agence partenaire
About the partner agency
The partner organization is a French agency founded by Nathalie in 2015, following several years of volunteering experience with an organization in South Africa. It offers various eco-volunteering missions focused on the preservation of endangered species, as well as support for rural communities. The partner agency specializes in missions based in South Africa.
