What is: VulPro
VulPro approaches conservation holistically through in-situ and ex-situ management strategies. VulPro began as a rehabilitation facility, recognizing that each individual bird carries significant importance for the continuation of the species. Rehabilitation continues as one of VulPro’s key efforts, with all released individuals now contributing to research with coloured leg bands and/or tracking devices. Non-releasable vultures form part of VulPro's captive breeding program, where offspring contribute to release studies. We monitor many of our released birds’ survival and foraging movements through GPS transmitters. These data bring a critical understanding of movement patterns and behaviours e.g. habitats of high use such as breeding and roosting sites. We monitor wild populations annually at breeding sites and maintain a re-sighting database through camera traps, photographs and public sightings. This information helps us track wild populations, rehabilitated, and ex-captive bred individuals past the point of transmitter failure. Our presence in the field has increased local landowner engagement, ultimately improving awareness of African vultures’ plight. Our efforts highlight anthropogenic changes in the environment and enable us to recognize threats and install appropriate mitigation. The interface between the in-situ and ex-situ facets has engaged scientific and veterinary research, including but not limited to diseases, threats, and toxicology. VulPro’s holistic, scientific conservation work is ground-breaking and showcases how each bird plays a role in saving wild populations. We have released over 40 captive bred vultures into the wild and over 450 rehabilitated vultures over the past 12 years. Our efforts have documented a 75% survival rate from our released rehabilitated vultures, with many successes but also some failures from our captive bred released vultures. We strive always to improve our methods and aim to expand into other countries where vultureshave become scarce or no longer breed. We must ensure that vultures will not be forgotten, as it is significantly harder to reintroduce a species than to translocate individuals to supplement an in-situ population, however small it may be.
GENERAL INFO
Price
💵 From 118 USD/week
Staying time
⏳ From 2 weeks to 6 months
Language spoken
🇬🇧 English
Accommodation provided
🏡 Yes
Food provided
🥗 No
Country
🇿🇦 South Africa
Region
🌍 Africa
Type of habitat
🏖 Costal
CONTENT
Description
Typical day at the center
No information provided
Activities
* Cleaning of enclosures * Cleaning water ponds * Feeding birds * Resightings at the vulture restaurant * Maintenance * Grass cutting and weeding * Field surveys * Breeding activities * Gardening * Rehabilitation activities
The volunteers in this animal rescue center generally get 2 day(s) off a week. In regards to working hours, the volunteers work per day 8 hours/working day.
Food and accommodation
Dinners are typical African meals
Animals
The animals they take care of in this center are:
Vultures, Birds
Application
Qualification required
None
How to apply?
Email kerri@vulpro.com
Practical information
Internet access
Yes but not guaranteed
Cost details
Included in the volunteer fee: • Accommodation in single and shared rooms with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities. This includes water and electricity expenses and the cleaning of bathrooms. • Training and supervision by VulPro and project staff. • Research and conservation activities. • One evening meal, often a traditional southern African meal prepared by the staff. • Optional workout session by a staff member 3 times a week to keep active and fit. • Letter of reference on satisfactory completion of the placement. • Airport transfers. Not included in the volunteer fee: • Travel from your home country to South Africa and back. • Passport and visa costs – please ensure to confirm all visa requirements as stipulated for your country of origin, as well as South Africa. • If you wish to spend more than 90 days in total in South Africa, you will need to obtain a temporary residency visa, which will be either a ‘volunteer’ or a ‘student’ visa (if enrolled with a South African university) before leaving home. Rules regarding visas vary by country of origin, so be sure to ask your nearest South African consulate. • Insurance – you MUST have travel/medical and cancellation insurance, which covers you for the activities you will be carrying out with the project. • Medical expenses - you MUST be vaccinated against tetanus. • Personal expenses such as phone/airtime, internet/WiFi, souvenirs, shopping & excursions. • Additional meals and snacks besides dinner. • Alcohol and cool drinks. • Washing machine detergent.
How to get there?
Meeting us The shortest way, internationally, is to fly into OR Tambo International airport in Johannesburg. VulPro will be able to arrange a reliable shuttle transfer from the airport to our facility, as well as a return transfer for your departure, which will be included in your volunteer fees. Please note that for safety and security, the center is locked up by 7pm daily, and thus, should you have a late flight in, we kindly request that you overnight at one of the airport hotels, at your own expense, and join us the following day. VulPro is settled at the foot of the beautiful Magaliesberg Mountains, just 10 driving minutes from the Hartbeespoort town and about 40 driving minutes from the centre of Pretoria and 50 minutes from Fourways, Johannesburg. It takes approximately an hour to get to us from the airport.
Is there a minimum age?
To volunteer in this center you will have to be at least 18 years old
When can volunteers join?
Information not provided
Pictures
Explore a few pictures submitted by the organisation:
