Predator Research Internship Greater Kruger Area, South Africa Join our research team in the Greater Kruger Area to gain professional experience on a conservation-driven research initiative. This unique personal development opportunity will allow you to support research on some of South Africa s most elusive and at-risk predators.
Our research team is based on a privately-owned lodge situated in the Kruger Canyons Biosphere, on the border of the Greater Kruger National Park in South Africa. Their main goal is to protect leopards and large predators through the conservation of land and wildlife and the involvement and education of local communities. The area itself is a known wildlife-hotspot, yet in both protected and unprotected areas of South Africa many predator s behavior, identities and distribution are almost unknown, leading to vast areas of land being mismanaged. The program therefore is responsible for delivering quality data capture as a resource for predator conservation, namely leopard, lion, hyena, jackal and wild dog. Utilizing a comprehensive approach that tackles monitoring of behavior and forefront conservation initiatives, they are building large-scale quality identification kits, providing technical clarity on predator movements and home ranges, as well as maintaining habitat corridors. Through this, and regular conservation work with the community, the program is connecting wildlife areas, farms, roads and human habitation. Recent Achievements: 21 leopard scat surveys were undertaken to support studies on leopard hormone and stress levels between protected and unprotected areas. 47 snares and 6 traps were collected during snare sweeps, helping prevent poaching and the injury of animals. 165 sets of leopard tracks have been recorded, mapped and measured, which has helped identify 9 leopard corridors between properties. Alongside local leopard researchers, we co-founded the Hoedspruit Leopard Project to build a regional leopard databank. Social networks were compiled to determine association across 3 prides and 2 coalitions of lions.
Before you take the steps to become an intern, we believe it is important to ask some key questions of yourself and also from us to ensure that this internship is right for you. We will ensure that you: Are exposed to practical and relevant skills at grass roots lev el. Set yourself achievable goals that will show your growth and learning, with regular assessments, critiques and evaluations. Understand how to solve problems within your chosen field and be exposed to critical thinking within this specialist area. Become a true Global Citizen within diverse communities. Know that you and your work are part of a bigger picture that continuously monitors, evaluates and uses your contribution in a significant, worthwhile manner. Are you interested in Learning about conservation issues in South Africa and on a global scale? Understanding local ecology, the interdependence of humans, and conflict in the natural world, as well as being part of the solution? Gaining in-depth experience in practical wildlife research methods that include wildlife and habitat mapping? Analyzing raw data and helping to turn it into useful reports? Taking part in camera traps surveys and being involved with maintaining and uploading camera trap photos to our database? Learning how to use key software including Microsoft Excel, Camerabase, R Statistical programming, QGIS and Google Earth? Becoming familiar with the top-down effects of predators in an ecosystem? Advancing your leadership and inter-personal communication skills in a multi- cultural environment? Learning about how to effectively convey conservation messages to a variety of groups (e.g. volunteers, reserve managers, research partners)?
You will spend 3-12 months living on our Greater Kruger volunteer program base, Dumela Lodge. Volunteers from around the world travel to take part in a short-term research program, so a typical week will involve accompanying them on most activities, alongside our fully-trained guides and research managers. As an intern, you will get involved in a combination of research drives, conservation and community engagement, with your main focus on the following 4 areas: Data Collection Regular research game drives will allow you to collect data on predator locations and behaviors. You will also join volunteers during game counts, which will enable you to assess prey populations and compare predator and prey distributions. Data Analysis You will help analyze the data we collect and turn it into reports that are given to our partner reserves and conservation partners. Through training on useful analysis techniques such as QGIS, you will learn how to map the predator data we collect to determine things like distribution, social networks, family relationships and corridor use. Camera Trap Survey Our camera traps allow us to assess the abundance of our sometimes elusive predators. As an intern, you will be responsible for organizing and uploading predator camera trap photos to our Camerabase software. Focus Project During your internship, you will work on a focus project that will give you the chance to research and report on 1 species in particular. This focal project will be decided upon after your initial training sessions and will form part of your weekly schedule. You will receive guidance from your mentor throughout and at the end of your internship you will present this to our research team.
Team Coordination Successful and valuable research requires teams of people to collect the magnitude of data required. You will work closely with the research volunteers in order to make sure the data is being collected correctly, consistently and is of good quality. Mentorship You will take part in weekly meetings with your internship mentor, a professional researcher, to discuss the project s aims, your strengths, and identify weaknesses so that you are able to grow not only as a person, but professionally as well. Physical Conservation You will also get involved in physical conservation tasks like clearing encroaching bush or invasive plant species removal, which helps us restore animal habitats. Conservation Education Sustainable research and conservation is only possible with the education and inclusion of local people. Working in primary and high schools you will help us teach conservation education in order to raise awareness of conservation and wildlife issues, demonstrating why predators need to be protected. Presentations and Interactions You will enjoy a myriad of presentations on wildlife, ecology, habitats, and threats predators face.
If you are ready for a challenge and eager to learn, please forward your CV/Resume to us and request an application form! Email: emmas@africanimpact.com IT Skills A working knowledge of computers is essential. While we don t expect you to have any specific experience of the software we use like QGIS, you do need to have some experience of Microsoft packages like Word and Excel. Experience Level Experience in research and/or data collection is preferable, but not essential. Willingness to learn, dedication, and patience are a must, however! Be Positive We require an intern to have a positive attitude, be willing and open to learning and have strong attention to detail that can be applied to rigorous data collection. Passion We are looking for an individual who is passionate about wildlife conservation and able to adapt to living in the South African bush. Living and interning in South Africa will bring its own unique challenges, so you will also need to be patient, positive and flexible! Don t be put off by some of our fancy terminology. A lot of skills are transferable, so you probably already have the skills we need!
ABOUT THE LOCATION Situated in the heart of South Africa s famous Big 5 Greater Kruger Area, we are surrounded by game reserves, including the world-renowned Kruger National Park which is just 45-minutes from the lodge. WHERE YOU WILL BE STAYING During your internship, you will stay at our program base within the Greater Kruger Area a spacious thatched lodge boasting a large swimming pool and situated on 18 hectares of land. This beautiful landscape serves as as home to impala, warthog, bush pig, nyala and a great diversity of birdlife. Here can you dine, relax and socialise. We don t know of a better place to sit around a campfire and admire the stars! The nearest town is Hoedspruit, a 30-minute drive from our lodge. We do a weekly town trip on Fridays to visit the supermarkets and souvenir shops, where you can spend some time relaxing with a cup of coffee or an icecream.
12 Weeks USD GBP EUR AUD 7,853 4,465 5,796 9,317 Who is African Impact? African Impact is a social development company that is driven by 6 individual causes that have been developed though our long-term relationships and experience with communities and volunteering in Africa. USD GBP EUR AUD 12 8458 4707 6086 9789 Weeks Want to stay longer than 12 weeks? Contact us for pricing and dates! What s included in the cost? Return transport between Nelspruit International Airport and the program base Orientation program, including a security briefing and introduction to South Africa All daily transfers to and from your projects Full board and lodging, which includes 3 meals a day at Dumela Lodge Assistance at your projects by African Impact staff and volunteer coordinators What s not included in the cost? All items of a personal nature, such as curios, gifts, snacks, drinks and clothing Return flights to and from the internship location Personal insurance cover for the duration of your placement - to include cover for repatriation and air evacuation Visa please note that the program fee does not cover the cost of visa s, and visa requirements differ per country while we will assist you in providing all of the relevant information required to arrange your visa, it will be the intern s responsibility to ensure they have the necessary visa for the country. These causes motivate, excite and focus our vision and allow us to offer internships that contribute to wider causes in Africa. As responsible leaders, we are committed to supporting our professional internship portfolio, all of which are unique in support and celebrated results. Through cultural immersion, our internships give individuals the ability to incorporate academic and experiential learning outside the classroom. Want to know more? Ask Emma Emma will guide you through the whole pre-arrival procedure for this placement and you will receive comprehensive information throughout to ensure you are fully prepared for your internship with us. Emma is originally from South Africa. She has been fortuna te to travel around Europe, North America, the Middle East and Australia. After living and working in the UK for several years she decided to move back home to sunny South Africa and is excited to work for African Impact. She can t wait to introduce you to this beautiful country! Email Emma on: emmas@africanimpact.com We look forward to welcoming you for a unique, rewarding and unforgettable experience!