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Eco-Volunteers Work With PrimatesCare for Wild Baboons or Gibbons and Protect Their Critical Habitat
Primate rehabilitation centres, one in South Africa and one in Indonesia, offer unique opportunities for volunteers interested in caring for apes returning to the wild.
In South Africa, the Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education (CARE) rehabilitates and releases orphaned and injured Chacma baboons (Papio ursinus). In Indonesia, Kalweit Gibbon and Siamang Conservation Program works with several species of gibbon and siamang, many rescued from the pet trade. Both centres accept a limited number of eco-volunteers to help care for their patients and learn about the challenges these primates face. The Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education (CARE)CARE was established in 1989, originally caring for many species of local small mammals. Chacma baboons are still considered vermin in South Africa despite being listed by CITES as Appendix II, which means that they are not presently threatened with extinction but may become so unless carefully monitored. Orphaned, injured and abused baboons quickly became the focus of the Centre’s work. The Centre prefers volunteers to have some experience working with animals and requires a minimum of 4 weeks stay. Eco-volunteers are needed year round. The CARE website provides contact information to learn more about their program. Kalaweit Gibbons and Siamang Coonservation ProgramKalaweit was established in 1999 and has been active in all aspects of gibbon and siamang conservation ever since. At Kalaweit Gibbons and Siamang Conservation Program, agile gibbons (Hylobates agilis), Muller’s gibbons (Hylobates muelleri) and siamang (Hylobates syndactylus) are rescued from the pet trade or from areas where their habitat has been lost or fragmented. These lesser apes are then rehabilitated and released into protected habitats. Volunteering at Kalaweit includes feeding and caring for the gibbons, as well as spending time in the forest observing wild gibbons. At Kalaweit, eco-volunteer participation is seasonal, with stays lasting from one to seven weeks. The Gibbons and Siamang Conservation website gives available dates for the upcoming year, as well as details of what is needed to participate. Eco-volunteers Help Return Primates to the WildThere are other places where volunteers can work with primates but most of them are sanctuaries, where the apes find a permanent refuge in semi-wild protected areas. CARE and Kalweit are unique in that their eco-volunteers actually participate in preparing animals for return to the wild. In the process they are exposed to other local wildlife and learn what it takes to ensure that there is enough habitat for their survival. CARE is near Kruger National Park with its abundant wildlife viewing and Kalaweit’s centre is located on an island where other primates, birds and reptiles may be seen during the stay. For anyone wanting to work directly with wild apes and be part of efforts to release them back to the wild, Kalaweit and CARE offer the eco-volunteer a rare experience.
The copyright of the article Eco-Volunteers Work With Primates in International Volunteering is owned by Dawn M. Smith. Permission to republish Eco-Volunteers Work With Primates in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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