What would you do if you woke up one morning and decided it was high time you took some space to breathe, and had a few months (or an entire year) away from your life? It’s what’s commonly become known as a gap year for adults, and there are a million different ways in which to spend it. You could spend six weeks categorizing your 80’s cd collection; you could start work on that novel about a boy wizard you’ve been planning for so long; or you could just spend the entire time gazing at your navel and dreaming of a desert island. But if you’re passionate about animal conservation work, and you’re not afraid of a little hard work and a whole lot of adventure, why not head to South Africa and volunteer on a wildlife conservation project on a game reserve. If you do take the plunge and give it a go your day might look a something like this…

A typical day

You’ll wake up with the sun in your basic accommodation of wooden hut, mobile home or share house on the reserve. You’ll probably be sharing with a few other volunteers, who just like you, are taking a gap year for adults. You’ll be starting work around 7.30am so it’s a quick breakfast then its time to step out your door and into the office!

Depending on which park you choose, you’ll start your day with anything from monitoring a herd of elephants to undertaking predator research! You will be working with a team of experienced wildlife conservation trackers and researchers, on such diverse projects as lion health and breeding programs; wildlife care and capture; rehabilitation and relocation; wetland rehabilitation; animal behaviour; animal census programs; monkey research or many of the other wildlife conservation projects the park is conducting.

The parks are constantly monitoring the animals, and you help with report writing and data entry. Wildlife conservation is a constant cycle of research and field work, and keeping accurate records is an important part of the job.

But working in wildlife conservation is not just about the animal conservation work. There is plenty to be done behind the scenes, and some of your duties may involve a day on fence patrol and repair, erosion control, or clear up duties of broken wire and rubbish which could prove harmful to wildlife. You will also help in the upkeep of the many walking trails throughout the parks, and even turn your hand to vehicle maintenance!

There are two things certain on your gap year for adults on a South African game park – one is that no two days will be the same, and the other is that you’ll never be bored! After a long hot day out in the park, if you still have any energy, you could get a taxi to a local bar where you can socialise with loads of wildlife conservation volunteers from other parks. Then it’s home to bed to snuggle down and drift off to sleep with the unique sounds of the bush echoing in your ears.

Your gap year for adults working in wildlife conservation will be a life changing experience. Not only will you have a great suntan, but you will have learnt a huge amount about animal conservation work and you will have experienced life in an incredible part of the world. Most important though, you will have played an important role in preserving the destiny of some of the world’s precious, endangered animals. So there’s only one real question you have to ask yourself. What are you waiting for?