Cheetah Conservation Project, Botswana
Organisations Involved Mokolodi Wildlife Foundation, Gaborone – is a non-governmental organisation promoting wildlife conservation, the propagation of rare and endangered species and environmental education for the children of Botswana. It runs Mokolodi Nature Reserve, where the main base of CCB resides. This 7000 ha reserve is home to a wide variety of African wildlife. It also has a successful white rhino breeding project. Over 12,000 school children visit the reserve each year and income from tourism subsidises disadvantaged schools. This reserve is CCB’s main site for administration, fundraising and education.
Jwaneng Game Reserve, Jwaneng – is run by Debswana Diamond Company. As an agreement with the government for utilising the land for diamond mining they purchased 20,000 ha of indigenous bushland for the protection of the biodiversity of the area. The reserves cheetah population is monitored through weekly spoor tracking, motion cameras and tourist sightings. CCB’s community and education programmes are organised from Jwaneng.
Tiisano Farm, Ghanzi – is owned and run by ‘People and Nature Trust’ (PAN) a registered trust in Botswana that runs programmes for rangeland rehabilitation and sustainable semi-arid grazing lands livestock management. PAN owns 3 farms which make up Tiisa Kalahari of which CCB are based upon the Tiisano farm. You will be based here for the duration of your stay. The site is unfenced and wildlife including small – medium sized antelope, warthog, cheetah, leopard, brown hyena, small carnivores, porcupine, aardvark and a huge variety of birds, reptiles and insects utilise the area. 
Botswana's Geography and ClimateBotswana is bordered by Zambia and Zimbabwe to the northeast, Namibia to the north and west, and South Africa to the south and southeast. At Kazungula, four countries - Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia - meet at a single point mid-stream in the Zambezi River. The area of Botswana is approximately 581,730 square kilometres and is about the size of France or Kenya.
Botswana's climate is semi-arid. Though it is hot and dry for much of the year, there is a rainy season, which runs through the summer months. Summer days are hot, especially in the weeks that precede the coming of the cooling rains, and shade temperatures rise to the 38°C mark and higher, reaching a blistering 44°C on rare occasions. Winters are clear-skied and bone-dry, the air seductively warm during the daylight hours but, because there is no cloud cover, cold at night and in the early mornings. Sometimes bitterly so - frost is common and small quantities of water can freeze.
Botswana's climate is semi-arid. Though it is hot and dry for much of the year, there is a rainy season, which runs through the summer months. Summer days are hot, especially in the weeks that precede the coming of the cooling rains, and shade temperatures rise to the 38°C mark and higher, reaching a blistering 44°C on rare occasions. Winters are clear-skied and bone-dry, the air seductively warm during the daylight hours but, because there is no cloud cover, cold at night and in the early mornings. Sometimes bitterly so - frost is common and small quantities of water can freeze.
Health
It is recommended that you obtain some vaccinations and medication before coming to Botswana. You should see your GP or visit a travel clinic at a suitable time before arrival. Tell them where you are going and they can tell you what vaccinations are required and what medical precautions you need to take. Ghanzi is normally a non malarial area, however cases of malaria do occasionally occur. If you are planning to travel to the North of Botswana you should bring the necessary anti-malaria treatments with you. Please bring sufficient supplies of all other medication you may require, as not all drugs may be available in Botswana.
The nearest hospital is approximately 22kms away in Ghanzi, so there is time to get you there if anything happens! The research coordinator and community officier are first aid trained and a first aid kit is supplied at camp.
It is recommended that you obtain some vaccinations and medication before coming to Botswana. You should see your GP or visit a travel clinic at a suitable time before arrival. Tell them where you are going and they can tell you what vaccinations are required and what medical precautions you need to take. Ghanzi is normally a non malarial area, however cases of malaria do occasionally occur. If you are planning to travel to the North of Botswana you should bring the necessary anti-malaria treatments with you. Please bring sufficient supplies of all other medication you may require, as not all drugs may be available in Botswana.
The nearest hospital is approximately 22kms away in Ghanzi, so there is time to get you there if anything happens! The research coordinator and community officier are first aid trained and a first aid kit is supplied at camp.
Passport and visaYour passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the time of arrival. Visitor’s visas are issued at Botswana’s international borders, including airports and are valid for up to 90 days. Please ensure that you ask for the correct number of days or even ask for extra days if you are unsure of your plans. They will often only give you a 30 day visa at the airport or border, unless you specify how long you wish to stay. If you are staying longer make sure you get the days you need.
Dangerous animals
Being an arid area, the greatest danger to you is from snakes and scorpions, especially at night around the campsite. Such incidences happen very rarely but it helps to be aware.
Feedback from Previous VolunteersIf you're interested to read more about ex-volunteers feedback on the Cheetah Conservation Project, click here. We will be happy to provide you with further details if you want to get in touch with some of them.
How to get involved?
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 would 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, you will receive a Volunteer Information Package with all detailed information on your project, Botswana, suggested items to bring etc.
