Cheetah conservation in Namibia

country:	Namibia
departures:	2008: 7 Sep, 12 Oct, 9 Nov, 30 Nov
price:	From £1995 (15 days) excluding flights. Price depends on season. We can help arrange flights

Wildlife conservation trips

the amazing things you'll be doing

Volunteers investigate the ecology of the cheetah and help in mediating the threats in Northern Namibia. North-central Namibia - The world's fastest mammal, the cheetah, can run 110 kilometers per hour. Yet it is in a race for its own life, the casualty of habitat loss, a reduced gene pool, competition with larger predators like lions and hyenas in game reserves, and conflict with humans and their livestock outside reserves. Namibia is home to the world's largest remaining population, with 90 percent of its cheetahs living on livestock farmlands where conflict with humans is the greatest threat. The survival of the Namibian cheetah lies in the hands of about 1,000 commercial farmers, who legally kill cheetahs they view as pests. These farmers have killed 10,000 cheetahs over the past two decades.

Dr. Laurie Marker, who started the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in 1990, has been collecting essential data on cheetah behavior and ecology and working with Namibia's farmers to change attitudes towards cheetahs. In short, Marker is saving the cheetah from local extinction, and she needs your help assessing the status of the cheetah's ecosystem by counting wildlife and analyzing vegetation. Through a pioneering project, your data will help managers plan for the cheetah's long-term conservation.

You will be based at Eland's Joy, a 15,000-hectare working farm and the headquarters for CCF. Participating in wildlife surveys, feeding and caring for captive cheetahs on-site, and data entry are the primary tasks. You will also assist with biomedical collections on wild cheetahs, if these are captured during your team. Additional duties may include assisting in the day-to-day operations of the farm or spreading the word about cheetah conservation among local farmers and schoolchildren.

field conditions

At Eland's Joy, you'll stay in two-person bungalows with sinks and beds with mosquito nets. In a separate bathhouse, you'll find showers and toilets with limited hot water. There is a cook on staff, but at times you may be asked to share in communal cooking duties. Enjoy your meals in a shady, thatched-roof pavilion with the Namibian bush as your view.

volunteer travel - what's it all about?

Are you are looking for an adventurous trip with a purpose, or on a gap year or career break? If you want to make a difference in some of the world’s most important conservation areas - and in community projects - then volunteer trips are for you! Volunteers tend to have a sense of adventure, and come from a range of different backgrounds and from all over the world.
Edward Abbey said 'sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul'.

how this holiday makes a difference

The world’s largest free-ranging population of cheetahs is found in Namibia. Yet even here the survival of the fastest predator on Earth is in question. Loss of habitat, declining prey bases and competition with livestock continue to take a heavy toll on this species’ population. The goal of this ongoing project is to secure habitat for the long-term survival of the cheetah and its ecosystem.

This project aims to enhance the long-term survival of the cheetah and other key indigenous wildlife species on Namibian farmlands by developing a habitat improvement program that is both ecologically sound and economically viable. The majority of Africa’s cheetahs are found outside of protected areas, surviving on agricultural lands and often in conflict with human and livestock interests.

Farming and tourism remain the backbone of Namibia’s economy, and have a direct impact on the livelihoods of the population. The results of this ongoing and vital research not only create awareness of the cheetah’s plight, but also promote alternative methods of livestock-predator management.

How this organisation makes a difference:

We are a not-for-profit international environmental organisation committed to conserving the diversity and integrity of life on earth to meet the needs of current and future generations. On any one of our 130 projects round the world, you are certainly not a tourist. You will be working as a field assistant helping world renowned scientists on real environmental projects and learning about conservation issues. We give people the knowledge and the motivation to do something positive towards helping the environment, regardless of experience and background.

The data that you will help to collect will be used to inform conservation decision makers around the world.

Since 1971 our research has led to:
- the discovery of 2000 new species
- the creation of new national parks, reserves and protected areas
- the collection of crucial data leading to better-informed conservation decisions.

We are aware that many people travel to their project by air and recognise the impact of this on the environment. In an effort to minimise this, we have teamed up with an organisation that offsets emissions from your flights by funding renewable energy, energy efficient and forest restoration projects around the world.

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