How to Volunteer With Chimpanzees in Africa
According to the Jane Goodall Institute in South Africa, "In recent years the 'bush-meat' trade has grown exponentially as the great wild forests of Africa have become more accessible to humans... It is estimated that chimpanzees will be extinct within their natural habitats in as little time as 10 years." This increases the urgency and necessity of volunteer efforts to help save humans' closest relative in the animal kingdom. While there are many different volunteer programs throughout Africa that focus solely on saving chimpanzees from extinction, many of them have similar requirements that the volunteer must fulfill.
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Instructions
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Visit the Save the Primates website at save-the-primates.org.au and click on "Pasa Primate Sanctuaries" at the top of the page. It will give you a listing of all the sanctuaries in Africa that accept volunteers and that work exclusively with chimpanzees.
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Contact the sanctuaries in the area of Africa where you'd be willing to go. Verify that they're still accepting volunteers for the time period you'd like to go. For some sanctuaries, you might have to submit a formal application online or email them a resume or CV.
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Visit your doctor or healthcare provider. For most sanctuaries you must provide a written report of your current health status, proof of vaccinations for Hepatitis A and B, typhoid, polio, rabies and tetanus, and a chest X-ray or negative tuberculosis test. For some parts of Africa, you're required to get a vaccination for yellow fever. And for all parts of Africa, you should consider taking malaria prophylaxis.
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Calculate your costs for the length of time you plan on staying. For most sanctuaries, volunteers pay for their airfare and living expenses. As of 2010, living expenses range from around $200 to $250, as often sanctuaries and volunteer programs provide modest accommodations and one meal a day. Other sanctuaries, such as the Jane Goodall Institute, will require you to pay for accommodations. Plan accordingly.
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Book your ticket if approved by the designated sanctuary and once you have submitted your medical information.
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Study the language of the area you'll be in, if necessary. Some areas of Africa, such as South Africa, will speak English primarily. Other areas, such as Cameroon, will require that you know French.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit young chimpanzee image by Xavier MARCHANT from Fotolia.com
