Desert Elephants Project Namibia, Further Details

About the Programme
Over the past 20 years, the population of desert dwelling elephants in the region has grown from as low as 52 members to a current population of over 600 elephants. As a result, elephants have expanded their range to the south and east into territories they have not occupied for many years. Subsistence farmers husbanding mainly cattle, goats and sheep, traditionally occupy these areas. As a result competition for water and grazing has escalated tremendously causing conflict between farmers and elephants. In their search for the source of water points elephants cause extensive damage to windmills, dams, reservoirs, hand-pumps and wells. As the farmers homesteads are normally located close to the water source, secondary damage is also caused and the lives of humans and livestock are threatened.

Through assisting these communities by constructing protective structures around water points, educating community members about elephant behaviour, creating alternative drinking points for the elephants and promoting tourism in the affected areas, you can assist in alleviating the current pressure facing communal farmers. Thereby helping to promote the future of the desert dwelling elephant in harmony with the continuous positive development of the conservancies and their ideals.

A day as volunteer

During the first week you cheat the heat and wake up early, for your first cup of coffee around the campfire. After the team member on duty served breakfast, you head out to your project site for the day.

It is likely you will be busy constructing large protection walls around farmers waterpoints, often windmills which are suseptable to damage by passing elephants. You will be constructing alternative drinking holes away from homesteads for elephants and also black rhino. You will also work on other projects such as teaching farmers wives to make paper using elephant dung, doing work on the base camp, helping community members build a tourist camp or fix a rural school.

You head to your camp for lunch and siesta. You could be tasked to update data forms, be on kitchen and camp duty for the day. The evenings are spent around the campfire, eating and talking about the day’s events. You live closely in the desert camp.

The second week is spent out on elephant patrol. You pack some basic camping equipment in the 4x4, and set off looking for the illusive elephants. On patrol you camp wild, and sleep under the stars. You follow elephants mostly in 4x4s, but also on foot, sometimes for hours under the desert sun, and sit patiently observing from some rocky outcrop whilst they laze away in the shade! This the life few ever have the privilege to live. To read about Volunteer Feedback stories, click here.

Click below to view a film done about the project on the Travel Channel, called The Ethical Hedonist:

Medical
Your project manager is first aid qualified, and has years of experience in handling problems in the field. Namibia has first world medical facilities available, and first-rate emergency service. It is compulsory for volunteers to have medical insurance cover for evacuation and repatriation. We also require you to complete a medical form. Please note that the area of operation is regarded as malaria free, but if you are traveling on afterwards, consult with your physician.

To Apply

If you are interested in joining this project, you will need to fill out the online application form (you can also print it out and send it to us by post) – to secure a placement on the project, please complete and submit the form including two references and your deposit of £150. If for some reason, your application is declined, we will reimburse this deposit fully. However for those who are accepted, the full amount needs to be paid one month before departure. Once you have been accepted on the programme, you will receive a Volunteer Information Package with all detailed information on your project, suggested items to bring etc.