Volunteers will be considered if they are hard-working, fast-learning, and enthusiastic and prepared to cheerfully fulfil tasks such as walking tourists from our entrance gate to the reception to explain the basic rules on the way, working in our curio stores, helping out at reception or assisting with the birds and primate care.

However, we are particularly keen to fill the following positions:

1. Multilingual rangers/guides

Monkeyland, Birds of Eden and Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary funds itself through revenues from tourists who take educational tours in our forests home to over 550 primates, more than 3500 birds and several dozen predator cats and other wildlife.

The tours at each sanctuary are approximately one hour long and must leave the tourists with general primate and/or bird and/or predator cat knowledge, information about each of the species that could be located in the sanctuary and an understanding that wild animals do not make good pets and are happier in the trees, forests and bushveld with peers of their own species. German, Dutch, Spanish, Russian, Hindi, Hebrew, Portuguese and Italian guides are particularly in demand, but any knowledgeable person who can use entertainment to further environmental awareness will be considered.

2. Fundraiser/grant proposal writer for SAASA

The "South African Animal Sanctuary Alliance" is the sole custodian of all the primates at Monkeyland, all the birds at Birds of Eden, and all the wild animals who live at Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary.

The South African Animal Sanctuary Alliance (SAASA) is constituted under Section 21 of the Companies Act as a non-profit PBO 2000/000667/08 and actively works towards providing primates with a better and more natural life. SAASA is also involved in various educational and environmental projects. The most vital SAASA project at present is our Special Monkey Home for primates who are disabled, orphaned, elderly, blind or otherwise unable to live happily in the Monkeyland forest. We also welcome disabled primates from other locations in South Africa, and countries abroad to come and live out their lives with us. A similar project is planned for Birds of Eden.

Our goal is for both Monkeyland and Birds of Eden is to include an education centre especially for children to learn about nature, recycling, gardening, pollution, conservation and of course primates and birds. There are many projects to be done, but the main skill currently lacking at SAASA is fundraising and grant proposal writing in order to generate the necessary funding.

3. Students with photography/filming skills for documenting primates.

A comprehensive catalogue of all the Monkeyland, Birds of Eden and Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary residents has not yet been made and most of the information about our primates, birds and predator cats exists only in the notebooks and minds of our keepers, curators and founders.

Compiling and typing up this information, along with taking photographs and film footage of individual primates, birds and predator cats is an important big project that we would like to begin ASAP, but volunteers would need to bring their own photographic equipment, since the sanctuary video camera is a rather primitive one

Ideally, the applicants for this position would also have experience in collecting and analysing behavioural data about primate, birds and/or predator cats. Close cooperation with our knowledgeable keepers and curators is imperative and will certainly be highly educational for any wildlife enthusiast.

4. IT specialist

There’s a whole bunch of equipment that needs servicing and regular fixing in our Monkeyland, Birds of Eden and Jukani offices and reception areas, so if you have extensive working knowledge of computers but nonetheless wish to live in a beautiful natural environment with a chance to help out on outdoor projects whenever computers and time allow, then this is the perfect place for you. Currently Lara handles most of our website updates, but a bit of extra help will be more than welcome.

We also need someone to assist with social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Joomla! Wikipedia, Wordpress, Tripadvisor, MySpace, Nutshell mail, Wikipedia, Blogs, Linkedin etc.

5. Public relations/Marketing/Journalist

Monkeyland, Birds of Eden and Jukani depend on visitor interest to fund itself. Therefore, PR and marketing are extremely important for raising awareness about our projects. Stories can be written about our primates, birds and predator cats from a myriad of different angles for a huge variety of readerships and publications.

This position would be ideal for a young wildlife journalist who would like to gain experience in writing, photography, getting published in different sorts of publications, writing press releases (e.g. when new primates and/or birds and/or predator cats which are born or arrive at the sanctuary), encouraging professional journalists to write about us, taking journalists on special tours etc.

Our sanctuaries take a very modern approach to publicity and we try hard to balance out entertainment and education to reach as many people as possible in our quest to educate the general public about the plight of primates, birds and predator cats. Working closely with our marketing manager will prove to be fun and enlightening for any primate enthusiast with a gift for writing.

6. Volunteer veterinarian

Although we are extremely happy with the skills and enthusiasm of our local vets in Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, there is no on-site vet and the keepers and curators must on occasion tackle medical issues themselves. Regular monitoring of the health of over our 550+ primates many different species could be a full-time task. Since we advocate leaving the animals in their free-roaming environment as much as possible, medical intervention would only occasionally be necessary. Therefore, any applicant for this position must also be happy to fulfil other tasks such as guided tours. Our volunteer vet must be experienced and able to work closely with our local vets, which will be a highly enjoyable and educational experience. Ditto re volunteering in this position with our the variety of birds and predator cats.

7. Volunteer handyman

Volunteer carpenters, gardeners, electricians, plumbers, painters etc are always welcome.

Qualifications/Experience:

Genuine interest in primates, birds and/or predator cats and fluent English are vital for each Monkeyland, Birds of Eden and/or Jukani volunteer. If you are interested in any of the above positions, please send us your CV and describe what knowledge/experience makes you the right candidate for the job.

Salary/funding: None

Support provided for volunteers:

Volunteers can be provided with accommodation in our new volunteer house. There is plenty space - the large farm house sleeps 16 people, and allocation depends on availability of space and length of stay.

Meals cannot be provided, but the accomodation includes a fully equipped kitchen, and around R400 (about 50 dollars) per week will be more than enough for food and essentials if you stick to the local farms and supermarkets as opposed to the restaurants and deli stores in town. Transport to Monkeyland, Birds of Eden and/or Jukani must be paid for by the volunteer, though we can arrange pick-ups from the local bus station on prior notification. There is an paid for airport shuttle provided by Go Garden Route - contact Stephanie Shrosbree info@gogardenroute.co.za for information re the shuttle service. Stephanie also runs a popular volunteer house in town.

Stephanie's Volunteer Homestay is 300m from the beach. The house has a pool, 24 hour internet access, braai facilities, a pizza oven and big screen television with satelite television.

Stephanie's Volunteer Homestay is a stone throw from town, pubs, restaurants, a cinema, an internet cafe's, shopping malls, craft markets, cafe's, a chemist, doctor, dentists, etc. You cannot wish for a more central location.

If you stay at Stephanie's Volunteer Homestay, you will receive 3 meals a day, your laundry will be washed and ironed, your room will be cleaned and your bed made up daily. She will also arrange a shuttle to bring you to Monkeyland or Birds of Eden to volunteer. By staying here you will not only have the opportunity to volunteer at our sanctuaries, you will also have the opportunity to meet locals, have fun, enjoy nightlife, swim and surf in the ocean, and explore a town so beautiful that it will take your breath away.

Clothing:

Basic ranger uniforms are provided, but any khaki-coloured clothing you can bring along will come in handy, especially in winter.

Term of Appointment: Ongoing

Application Deadline: Rolling