Wildlife conservation and community volunteer projects and internships worldwide

Volunteer for Wildlife Conservation

"The conservation of wildlife, and biodiversity, is one of the most critical issues of our time—and it is at the heart of what we do at WorkingAbroad."

Vicky McNeil (WorkingAbroad Founder)

View Our Projects

The conservation of wildlife, and biodiversity, is one of the most critical issues of our time—and it is at the heart of what we do at WorkingAbroad.

Global wildlife populations have decreased by 68% since 1970, in just 50 years, due to human activity and particularly over-consumption and unsustainable farming. This shocking loss of life affects human health and well-being, and the negative impacts on society and the planet are growing.

We define wildlife as ‘life outside of human civilisation’, but wildlife is the core of our life systems. Every region of the world has diverse collections of wildlife that inhabit—and sustain—the environment.

Wildlife helps maintain the ecological balance of nature. And nature provides us with our most essential goods and services: breathable air, clean water, food, fibres, building materials, medicines, energy, fertile soils, climate regulation, transport, and recreational and spiritual values. Wildlife is a source of inspiration and wonder and is of immense cultural importance for every country and community across the globe.

The planet’s biodiversity—the biological variety and variability of life, from viruses and fungi to great apes like us—is found in its highest concentrations across the Earth’s tropical regions and oceans. For this reason, it is of paramount importance to protect the last of our great forest and marine habitats.

Protecting wildlife demands large-scale change. It is vital to protect wild landscapes and ensure connectivity between them for gene flow, allowing species movement and migration across large spaces. It is equally as important to educate society about the importance of protecting large areas of wilderness.

WorkingAbroad is partnering with projects around the world to protect, conserve and restore strategically important habitats so that wildlife can flourish. We are seeking volunteers to join our place-based initiatives located on the frontlines of wildlife conservation and restoration across the globe.  Gain conservation experience by patrolling with rangers in the Peruvian Amazon or monitoring marine life in the Great African Seaforest.

Our founders vet each project partner to ensure they meet our rigorous standards of ethics, effectiveness and professionalism.

Our Projects with Wildlife Conservation

Vicky McNeil (WorkingAbroad Founder)

"The conservation of wildlife, and biodiversity, is one of the most critical issues of our time—and it is at the heart of what we do at WorkingAbroad."

Vicky McNeil (WorkingAbroad Founder)
Wildlife and Biodiversity Facts

Wildlife and Biodiversity Facts

  • 1.2 million species have been described globally, though it is estimated that there are around 8.7 million species globally, of which around 2.2 million are marine.
  • The total biomass (weight) of livestock (farmed animals) accounts for much more than all wildlife. In fact, livestock outweighs wild mammals and birds by a factor of ten (10x).
  • Roughly only 3 per cent of the world’s wild ecosystems remain intact.
  • The world is in a sixth mass extinction of life on Earth. Biodiversity is plunging, from lions to insects, mainly due to habitat destruction for farming.
  • In June 2021, the leaders of the G7 committed to support and drive the protection, conservation and restoration of ecosystems critical to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and tackle climate change, such as supporting the target to conserve or protect at least 30% of global land and at least 30% of the global ocean by the end of the decade.
Wildlife Conservation Strategies

Wildlife Conservation Strategies

To mitigate the loss of wildlife and biodiversity, society must avoid converting wildlands, such as forests, into farmland and buildings, while also restoring wild landscapes and ecosystems. We must:

  1. Ensure transparency and accountability at all levels of the supply chain, in particular of deforestation products such as cattle, palm oil, soy, timber and rubber. In addition, financial institutions and buyers must ensure that soft commodities are deforestation-free.
  2. Governments must clamp down on the trade of wildlife, in particular endangered species, and increase spending on safeguarding national parks to prevent encroachment of farming and poaching.
  3. Sustainable strategies must be co-developed, based on free, prior and informed consent, for indigenous peoples and local communities living in and around wilderness areas.
Take Action for Wildlife

Take Action for Wildlife

  1. Know the origin – Check the source of the products you buy to ensure that you are not buying products that contribute to the destruction of habitat elsewhere. Organic & zero-deforestation labels are good!
  2. Support local farms – Buy most of your produce from local small farmers to help support the local economy and biodiversity while also reducing your carbon footprint.
  3. Save insects – Bees and other insects are pollinators of our food and form an integral part of the food chain. Support them by planting nectar-producing wildflowers in your backyard or even building bee boxes for local bees.
  4. Plant local flowers, fruits and vegetables – Plant native species in your local area to protect indigneous biodiversity.
  5. Respect habitats – Our oceans, freshwater systems, reserves and parks are sacred places that provide us with the very essential services we need for life. So, tread carefully, don’t leave trash, and speak up if you see someone damaging a natural space.
  6. Volunteer to protect wildlife – See our wildlife conservation programmes and apply today!