South Africa's Brown Hyenas

  South Africa

Johannesburg

Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Dates: see website for details

Description: Your team will explore protected and unprotected lands in search of wildlife, particularly brown hyenas. From a vehicle or on foot, depending on the research site, you'll conduct wildlife surveys looking out for not just the animals themselves but for footprints, droppings and other signs as well. You will also sample predators at night, playing tape recordings of their prey to attract them and conducting spotlight transects. Much of the work will take place within Pilanesberg National Park, which offers dramatic scenery in the remains of an extinct volcano. During your expedition you may also encounter zebras, impalas, white rhinos, elephants, wildebeest, lions, and leopards. In your recreational time, you may enjoy game drives, sundown drinks on the kopje (rock outcrop), and local cultural events such as drumming sessions.

You will be based at a field camp in the heart of Mankwe Wildlife Reserve, a classic bushveld landscape just east of the Pilanesberg massif. The reserve is home to white rhinos and a range of other endangered wildlife. You'll sleep in either a small field station or a walk-in safari tent, each with its own shower and flush toilet. The camp has solar-powered lights and wood-heated water. Team members will share meals in a group dining area, with a local chef preparing international and local cuisine, including poitjiekos (game stew) and braai (barbeque).

Highlights: Pilanesberg National Park and neighboring areas, Northwest Province, South Africa -- Despite their bad reputation, brown hyenas are actually social mammals that live in tight-knit clans, where members will even help suckle each other's young. Like other carnivores, brown hyenas are suffering from shrinking habitats and conflict with humans. The land around protected areas is being increasingly developed, and hyenas that venture into neighboring farmland and game ranches are at risk of being poisoned, trapped, or hunted down as pests. Finding a way to live peacefully on land outside of parks may be the only means of survival for the fewer than 1,700 brown hyenas living in South Africa. You can help researchers Drs. Dawn Scott and Richard Yarnell and Mankwe Wildlife Reserve Manager Lynne Levitt assess the value of areas with different levels of protection for brown hyenas and a range of other carnivores.

Cost in US$: 2,946

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Earthwatch expeditions appeal to a variety of people: educators gain new knowledge and develop exciting lesson plans; students explore career options and build research skills; writers, photographers and artists contribute their skills and share their experiences through a variety of media; businessmen and women, doctors and nurses, engineers, homemakers, retirees . . . people from all walks of life choose to volunteer on research expeditions each year. Volunteers are actively engaged on a daily basis with the research project, develop global perspectives, and explore new cultures and environments.

Age Range: 18-93

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to South Africa Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 8-15

Scholarships are Available. - K-12 Teacher Scholarships

Application Process Involves:

• Other
• Physical Exam/Health Records

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Earthwatch Institute's Mission Statement: Earthwatch Institute engages people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Through a unique method of funding, the volunteers Share of Cost contributes directly to the support of the research projects. Earthwatch enables scientists to pursue research goals and members of the public to gain hands-on experience with science. Each year, over 4,000 people from 46 countries directly contribute to scientific research by working alongside scientists, local community members and other volunteers. Earthwatch volunteers can track sea turtles; join archaeological digs; observe animal behavior; collect rare plants, study dolphin behavior and more. The Earthwatch community also includes 20,000 global members, 4,000 eager volunteers each year, 50 collaborating conservation organizations, and 50 corporate partners, all of whom work together to make a difference. Below you will find out more about our leadership, employment opportunities, and contact information.

Year Founded: 1971