Wildlife volunteering is an incredible way to make a positive impact on animals, the environment, and even yourself. But to make the most of your experience, there are a few key skills you’ll need. Whether you’re caring for injured wildlife or supporting conservation efforts, here are the essential wildlife volunteer skills needed to succeed. 1. [...]
If you love wildlife, adventure, and making a difference, volunteering internationally in wildlife conservation is an experience you’ll never forget. Whether you’re caring for orphaned animals, educating local communities, or helping protect endangered species, every action you take leaves a positive impact. Why Volunteer for Wildlife Conservation? Being an international wildlife volunteer allows you to [...]
Securing funds to cover the running costs of an NGO project is always challenging, no matter how worthy the cause may be. NGOs often focus all their efforts on raising financial donations to purchase what is necessary to keep their projects going. We understand that donating money is not always easy, as it requires cutting [...]
A thank you note from our founder Michele Merrifield! It was a typical morning in Johannesburg, where I was undergoing the final stages of my cancer treatment. Despite the challenges, my thoughts constantly drifted to DAKTARI, the place that holds my heart and soul. Little did I know, this ordinary day was about to become [...]
We are very happy to share with you that we've welcomed a new member to the DAKTARI family, Crunchie, a retired male cheetah. At DAKTARI, we frequently receive animals from rehabilitation centers that cannot be rehabilitated or reintroduced into the wild. In our wildlife orphanage, we not only provide them with excellent care but also [...]
Bianca, a dedicated participant of the Eco-Club program at DAKTARI Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage, recently found herself in a predicament - missing her bus home due to her commitment or learning about environmental conservation. The Eco-Club is a six-week program designed for Grade 9 students from three local high schools. Its curriculum covers geography, [...]
"DAKTARI is a blessing to my life" Candice, a 22-year-old young woman hailing from the village of OAKS, embarked on an extraordinary journey with DAKTARI in December 2014, while she was still a seventh-grade student. Little did she know that this experience would be the starting point for a series [...]
Pretty, 31, lives in Turkey Zone 1, South Africa. She discovered DAKTARI at secondary school because her school, Rakgorokwana, regularly sent pupils there. Pretty dreamed of going to DAKTARI with her school, but at that time it was always the same children who went. At the end of her studies, Pretty found herself unemployed at [...]
Former students of Daktari Wildlife Orphanage and Environmental Education Centre in South Africa created a homemade sign bearing the center's name, which they personally signed. The sign now proudly stands in front of the camp, serving as a touching and appreciated gift. It reflects their deep appreciation for their time at Daktari and the experiences [...]
DAKTARI Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage, located in the heart of South Africa, is dedicated to fostering education and conservation. Every week, DAKTARI selects the best student who has demonstrated exceptional effort, active participation, and good behavior. Those students are rewarded with a tree to plant in their village and an unforgettable game drive experience [...]
On the sunny Saturday of May 20th, DAKTARI Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage warmly welcomed a group of important guests from the surrounding community. Among them were Reaben Lewele, the esteemed chief of Oaks, Makoosha Shai, a valued cooperation partner, Peter Makwala, the principal of Maahlamele school and the respected headman of Finale Village Robert [...]
Michele's emotional testimony about her relationship with Senior is a beautiful reminder of the deep bonds that can form between colleagues who work together for a common cause. In her words, we see a story of two women who have shared many challenges and triumphs, and who have formed a lasting friendship based on mutual [...]
Thirteen years after his time at Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage, we had the pleasure of interviewing Raphael, who returned for a visit to the place that gave his life and career meaning. As a law student at the time, Raphael discovered DAKTARI in SouthAfrica while looking for a fulfilling volunteer opportunity. Little did [...]
Ground-up Community Development DAKTARI strives to work from the ground up, focusing on direct impact and local community development. Many of our students often return to Daktari through our internship program. Our Internship Program helps local youth develop their CVs through work experience and professional skills development. Freedom Sibiya is a former DAKTARI student who [...]
Hard at work here at Daktari Over the past several months, the DAKTARI team works tirelessly on a safe and secure enclosure. At last, Daktari welcomes 12-year-old lion brothers to our camp. With the help of our network and wildlife vet, Dr. Peter Rogers, we have successfully relocated Duma and Telo to our reserve here [...]
Last month, we welcomed Luna, a blind Southern African hedgehog from the Gauteng area. She was found with her baby. As she was blind, she could not be rehabilitated contrary to her baby who was old enough to live on its own. The separation must have been hard for her but we gave her another [...]
Saying Goodbye to our Little Boy Yesterday was a painful blow for the whole DAKTARI family, as we lost one of our iconic personalities. Our very pregnant Dassie Little Boy breathed her last in our office. She went into labor around 5 pm next to all of us working in the office. She settled in [...]
Thank You Brigitte Bardot We would like to say a huge thank you to the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for their latest donation! This will contribute to the food and card for all our animals! Thanks to this donation from Brigitte Bardot, we can choose the best for our animals, and feed them with a specific [...]
Learning Through Positive Impact During their week at DAKTARI, the children receive many lessons, through games, in their classroom, in nature, with animals, and with volunteers through positive impact. Our goal is to have a positive impact on every child, through our teaching program as well as all the moments of life shared at DAKTARI... [...]
Maake's Story Maake Matlou, a 21-year-old former DAKTARI student we had in 2016, for our environmental education program. This post is about one of DAKTARI's many success stories. In 2020 as Covid-19 hit the world, we were busy with a project of distributing food parcels to the people who need it the most in our [...]
Cassius's Success Story A few months ago, a young student named Cassius contacted us. He was studying at the University of South Africa, completing his degree in Animal Welfare. Cassius reached out to us via email because he needed to complete a practical in animal care to complete his qualification. All doors were closed to [...]