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It’s hard to feel like I myself can make a difference
in cheetah conservation, which is a bigger scale
than anything I could do by myself. But with conservation and any cause in the world it is the small
steps that you take that add up over the long run
that will really count. If it weren’t for any volunteers, Umkwali wouldn’t be able to function for the
purpose it does. So in that respect my small contribution, multiplied by the efforts of hundreds of
other volunteers like myself definitely make a difference in wildlife conservation.
is a 18,000-acre conservation and
game reserve where guests and volunteers can gain
a hands-on experience in participating in a cheetah
conservation project. The concept behind their
predator conservation project is to conserve predators in their natural environment without having
to move them to new areas if possible. They have
focused their efforts on finding a solution to cheetah/farmer conflict by having the cheetahs sustain
themselves through tourism. This creates a safe environment where the cheetahs are now welcome in
areas where they were once seen as problem animals.
The cheetah population has been declining for
many years because as farmers are using more and
more of their land, their habitat is shrinking very
fast. The main problems they face are farmers are
shooting them to protect their livestock, and they
have become susceptible to many problems as a
result of inbreeding and a declining population.
Cheetah conservation is challenging because it requires moving cheetahs from their natural habitat
and breeding them is not always successful. But
Umkwali has taken a different approach to conservation where they have created an eco tourism
location for volunteers to come and help assist the
conservation while the cheetahs and other predators have a safe place so they can live in a natural
habitat and be completely self-sufficient animals.
The activities that I participated in
ranged from daily fence and water hole checks, to
tracking and researching animals, to other necessary maintenance, to game counts, to helping with
anti-poaching efforts. Some tasks seemed unexciting, but they were necessary to keep the reserve
running efficiently. Daily fence checks involved
keeping the electric fence in full functioning order,
which is crucial to keep the animals inside safe, but
it also keeps unwanted poachers from getting in.
Tracking animals was my favorite activity because
we tracked cheetahs, buffalo, and hyenas with radio
collars on foot and got to be very close to the animals in their natural habitat. The cheetah, named
Rebecca, was extremely comfortable being within
a close proximity to Anthony (supervisor) because
he has tracked her at least two to four times a week
for many years. It was a great experience to see
the cheetah in its natural habitat and seeing her go
through her day as she normally would.
This trip was one of the most influential experiences in my life. I was totally immersed
in a completely different culture and environment
than I have ever experienced before. I have never
traveled outside the United States before, so going
to South Africa with a few other volunteers from
other countries that I didn’t know was a very exciting and new experience. It gave me a much broader perspective and a greater appreciation for other
cultures. It was also so refreshing to be completely
surrounded by wildlife and being so far from any
city or highly populated area.
Special Thanks to Anothy Peniston for an amazing time at Umkwali Reserve
and being a generous host for my two weeks volunteering
in South Africa.
Cheetahs have always been my
favorite animal, and since I’ve know they were endangered I have always wanted to help with cheetah conservation. I didn’t know how I could directly help because cheetahs are in Africa, which
was logistically impossible for me for a long time.
Once I decided to pursue volunteering in Africa, I
went for a few weeks over winter break. I full plan
to go back to Africa to volunteer at a reserve again
or contribute in another way. I am extremely passionate about cheetah conservation and wildlife
conservation, so I know I will always be looking for
ways to continue to be involved with wildlife conservation directly or indirectly. To ensure cheetahs
don’t become extinct, conservation efforts need to
continue to find new and innovative ways to effectively slow down the rate of their population decline.
Vision Africa Wildlife
P.O. Box
476
Alldays
0909
South Africa
(+27) (0)82 554-9016
visionafrica@mweb.co.za