Wildlife Conservation, South Africa

  South Africa

Term: Spring, Summer, Winter 
Dates: Dec, May, June, July

Description: This 22-day program allows students to experience the world of wildlife management and conservation in Southern Africa by interacting with wildlife professionals and conservationists to learn about the reality of African wildlife in the field. Through hands-on immersion students will learn about the unique challenges and crucial balance of people and wildlife in conservation. You will learn about sustainable resource utilization, reserve & resort management, wildlife management techniques unique to the local ecosystem, and take part in a wild-game capture & release course. This will be accomplished by visiting local villages, national parks, game preserves, and wildlife centers throughout South Africa whilst earning university credit! This program is hosted through an extension of the Center for Wildlife Management at the University of Pretoria and has been conducting study abroad programs for over 10 years. The programs are aimed at those students wanting to participate in an exciting, in-depth, educational experience that allows behind-the-scenes access to the field of wildlife management and conservation in South Africa.

Once you arrive in Johannesburg, you will meet with other students and the program guides for an introduction and orientation for the program. The course starts early the next day with a workshop at the Center for Wildlife Management before going to the cheetah and wild dog breeding center which has helped bring both species back from near extinction. The journey begins with a visit to the Bushveld where we tent-camp on the shores of the Loskop Reservoir to learn about primitive bush skills, wildlife tracking techniques, and the utilization of local plants. From there we travel to the world famous 2-million hectare Kruger National Park where the chance to see Africa's BIG FIVE are great! The bush is our classroom and students will truly experience what this beautiful place has to offer while big game viewing and learning about elephant populations, transfrontier park management, and the threats of poaching. After leaving KNP, we will head to the majestic Drakensberg Mountains (Mountains of the Dragon) for a night of camping and free day. The highlight of the program comes with a hands-on game capture course where students will spend five days working with world renowned specialists to learn the ins and outs of successful capture, handling, and translocation techniques.

Highlights:
* Hands on wildlife management and conservation
* 22-day Safari
* Kruger National Park

Degree Level: Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Cost in US$: 4,285

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to American Participants.

Participants Travel to South Africa Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Post-Program Services Include:

• Job and Internship Network

EcoAbroad: Environmental & Cultural Odysseys's Mission Statement: Bringing Sustainable Travel to Study Abroad. We are a group of professionals, academics, and researchers who collectively strive to provide active, exciting, hands-on study abroad programs in the Caribbean, Central America, and South Africa. We offer unique, academic, educational travel programs with an adventurous edge. These programs are experiential and most are travel intensive. Each allows you to be immersed into the local culture, experience the wild and natural surroundings, learn environmental philosophy and practices, and earn college credit. It is our goal to create a global knowledge regarding culture, community, conservation, and stewardship for our future leaders and scholars. We are committed to the principles of sustainable tourism which includes education about the importance of our protected areas and wild lands, embracing the local community and culture of these areas, and treading lightly while we do so.

Year Founded: 2001