Business, Society, and the Economy 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