Want to volunteer for wildlife conservation work? India can be a great destination to choose.

Wildlife Conservation in India

There are numerous destinations around the world where it is possible to volunteer to work in wildlife conservation. South Africa is one of the most popular, with its enormous national parks and a large population of big game animals, but it is by no means the only option. If you are looking to make a difference on a gap year or career break and want to work with animals, then a visit to India can be an outstanding choice. This country is home to diverse species, including elephants, panthers, monkeys, turtles and many different species of birds, and a visit here allows you experience some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world, from unspoilt coasts to verdant jungles and arid deserts.

Wildlife conservation work in India falls into two main areas – work in the cities and work in the countryside. Here is an overview of these two options...

Conservation in the Wildlife Sanctuaries

India is an enormous country, with a highly diverse wildlife population. There are numerous wildlife sanctuaries that are dedicated to the preservation of unique habitats and the animals that live in them, such as the Cotiago Wildlife Sanctuary on the coast near to Goa.

These sanctuaries rely on volunteers to help keep them running, and if you choose to work at one of these places you'll get to experience a wide variety of wildlife conservation activities first hand. These may include research and observation of animals in the wild, veterinary work with sick and injured animals, habitat repair and maintenance, and the running of programs to encourage responsible tourism. These are especially important in popular tourist areas such as Goa, where visitors may accidentally do great harm to the local habitats through irresponsible behaviour such as littering.

Rescue and Care in the Cities

Wildlife conservation work isn't confined to the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India – there's plenty of work to be done in the cities as well. There are a huge number of stray animals that live in the major Indian cities, often in truly desperate conditions. The cities themselves often lack an infrastructure to deal with these animals, and rely on outside organisations and volunteers to help curb the problem.

As a volunteer in one of the major Indian cities, you will have the opportunity to help out in many different ways. As part of mobile ambulance teams, wildlife workers travel the streets and respond to phone calls to find sick and wounded animals, take them in and then restore them to health. Stray animals can be carriers for disease, and can also breed uncontrollably, so it is important to carry out vaccination and sterilisation campaigns. Taking animals off the streets and getting them into homes is very important, and most organisations in the cities will encourage adoption of animals whenever they can. Finally, education outreach programs can spread information on how to help stray animals.

There's plenty of work to be done in India as a wildlife conservation volunteer, but whether you work in the cities or in the sanctuaries, you can be sure you'll be making a valuable contribution, and a difference!