This year is certainly flying by, but we should all remember that it is still only April! That is why it is all the more impressive when we take a look at just how much work the volunteers over at the Wildlife Orphanage in South Africa have completed so far this year!
Teaching, caring, and a crocodile release – What the volunteers have achieved so far!
Volunteers have been getting hands on helping the animals!
Caring for the wildlife that comes into the orphanage is a full time job, and that is why it is good that the volunteers are there to help! So far this year volunteers have been kept busy at the sanctuary helping to raise two baby squirrels, some rock dassies, and even some mongooses! The animals that come into the orphanage often come in in difficult circumstances and need a helping hand to survive, and this is where the volunteers come in with their help and care.
Another fantastic piece of news to come from the orphanage is that thanks to the much needed heavy rains that soaked parts of South Africa in early 2017, the dam at the orphanage was filled to the brim and the team, alongside volunteers, were able to release Molopo the crocodile to begin his new life in the wild!
It hasn’t been just babysitting and releases for the volunteers at the wildlife sanctuary though, as they have also been getting their hands dirty by helping to build new animal enclosures and upgrading the old ones. Without the manpower that volunteers provide, jobs like this would never get completed, so the extra hands provided here are always appreciated!
The volunteers have been busy teaching as well as helping the animals!
Since the turn of the year, volunteers have been very busy helping to teach 75 children from the Mahlahmele High School! This is a huge achievement as the work the volunteers do with the local school children proves invaluable and helps the children learn how to create a sustainable future for the local wildlife. The education programme at the Wildlife Orphanage is split into three parts: Eco Clubs at the secondary schools, community development projects and career guidance, and volunteers helped in all three sections! They spent time creating plans for projects which would benefit the locals, improving their communities too, and this included things such as planting trees and cleaning the villages.
The volunteers may have got a lot done already in 2017, but there is no rest for them as the project never stops working hard! Keep your eyes peeled for our next blog taking a look at what the volunteers will be getting up to for the rest of the year and see if you want to get involved.
