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City/State: Namibia |
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Country: NAMIBIA
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| Worldwide Experience |
The Oak Suite
Guardian House
Borough Road
Surrey
UNITED KINGDOM
GU7 2AE
Phone: +44 (0)1483 860 560
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Program description: |
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Do you want to get involved in some serious conservation work in Namibia with one of the worlds leading leopard and cheetah research projects? The AfriCat Foundation is a non-profit organisation, committed to the long-term conservation of Namibia's large carnivores, especially cheetahs and leopards. A visit to Okonjima will give you an opportunity to witness some of AfriCat's work.
Your mission should you choose to accept it is to eradicate this bush, opening up the land once more. Over time the indigenous plants and grasses will recover and the game will return. Once again the cheetah will have its natural environment back to hunt and run like the wind.
Conservation at Okonjima is about the management, development and rehabilitation of the environment to create a sustainable ecosystem through the implementation of fundamental conservation principals. Your tasks may be challenging at times but believe us it will be highly rewarding and satisfying knowing that you’ve been a part of the team helping to restore the local ecology back to its natural and original state.
Okonjima, meaning ‘place of the baboon’ turned from cattle farming to tourism in 1993 and shortly after launched the animal welfare foundation, Africat.
Over the last 100 years cattle farming has left its scar on the vast areas of Namibia, bush encroachment is destroying Nambian flora and fauna. Okonjima’s goal, with your help is to reverse mans influence. Over-grazing has led to topsoil erosion decreasing the survival of natural plants and grasses and therefore the game dependent on them. Sickle bush previously limited to mountain fringes has over the years encroached onto the plains and taken over. Believe us you will be getting up close and personal to this menace.
Additional activities that volunteers can expect to be involved in, dependent on the duration of your stay:
Cheetah & leopard tracking and monitoring for research
Radio collars on the cheetahs and leopards are used to track their territorial ranges. It is necessary to monitor them on a regular basis to manage their movement patterns to see if they establish in a certain area and where they operate on the property. They are also monitored to try to find out what they have eaten, observe their offspring and to asses their general health.
Game counts at waterholes
To determine and document concentration of specific game species on the reserve, also to monitor predator to prey ratios.
General reserve maintenance
These projects are vital to overall function of the reserve, work to be undertaken they may include: fence patrols checking for snares or faults, filling holes created by aardvark or porcupines, brush-packing closed roads, seeding eroded areas, searching for permanent water sites, clearing old fences and alien vegetation control.
Soil erosion control
Erosion occurs naturally due to effects from the elements, it can also take effect as a result of bad farming practices. Various methods are carried out to help with the prevention, these include Building Gabions and brush packing effected areas. This is done to increase the rate of re-growth of pioneer vegetation, which will stabilise the soil allowing climax species to settle. It also prevents topsoil run-off and allows water to be absorbed by the soil instead of causing flooding.
You may also have the opportunity during your stay to get involved, on a
limited basis, with some of the Africat Programmes, these include the
following:
Rescue & Release Programme
Since its inception Africat has released over 800 cheetahs and leopards back
into the wild.
Welfare Programme
Africat provides a home, food and care for over 100 large carnivores that
cannot currently be released. These are mostly orphaned cubs.
Cheetah & leopard tracking and monitoring for research
Radio collars on the cheetahs and leopards are used to track their territorial ranges. It is necessary to monitor them on a regular basis to manage their movement patterns to see if they establish in a certain area and where they operate on the property. They are also monitored to try to find out what they have eaten, observe their offspring and to asses their general health.
Game counts at waterholes
To determine and document concentration of specific game species on the reserve, also to monitor predator to prey ratios.
General reserve maintenance
These projects are vital to overall function of the reserve, work to be undertaken they may include: fence patrols checking for snares or faults, filling holes created by aardvark or porcupines, brush-packing closed roads, seeding eroded areas, searching for permanent water sites, clearing old fences and alien vegetation control.
The statistics from 1 July 1993 to 30 June 2005
Leopards rescued: 280
Cheetahs rescued: 549
Leopards released: 260
Cheetahs released: 436
Total % released: 86.14% (Cheetahs 79.42 %, Leopards 92.86 %)
Total % died/euthanased: 3.86%
Total % kept at AfriCat: 9.98%
Orphan cubs: 64.8%
Previous captivity: 25.7%
Injured: 4.8%
Unwanted pets: 4.7%
Location
Okomjima is located approx 225 km’s north of the Capital, Windhoek and approx 75 km’s to the nearest town of Otjiwarongo. Okonjima is ideally situated approximately half way between the famous Etosha Park and Windhoek.
Accommodation
Your camp located in the heart of the bush is basic with dome tents, shower and toilet facilities and a central cooking and eating area. There is no electricity and no TV…!
Daily rotas will be in place and everyone gets involved in day-to-day camp activities including wake-ups and the preparation of all meals. A weekly town run will be made (on your behalf) and you will have the chance to stock up on any additional drinks etc. Anything purchased will be at your own cost.
Time off
At 16.00 each day we down tools and head off to our afternoon activity i.e. cheetah or leopard tracking, birding, sun-downer walks, game walks etc. Your day off will consists of a well-deserved lie-in and a chance to chill and take-in the beautiful bush surroundings.
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General program information: |
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Program open to: American, Canadian, European
Age range: 17 -30
Travel to site: Varies
Is opportunity more independant or group orientated: Group
Living arrangements on the program: Tents/Rustic Accommodation, Group living
How long does the program last?: 2-4 weeks
What are the dates of this program: Placements are offered throughout the year, on a rotational 4 week basis.
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Benefits and advantages of the program: |
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Various skills are obtained during your time at Namibia Okonjima AfriCat Project, from:
Cheetah & leopard tracking and monitoring for research
Game counts at waterholes
General reserve maintenance
Soil erosion control
Rescue & Release Programme
Welfare Programme
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Cost or price of this program: |
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4 weeks £2,450
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Typical person for this program: |
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Someone with a love for nature, camping and the African Wild Cats.
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Application process Involves: |
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Register 1 month prior to departure.
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