Field Course South Africa: Wildlife Conser­va­tion Training Course

In order to participate in the course, you need to be at least 18 years old and have solid communication skills in English. Furthermore, it is important that you are physically fit as your daily routine in the course involves lots of walking and working in the field, often under high temperatures. Having a basic ecological or conservation background – for example courses, diplomas or degrees – is a clear plus. You should be passionate about wildlife, eager to acquire new knowledge, open-minded, flexible and able to work in a team. You may require a visa for your time in South Africa – please contact the Foreign Department of your country or reach out to the team at Natucate. Last but not least, you must get suitable travel health insurance before departing to South Africa.

Before you depart to South Africa, we will help you plan your transfers and your entire stay and assist you with finding suitable travel insurance. Moreover, we will provide you with pre-departure information material. After your arrival in Richards Bay, you will be picked up and taken to the base camp (and transferred back to the airport after the course is finished). During the course, you will be accommodated in a training camp in South Africa’s Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, receive food items to prepare your daily meals and have access to drinking water, tea and coffee. Daily training units, excursions and classroom hours are included in the programme fee as well. Experienced supervisors will instruct you throughout the course and support you in case of any questions. The team at Natucate will also be available for you 24/7. Flights, travel insurance, visa fees, accommodation and transport outside programme hours, further drinks (bottled water, alcoholic beverages and soft drinks) as well as personal expenses are excluded from the programme fee.

In general, you should consult your doctor and find out which medical precautions, like vaccinations, he/she suggests. No matter where you travel: it is advised to be vaccinated against morbilli-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus. Being vaccinated against Hepatitis A and B, typhoid fever, rabies and pneumococci is also recommended. There is a low to medium malaria risk in the area where you’ll be living and working throughout the course– please talk to your doctor about preventative medication and/or standby emergency malaria treatments.

Moreover, you should bring a small “first-aid-kit” with you. This kit should include plasters and medication against diarrhea, headache, and nausea. If you take medication on a regular basis please make sure to take enough of it with you, as the medical supply may not be sufficient in certain cases. For current information about health and safety aspects for South Africa you should check out the homepage of the Foreign Department of your home country. Before starting the course, each participant must get travel health insurance that covers the entire duration of the training course.

The wildlife conservation training programme is offered for 28 days.

You should pack walking boots/sturdy shoes and clothes (t-shirts, pants, shorts) which are coloured in “bush colours” like beige, khaki, ochre etc. Do not forget to bring long-sleeved, light clothing to protect you from insect bites. As morning hours (in African winter) can be quite chilly you should pack a fleece jacket, a hat and gloves. Water- and windproof clothing is also recommended. Don’t forget sunscreen, a sun hat, sunglasses, insect repellent, binoculars, a torch/head lamp, a daypack and a refillable water bottle. Pencils, a notebook, batteries, personal toiletries, a small medical kit (incl. malaria medication), your camera and a swimsuit should be part of your luggage as well.

Although we can help you find a suitable flight to South Africa, you need to do the final bookings on your own. You will need to arrive in Richards Bay on the official start date of the course. Please make sure that your flight arrives not later than 12:15 PM as our partner’s transfer service will pick you up at 12:50 PM and take you to camp.

After your arrival in camp, you can settle in, unpack and get to know your team and your new surroundings. The following few days will be spent with an orientation programme that provides you with an overview of the course details, important camp rules as well as health and safety information. Afterwards, the actual training programme starts.

During the course you will deal with the following topics in more detail:
– Wildlife Monitoring
– Camera Trapping
– Tracking and Spoor
– Conservation and Habitat Management
– Game Capture and Relocation
– Wildlife Crime and Illegal Trade
– Communities and Conservation

There will usually be five participants in your group.
Furthermore, several supervisors as well as other scientists and researchers are living and working in (a separate part of) the camp.

For the duration of the course you will stay in our partner’s research camp amidst Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. Together with another course participant you will be accommodated in a twin room and use shared sanitary facilities. All twin rooms are equipped with a desk and a shelf/cupboard to store your personal belongings. Further camp facilities include a kitchen and a barbecue area. The research camp is shared with several scientists and researchers who carry out studies in the park. Their rooms are in a separate area from where you will live, though.

The research camp is situated within walking distance to a larger public tourist camp. Amenities of this camp include a small shop, a restaurant and a swimming pool.

Usually, it is possible to share a room with a partner. In the end, this is always dependent on group size and constellation, though, which is why we cannot guarantee that you will be able to be accommodated with you partner. Please notify us of this request as early as possible so we can prepare accordingly.

Throughout the course, you will be provided with basic food items to prepare your daily meals yourself. “Luxury” food items are at the participants’ own cost. Once a week, staff members will go on a designated trip into town to purchase groceries, this is why food needs to last the full week. Note: Our partner supports the Meat-free Monday conservation initiative. This means, each Monday your meals are encouraged to be free of meat.

Yes, a vegetarian diet is possible. Please note that is not always possible to supply many balanced vegetarian substitutes due to the remote location of the camp. Expensive items, such as tofu or soy products, will be up to you to purchase. Other (medically important) diets may be considered as well. Please make sure you inform us of any dietary requirements as early as possible before joining the course.

You will have daily leisure time after lunch and in the evening. Furthermore, you may have single days off in-between.

You can use your off-time for pursuing your own activities or spending time with your fellow course students. Read a book, listen to music, play card/board games, take a nap or relax together with the other team members. You can also walk over to the public camp and purchase souvenirs at the camp’s little curio shop, go swimming in the pool or enjoy a nice meal in the restaurant (at your own expense).

Yes, you there are several staff members you can talk to in case of any problems or questions. You can also contact the team at Natucate whenever needed.

The local currency in South Africa is the South African Rand. You should bring along a certain amount of cash in US$ or EUR with you which you can exchange into Rand (at Johannesburg Airport). You can also take a credit card with you and look for an ATM at the airport to withdraw money directly. Please keep in mind that in many cases a transaction fee of approx. US$ 5 is charged when using your card abroad. Smaller shops usually only accept cash (Rand). At the airport or in larger cities/stores you can also pay via credit card. We recommend contacting your bank and getting information on payment methods and regulations for South Africa. Please make sure to always carry a certain amount of cash with you in case of an emergency.

Mobile reception in and around camp is very limited due to the isolated location. That’s why signal and connectivity problems can often be experienced. We recommend using a Vodacom SIM card for the best network coverage for the area. A SIM card can be purchased at Johannesburg Airport. Depending on your calling plan, you may also use the internet via your smartphone.

The climate in KwaZulu-Natal is hot and humid during the summer months from October until April. Winters (May to September) are dry and mild. During the rainy season temperatures may reach 40°C and more. It can get colder during the winter, usually between 20 and 25°C. Winter nights reach average temperatures of 10 to 15°C. When driving out into the reserve in the early morning, it can become quite chilly due to the headwind.

All staff are fully trained in first aid and know the safety measures and emergency procedures. Furthermore, you and your team will be informed about the risks as well as health and safety procedures for the field base on arrival.