T Education is Key to Conservation VOLUNTEER INFORMATION SHEET academy@thulathula.com Thank you for being interested in volunteering with us here at Thula Thula Private Game Reserve. The Thula Thula volunteer programme truly is a must for everyone, from university students, gap year students, corporate groups and even those with a lifelong dream to work in the wild African bush and make a difference to conservation. The Thula Thula Volunteers programme offers both local and international volunteers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get involved in wildlife conservation, reserve management and environmental studies. Thula Thula welcomes you to join a team of highly skilled and knowledgeable rangers, reserve managers, veterinarians and general nature lovers, in our efforts to continually develop a link between people and the wilderness which we cherish so much. RECONNECT WITH NATURE Volunteering for conservation Volunteers will experience 1 to 6 weeks of living in the African wilderness, sharing experiences with others, growing their skills and making a difference. Programmes will vary slightly throughout the year, as the challenges involved in wildlife conservation are constantly shifting and certain issues may receive more focus than others. Thula Thula offers a well-rounded program aimed at covering both the needs of the reserve and surrounding community, as well as providing a comprehensive, hands-on learning experience for the volunteers. During their stay with us, volunteers will see themselves as Assistant Conservation Managers, as all the work done and data collected by them will be utilized by Thula Thula for conservation on the reserve. Our volunteers also get the opportunity to explore South Africa s other game reserves as Thula Thula is close to Hluhluwe-Umfolozi and St Lucia heritage site, (at an additional cost).
Our Mission: EDUCATE AND INSPIRE Volunteers will be provided with practical experience the reserve has to offer in the following areas: Game Reserve Management Research Projects Community skill Development and Education Wildlife & Game Reserve Management Game reserve management activities will form a large part of the volunteer programme. Some of these activities involve physical work and therefore a certain level of determination from the volunteer s side is required. Keep in mind that the reserve needs are always taken into account and you will help to fulfil those needs as a volunteer. Daily activities are interesting and varied and will include assistance with some of the following: Basic survival skills Game counts (on foot) Anti-poaching patrols Snare removal Fence line patrols and repairs Important species monitoring (rhinos, birds of prey, leopards, spotted hyenas, etc.) Tracking Checking of camera traps Sex and age ratio recordings of specific species (like giraffe) Alien vegetation control: volunteers will assist in the eradication and control of alien (non-endemic) plant species Soil erosion control: Previous land utilization practices, i.e. cattle ranching has caused erosion galleys in certain areas on the reserve. These sites need to be rehabilitated. Reserve clean-up operations and litter patrols Road maintenance and repairing of river crossings Mapping of the reserve Assisting in research projects Elephant Impact Monitoring Predator Conservation Raptor research Veld management Birding Snake handling Grass counts Basic mechanics " bush mechanics" Visits to surrounding game reserves with Big 5 experience Night drives, Game drives and Bush walks Help at our wildlife rehabilitation centre And any other conservation management activity that might pop-up at the time and for which the reserve would require your assistance.
Community Development & Education It is our responsibility to take pride in our heritage and accordingly make plans for a healthy, sustainable future. Therefore, our volunteers would be expected to help us with: Skill development and training in conservation for the local community members Educational programs in local community schools Research Projects for students We also offer the opportunity for volunteers who are studying wildlife management or zoology, to work on their own wildlife research project. For this we would suggest a minimum stay of 3 months. If you would be interested in carrying out a research for us, we would appreciate said projects in the following areas: Elephant distribution Elephants on contraceptives changes in behaviour Leopard distribution Spotted hyena distribution The possibility of introducing lions in the reserve Herbivore (from impala to giraffe) distribution and Herbivore counts For research projects we can offer to transport you around the reserve in our vehicles, as well as making a few camera traps available. However, if you need any other items to do this research, we kindly request that you bring this with you. Unfortunately, research items are often very expensive, and we cannot afford them this time. Free time Sunday will be your day off and excursions in the nearby game reserve or places of interest can be organised at an extra cost. WELCOME TO OUR BUSH CAMP, A TRUE RETURN TO NATURE EXPERIENCE The Thula Thula volunteers Academy is situated adjacent to our Wildlife rehabilitation centre, in a secure fenced area, with the most magnificent view over the whole game reserve and Mkhulu Dam, the favourite spot of our herd of elephants. Currently a maximum of 8 volunteers can apply per session, one of the volunteers being from the local communities. Accommodation will be basic but comfortable, in 8 double tents, entirely lit by solar lanterns and wooden poles ablution area. Accommodation and basic food items will be provided during your stay with us and you will share a tent with one other volunteer. A recommended stay would be two weeks, but you can choose to stay only from a few days (or a weekend) to up to 6 weeks. If you are interested in doing your own research project we suggest a minimum of 3 months, as a reliable research takes time.
THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONSERVATION FUND AND OUR CONSERVATION PROJECTS All of our conservation projects, as Wildlife protection and anti-poaching, the Thula Thula Wildlife rehabilitation Centre and our Land expansion project for elephant habitat, are financed through the Thula Thula Non-Profit Organisation THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONSERVATION FUND The THULA THULA VOLUNTEERS ACADEMY is a part of the SOUTH AFRICAN CONSERVATION FUND and, as such, the proceeds (money left after expenses) of what you pay for your experience as a volunteer, will be redistributed towards our conservation projects. www.thulathula.com/conservation-fund-2/ COST PER NIGHT: (as per your country of residence) South African residents North and South America and Asia residents European residents UK residents ZAR 1 000 USD 100 Euro 100 GBP 100 Should you require single accommodation, a 50% surplus will apply. Children under 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the stay. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU: If you are interested in volunteering on our programme please send us the following information to academy@thulathula.com We have a more detailed and thorough registration form to send you after the first screening of your application as a volunteer at our academy. Title First Name Surname Nickname ID-Number (south African) Passport number Country Date of birth Gender Language(s) Cell number Email address Personal details
Food preferences (Glutenfree, vegan, etc.) Preferred dates of volunteering (from to) Education/Background Previous working experiences What is your motivation to come to Thula Thula? What do you want to do and learn while being at Thula Thula? Please send us a copy of your ID (south African) or Passport (international) as well! Travel and medical insurance Company Policy number International contact number N.B. Travel and medical insurance are mandatory Contact in case of emergency First name Surname Relation Cell number Email address Home address What to pack? We recommend bringing clothes that you are not too attached to in case they get damaged and if you need packing space on your return trip to fit souvenirs and gifts. A washing machine is available for you to use. Comfortable shoes and boots (for rain/mud/heat) Khaki coloured clothes (shirts, short pants, long pants) Raincoat Sunglasses, sunscreen and hat Personal medicine Mosquito and tick repellent Toiletries and towels Sleeping bag (Thula Thula will provide an inner lining)
Heavy duty gloves Backpack (strong not plastic) Water bottle/s Charger and adaptor for your electronic devices (power bank would be good as well) Head light and torch Camera and binoculars We recommend bringing books, laptop, movies, mp3-player, games, etc. as the Thula Thula Volunteer camp is in the middle of the bush and therefore isolated. There is limited Wifi available, but this is not for streaming and/or downloading. Other recommendations: Thula Thula is situated in a malaria free area. There is no need to pack malaria medication unless you are planning on visiting other areas. It is always good to bring a little bit of money with you. You will probably go shopping to Richards Bay with us at one point. Passport: All visitors to South Africa require a passport valid for six months from date of departure, as well as at least one completely blank page in your passport, excluding final page. If you are thinking of staying in our beautiful country for more than 3 months you will need a VISA. Please contact your South African Embassy for more information about this. Transport: The closest airport to Thula Thula is situated in Richards Bay. We recommend you fly either to Richards Bay or Durban. We can organise a transport to pick you up at an additional cost. If you wish to experience a bit of luxury after your volunteering adventure THULA THULA PRIVATE GAME RESERVE, SAFARI LODGE and LUXURY TENTED CAMP Thula Thula Game Reserve, the oldest private game reserve in Kwazulu Natal, once the hunting ground of King Shaka, is a 4500 ha Wildlife Sanctuary dedicated to the conservation, protection and survival of endangered species. Situated in Zululand, only 2 hours from Durban, and one hour from Richards Bay, Thula Thula is a luxury safari destination where our game rangers will share their incredible knowledge of the bush during exciting game drives while you observe elephant, rhino, hippo, buffalo, leopard and many more, including over 350 bird species. Thula Thula is also the home of our matriarch Nana and the special herd of elephants made famous in the bestselling book " The Elephant Whisperer" by Lawrence Anthony. Thula Thula is run by his widow Francoise, who carries on the legacy of Lawrence in respect of all the conservation projects, as well as the running of both lodges, together with her loyal Thula Thula team. With its unique atmosphere, stylish décor and superb cuisine, Thula Thula offers you the choice of exclusive accommodation between the stylish ELEPHANT SAFARI LODGE, renowned gourmet destination, and the LUXURY TENTED CAMP, offering an authentic African bush experience in a relaxed atmosphere where children are welcome. Thula Thula is situated in a malaria free area. More info on our website www.thulathula.com or email info@thulathula.com
A TWO-WEEK SAMPLE ITINERARY FOR VOLUNTEERS Day 1: Arrive at Thula Thula Volunteers Camp and settle into your new home. Include a visit to Thula Thula Main lodge. Volunteers will be given a brief introduction to camp management and hospitality. You will be treated to an afternoon game drive and enjoy a cooked meal by your camp leaders for dinner. Day one starts every Monday, so ideally volunteers should arrive Sunday evening. The primary focus of the day is to get the volunteers acclimatized to what will be expected of them in the following weeks and how day to day processes are carried out Day 2: Bush walk: - A full day bush walk where we will focus on developing our new volunteers. The day will consist of basic survival skills, snake identification and handling, tracks/ tracking knowledge and overall safety in a large game area. Day 3 & 4: Bush Work: - Identification of indigenous plants and clearing of invasive plant species. Road works (building water run offs and repairing dongas), fence line patrols, firebreak maintenance, litter clean up. Day 5: Reserve Research: - Game count, predator vs prey relationship/numbers. Soil erosion, grass counts and veld management. Day 6 & 7: Conservation work: - Focusing on rare and endangered species of Thula Thula. Camera traps. Advanced tracking, game reintroduction programme. Learn how to prepare and cook a traditional Potjie over the campfire while you share stories of the day. Day 8: Free day: - Town trip to stock up on supplies & afternoon game drive. Or private excursion. Day 9: Community upliftment: General work within the local community of Buchanana. Painting, conservation education. Day 10 & 11: Anti-poaching: - Snare removal, firearm training, point patrols Day 12: Survival practical: - Sleep out under the stars and survive off the land taking only the bare essentials Day 13: Elephant monitoring. Study the movements of the herd, their habits and general behaviour pattern (game drive) Day 14: - Lodge and Tented camp: Morning bush walk focusing on bird identification followed by general maintenance and project work at the tented camp and main lodge. Volunteers will be assisted in preparing and cooking their final African feast and treated to traditional Zulu dancing. Day 15: Morning bush walk and departure. This forms the basic outline for the volunteer itinerary. All intakes will receive a personal itinerary based on these guide lines. All intakes will also be expected to complete basic tasks on a daily basis to ensure the smooth running of the camp i.e. cleaning, cooking and general upkeep. Basic meals will be provided for. Breakfasts will include Tea/Coffee and cereals. Lunches will include sandwiches and fruit. Dinners will be a variety of simple meals cooked around the camp fire. Vegetarian meals will be available on request..