João de Oliveira

During my four weeks with African Conservation Experience (ACE), I participated in the Vikela Kruger Conservation Experience and worked at Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Moholoholo is perfect for those who want hands-on conservation experience, like feeding and caring for rescued animals. Vikela, on the other hand, is ideal if you want to see animals in the wild and feel the adrenaline of tracking and observing them in their natural habitat.

I visited the Vikela project first and everything about that place was incredible! Some people might imagine that coming to South Africa is all about going on a safari, however, the Vikela project offers you something so much deeper than that. We were driving around a national park whilst being actively involved in conservation. We tracked animals, monitored key species like rhinos, lions, elephants, and wild dogs, and recorded important details about their behaviour!

We also saw baboons, wild dogs, rhinos grazing, and even lions on a hunt. It was incredible! 

Our days started early, at around 5:30am, with some breakfast and a meeting to discuss the day's tasks. Most mornings would begin with a game drive, to track and monitor rhinos and other wildlife. We would note down important details about them, such as whether they were male or female, adults or juveniles, their distance from us, and their behaviour.

After returning to camp for some lunch, we would get involved in some more physical activities such as clearing invasive plants, fixing water points, or assisting other sections of the reserve. In the evenings we would often go on night drives to see nocturnal species. 

Another unforgettable experience was our bush sleepout! The project staff guided us to our location and I was expecting to feel a little uneasy as we were camping in the wild, but I didn’t feel this at all. They have so much knowledge and made the camp so safe. And all night long we listened to the sounds of lions, hyenas, and buffalo in the bush! 

Moholoholo, on the other hand, was very different but equally important for conservation. The first week I was there was a little bit challenging as I adjusted to this new routine, but the staff and the other volunteers were incredibly patient and supportive. By the second week, I felt so comfortable and at home, I didn’t want to leave! 

It was amazing to see all of the work that the centre does to care for the animals they have rescued. It was so inspiring to see how much love and dedication the team put into taking care of these animals.

Similarly to Vikela, days at Moholoholo started early. We would wake up around 6:00am, grab a quick coffee and then get straight to it! We would start out by changing water bowls and cleaning smaller enclosures. Then, after breakfast, we would have a team meeting to go over our daily tasks and then allocate the larger jobs such as feeding predators, cleaning larger enclosures, or helping in the clinic with injured animals.

In the afternoons, after lunch, we often did tasks such as bottle-feeding any orphaned animals. There were young giraffes, wildebeest and impalas at Moholoholo during my time there so helping to feed these animals was an experience I will never forget.

We would also feed the animals which were assigned to our groups, prepare their food and also help to clean up the meat preparation room. Every day was different and the variety of tasks made it an amazing experience!

I realised that my two weeks there weren’t enough. I want to come back for maybe two or three months and contribute more to the important work they are doing. I would have to take a break from university to do this but I believe it would be so worth it, not only for the animals but also because it would be a valuable personal experience. 

The work at Moholoholo can be demanding, but it is also incredibly rewarding. I learned so much about conservation, wildlife, and even other cultures and languages from the volunteers. It’s an experience I’ll treasure forever.

If you are passionate about animals and conservation, ACE is the best organisation to travel with. They supported me every step of the way, answering my questions and making sure everything went smoothly.