For many people, a gap year or a career break is the ideal opportunity to something different that makes a difference. Wildlife conservation holidays are an increasingly popular option, allowing someone to experience an entirely new country and way of life whilst simultaneously helping to protect some of the world's most vulnerable creatures.
If working with animals appeals to you, but you'd like to do some thing that's truly unusual, there are some very eccentric conservation programs out there. All of them have one thing in common – they are dedicated to raising awareness and improving the conditions for endangered species. However, some of them accomplish this in some very unusual ways...
Work In An Animal Rehab Centre
Vulnerable and endangered animals face a variety of dangers to their continued survival. Poaching and destruction of habitat are perhaps the best known, but they also suffer from illness and poisoning.
There are numerous centres around the world that specialise in helping animals who have been poisoned or are suffering from disease, following a programme of treatment, rehabilitation and release back into the wild. Many of them are open to voluntary placements, so if you like the idea of nursing an animal through rehab, this kind of program would be perfect for you!
Become A Wildlife Film Maker
Fancy yourself as a budding David Attenborough? There are opportunities (such as at the Wildlife Film Academy in South Africa) to do a placement at an organisation that specialises in wildlife filming and photography. This gives you the chance to gain practical experience in all areas of documentary film making, from filming and editing all the way through to business skills like budgeting and fund raising. If you are looking to break into any kind of film making or production, a placement like this is the perfect way to make a difference and to develop a useful new set of skills for your new career!
Take An Animal Sculpting Internship
This is perhaps one of the most off the wall wildlife conservation holidays you can have! If you'd like to combine your love of animals with your artistic side, head down to South Africa and spend some time with Bruce Little. A long term conservationist, he has also become a world renowned sculptor of the animals he works with. His working method involves the observation, photography and then sculpting of endangered species, and he offers a number of placements for people to learn some of the skills he has developed. This placement is ideal for budding artists who want to improve their ability to depict animals, or for animal lovers who want to find a new way of expressing their affection and respect for the animals they adore.
As you can see, a wildlife conservation holiday isn't just mucking out stables and tagging animals. It's an opportunity to learn new skills and do something truly creative whilst always making a real and appreciable contribution towards the protection of vulnerable species. So if you're looking to take a break, make a difference, and learn something new, one of these oddball wildlife placements could be just the thing for you!
Mark Bottell is the General Manager for Worldwide Experience, an online tour operator offering extended wildlife conservation holidays and various adventurous gap years for adults.
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