Close up of an elephant in Sri Lanka's National Park

Your trip at a glance

Highlights

  • Become part of a fasci­nating wildlife project in Sri Lanka
  • Dedicate yourself to protecting the endan­gered Asian elephant and other wildlife
  • Be part of an inter­na­tional team of volun­teers and conser­va­tion­ists
  • Gain insights into sustain­able wildlife conser­va­tion and Sri Lanka’s rich culture
  • Experi­ence Sri Lanka’s breath­taking biodi­ver­sity

Locations

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Wasgamuwa National Park
Volunteering in Asia: An elephant herd in Wasgamuwa National Park in Sri Lanka
Eine Freiwilligenhelferin in Sri Lanka unterstützt unser Elefantenprojekt nahe des Wasgamuwa Nationalparks.
Conservation work in Asia: A volunteer at work in our wildlife conservation project in Sri Lanka
Close up of an elephant in Sri Lanka's National Park
An Asian elephant in Sri Lanka is standing behind a fence close to Wasgamuwa National Park
A elephant is standing and feeding in Sri Lanka's Wasgamuwa National Park
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Conservation volunteering in Sri Lanka

As a volunteer in our wildlife conservation project in Sri Lanka you commit yourself to the protection of the endangered Asian elephant and other wild animals and get to know the country’s diverse flora and fauna.

Volunteering in Asia: An elephant her in Wasgamuawa Nationl Park in Sri Lanka

Arrival and orien­ta­tion in Asia

The species conservation project in Sri Lanka always starts on Monday. You arrive one day prior to project start at the Colombo International Airport and spend one night in a hotel in town. You get to the hotel by airport transfer. The following day you will be picked up by an associate of our partner and taken to the train station. After a three-hour train ride you will arrive in Sri Lanka’s “cultural” capital Kandy. After a one-hour stay you can spend having breakfast or sightseeing in Kandy you travel another four or five hours by bus until you arrive at the project site. For an extra charge you can also book a private transfer which takes you from the hotel/airport in Colombo directly to the project site. After your arrival you will have a late lunch and, after that, join an orientation meeting during which you will be introduced to the project, the staff, the field site, their tasks as well as safety and security, rules and procedures. Project-wise, you will participate in the evening activity.

Conservation work in Asia: A volunteer at work in our wildlife conservation project in Sri Lanka

Volunteer activ­i­ties during the elephant project

As a volunteer you work together with experienced scientists from Sri Lanka as well as volunteers from all over the world. In the course of direct and indirect field research you, as a volunteer, help to collect information about the endangered Asian elephant, other wild animals, and tropical ecosystems. Furthermore, you collect important environmental and socio-economic data in order to be able to develop community-based species conservation programmes. This includes observing and documenting concrete incidents of the Human-Wildlife Conflict.
Working together with the local public is of high significance: you attend discussions with local farmers in order to identify practical solutions for the Human-Wildlife Conflict. Conveying environmentally relevant knowledge at local schools is also one of your tasks. You will also assist with a project to study carnivores such as the leopard, sloth bear and several species of small wild cats. You will help in setting up remote cameras to study the behavior of these illusive wild animals and gather field data to understand their ecology.

An Asian elephant in Sri Lanka is standing behind a fence close to Wasgamuwa National Park

Accom­mo­da­tion during your stay abroad in Sri Lanka

During your time as a species conservation volunteer you will stay in an open and spacious as well as furnished field house. The guesthouse is very basic with only the essential amenities. The house provides six simple and rustic bedrooms that provide gender based shared accommodation. Furthermore, there are three bathrooms with a toilet, washbasin, and shower. The house also has a kitchen, a lounge area and a dining room in which you usually receive three daily and freshly cooked (mostly vegetarian) meals. In order to get in touch with home you can use the local mobile network.

A elephant is standing and feeding in Sri Lanka's Wasgamuwa National Park

Leisure time during the wildlife conser­va­tion project

As a volunteer you usually have free time on the weekend. You can use these days to discover cities like Kandy or Dambulla, visit cultural sites like ancient temples and tea plantations or relax at beautiful beaches. Feel free to contact us or the staff on site who provide tips about leisure activities and can help you plan these trips. Most of the time, you can also use the daily evening hours for your own activities: read a book, play board games or spend the evening with other volunteers reflecting on the day’s activities.

FAQ – Learn more about this trip



Learn what others say about their Natucate adventure.

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Review Volunteering Sri Lanka – Andrew

“Make sure you take time to learn as much as possible about the local town. There are many local stores and food vendors and provide special local treats.”

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erfahrungsberichte-freiwilligenarbeit-sri-lanka-artenschutz-thomas-elefanten-herde-natucate
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Review Volunteering Sri Lanka – Thomas

“I especially liked the great team on site and visiting Wasgamuwa National Park.”

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  • reiseorte-sri-lanka-wasgamuwa-nationalpark-wasser-fluss-natucate
    1. Wasgamuwa National Park

    Wasgamuwa National Park is located in Sri Lanka's northern central province. The park of about 39,000 hectares is characterized by an enormous biodiversity. Not only large herds of Asian elephants can be observed, but also more than 150 different plant species, 23 different mammal species, 143 bird species and 50 butterfly species are native to the green depths.

    Your accommodation is located near the Wasgamuwa National Park. Situated on a hill, it offers a picturesque view of the nearby lake and the Knuckles Mountain Range.

    Learn more

Purpose of the conser­va­tion project in Sri Lanka

Nowadays, one of the biggest challenges for the Sri Lankan elephant and one of the greatest environmental and socio-economic crises for the whole rural area of Sri Lanka is Human-Elephant Conflict. Each year, the native elephants are unintentionally the cause for crop and property damage worth millions of dollars – as a result the farmers try to drive off the elephants which repeatedly causes wounding or even death of the animals. This way, more than 200 elephants fall victim to the Human-Elephant Conflict every year – an alarming situation.

With approx. 5000 animals still living in Sri Lanka, the already declining population of the Asian elephant is rated as endangered by the IUCN-Red List. The main threats the species faces in Sri Lanka are habitat loss due to deforestation, mega development projects, ivory poaching, illegal capture as well as the above mentioned Human-Elephant Conflict.
The aim of the project is thus to inform the locals in the area about the elephants’ situation, about their worth, and the need for their protection. Measures have been developed to inform the people on site, to engage and train them, and thus make them, together with scientists and volunteers, participants in the protection of the animals. The development of a sustainable tourism programme is also part of the project.

But not only the Asian elephant is exposed to increasing dangers – also numerous carnivore species are becoming more and more endangered and their populations are declining. That’s why the project is also concerned with recording relevant data of the carnivore populations to develop suitable species conservation measures for these animals.

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