Itinerary
Tuesday Arrive at Lilongwe Kamuzu International Airport, airport pick up and transfer.
We care for around 200 animals on any given day, the majority of which are primates. Every animal that comes into our care - whether as a result of abuse, illegal activity or human-wildlife conflict - receives a carefully tailored program of support from our team of experts. We aim to release as many animals as possible back into the wild. Those that cannot be released are cared for in the safety of the sanctuary. Volunteering at the Centre will give you a powerful insight into the life-changing and life-saving work of wildlife rehabilitation. Please note that our busiest period is during October to January each year, when we typically receive more orphaned animals.
You will spend the majority of your time with our dedicated animal care team, where work covers the whole spectrum of work to rehabilitate injured, orphaned and abused wild animals. Expect to get your hands dirty, work hard and sleep well! Animal rehabilitation is not always glamorous – think chopping food, cleaning enclosures and waking up at 3am to feed orphaned monkeys – but it’s work that makes a real difference. Your duties will include animal husbandry (cleaning, sanitation, feeding and enrichment), orphan care, observations and integrations. You’ll also get the chance to learn more about specialist areas of work such as enrichment, observation and rehabilitation techniques. Wildlife Centre volunteers generally work from 8am - 5pm, but during orphan season feeds may be scheduled during less sociable hours, so occasionally there can be long days and night shifts. Volunteers get two days off each week, although you can request full weekends off to explore Malawi.
We care for around 200 animals on any given day, the majority of which are primates. Every animal that comes into our care - whether as a result of abuse, illegal activity or human-wildlife conflict - receives a carefully tailored program of support from our team of experts. We aim to release as many animals as possible back into the wild. Those that cannot be released are cared for in the safety of the sanctuary. Volunteering at the Centre will give you a powerful insight into the life-changing and life-saving work of wildlife rehabilitation. Please note that our busiest period is during October to January each year, when we typically receive more orphaned animals.
You will spend the majority of your time with our dedicated animal care team, where work covers the whole spectrum of work to rehabilitate injured, orphaned and abused wild animals. Expect to get your hands dirty, work hard and sleep well! Animal rehabilitation is not always glamorous – think chopping food, cleaning enclosures and waking up at 3am to feed orphaned monkeys – but it’s work that makes a real difference. Your duties will include animal husbandry (cleaning, sanitation, feeding and enrichment), orphan care, observations and integrations. You’ll also get the chance to learn more about specialist areas of work such as enrichment, observation and rehabilitation techniques. Wildlife Centre volunteers generally work from 8am - 5pm, but during orphan season feeds may be scheduled during less sociable hours, so occasionally there can be long days and night shifts. Volunteers get two days off each week, although you can request full weekends off to explore Malawi.
Wildlife Research in Liwonde National Park
Malawi’s incredible wildlife is facing a number of threats, from deforestation and biodiversity loss to human-wildlife conflict and the illegal trade in products such as ivory and bushmeat.
Our research placement focuses on monitoring species of ‘special concern’ in beautiful Liwonde National Park. You’ll work with iconic species such as lions, cheetahs, hyenas and vultures, collecting data that will directly inform conservation strategies (we do not monitor elephants or rhinos - although you will likely see them on drives!). This is a boutique program, with a maximum 5 participants at any time.
Liwonde is situated in Malawi’s Southern Region, a four-hour drive from Lilongwe. One of Malawi’s premiere game viewing sites, Liwonde is home to some of the country's largest elephant and black rhino populations. Situated on the famous Shire River, habitats are varied, from vast floodplains to cathedral mopane woodlands. In recent years Liwonde has been the host of wildlife translocations and reintroductions. It is one of the top parks in Malawi for carnivore sightings, most notably cheetahs and lions.
Field work is intensive and requires early starts, long days and plenty of patience! Activities include radio tracking of targeted animals, checking camera traps and recording opportunistic sightings. Working as part of a small team, you’ll learn how to conduct VHF radio tracking, animal identification, camera trapping and data entry. You’ll also experience some truly unique moments as you learn more about the dynamics of groups and individual wild animals. This may include moments such as witnessing the take-over of a lion pride by a new male, watching a cheetah teaching her cubs to hunt or observing dynamics between vultures and predators at a carcass.
All monitoring activities are conducted by vehicle (we do two drives per day, roughly five hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon). Tracking animals requires us to be constantly on the move, so we do not stop the vehicle often, unless the team needs to check one of our camera trap stations. We also drive on unpaved dirt roads, which can be very rough most of the year, and muddy during wet season.
Our field work generally runs for five and a half days a week. Participants will occasionally have down time between morning and afternoon monitoring sessions, although our work is unpredictable and may result in full days in the field (less in wet season). In the evenings, there will be a chance to sit around the fire, listen to the sounds of the bush and chat about the day’s events.
Please note, during rainy season (Nov-April), we conduct fewer monitoring drives, generally see fewer animals and spend more time in camp.
Malawi’s incredible wildlife is facing a number of threats, from deforestation and biodiversity loss to human-wildlife conflict and the illegal trade in products such as ivory and bushmeat.
Our research placement focuses on monitoring species of ‘special concern’ in beautiful Liwonde National Park. You’ll work with iconic species such as lions, cheetahs, hyenas and vultures, collecting data that will directly inform conservation strategies (we do not monitor elephants or rhinos - although you will likely see them on drives!). This is a boutique program, with a maximum 5 participants at any time.
Liwonde is situated in Malawi’s Southern Region, a four-hour drive from Lilongwe. One of Malawi’s premiere game viewing sites, Liwonde is home to some of the country's largest elephant and black rhino populations. Situated on the famous Shire River, habitats are varied, from vast floodplains to cathedral mopane woodlands. In recent years Liwonde has been the host of wildlife translocations and reintroductions. It is one of the top parks in Malawi for carnivore sightings, most notably cheetahs and lions.
Field work is intensive and requires early starts, long days and plenty of patience! Activities include radio tracking of targeted animals, checking camera traps and recording opportunistic sightings. Working as part of a small team, you’ll learn how to conduct VHF radio tracking, animal identification, camera trapping and data entry. You’ll also experience some truly unique moments as you learn more about the dynamics of groups and individual wild animals. This may include moments such as witnessing the take-over of a lion pride by a new male, watching a cheetah teaching her cubs to hunt or observing dynamics between vultures and predators at a carcass.
All monitoring activities are conducted by vehicle (we do two drives per day, roughly five hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon). Tracking animals requires us to be constantly on the move, so we do not stop the vehicle often, unless the team needs to check one of our camera trap stations. We also drive on unpaved dirt roads, which can be very rough most of the year, and muddy during wet season.
Our field work generally runs for five and a half days a week. Participants will occasionally have down time between morning and afternoon monitoring sessions, although our work is unpredictable and may result in full days in the field (less in wet season). In the evenings, there will be a chance to sit around the fire, listen to the sounds of the bush and chat about the day’s events.
Please note, during rainy season (Nov-April), we conduct fewer monitoring drives, generally see fewer animals and spend more time in camp.
