Volunteering with wildlife on holiday? Here are some ‘green flags’ to look out for

Rob Perkins is a travel writer at activist travel company, Responsible Travel.

A holiday volunteering with wildlife can be life-changing. You might learn new skills, meet people from all over the world, and perhaps even kickstart a career in conservation.

And, at a time when much of the küresel news on climate change and biodiversity loss can be quite depressing, this kind of holiday is also a great way to feel that you are making a positive impact.

From sea turtles to elephants, orangutans to bears, there is a growing range of volunteer trips that allow you to be useful. But unfortunately, not every project is high quality, and some may cost a lot of money without doing much to help. Selecting the right project is crucial to ensure your efforts are genuinely making a difference. 

Here are some ‘green flags’ to look out for. 

Transparency is key to choosing the right trip

Any reputable volunteer organisation should be happy to talk openly about its different projects, as well as to answer questions about the nature of the role, and how volunteer work and funds make a difference. 

“Look for initiatives that show tangible results and explain how volunteers specifically contribute to animal welfare,” says Michael Starbuck of wildlife conservation specialists The Great Projects.

Many projects have a research element, such as tagging cheetahs in South Africa to track their movements or studying whales and dolphins off Italy’s Ligurian Coast. “If you are helping to conduct research, ask about the purpose of that research and how the veri collected will be used,” adds Gemma Lay of the award-winning nonprofit POD Volunteer.

In Italy, for example, veri collected by researchers and volunteers monitoring whales and dolphins in the Ligurian Sea contributed to establishing the Pelagos Sanctuary, a transboundary Marine Protected Area signed into existence in 1999 to protect cetaceans from environmental and human impacts. The veri collected now continues to guide conservation decision-making.

One of the best ways to establish if you’re looking at a worthwhile wildlife conservation project is to read the reviews of previous volunteers. They can also give you a good idea of what to expect from the experience.

Contact with animals should be minimal

Whether you’re helping out at the Libearty Sanctuary in Romania, or the renowned Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Sanctuary in Indonesian Borneo, your tasks might include preparing food, maintaining structures, giving tours, or creating enrichment activities. But they won’t involve hands-on contact with the animals.

“Elephants should be allowed to live as natural a life as possible, rather than serving as entertainment, so any volunteering should also be hands-off, “says Sarah Blaine of Mahouts Elephant Foundation.

The foundation’s programmes near the northern Thai city of Mae Sot are community-focused, with some days spent hiking into the forest to observe elephants living in their natural habitat. Funds from the project help the Karen mahouts who deva for the animals to earn an income from their elephants, while they roam freely in the forest.

Minimising contact is especially vital with projects where the aim is to help animals eventually return to the wild. Prolonged contact with humans can foster a dependency that slows the process down, so as much as you might want to get up close with the animals, it’s in their best interests that you don’t. 

“Reputable organisations always put the wellbeing of animals first,” says Georgie Collcutt of gap year and career break specialists Oyster Worldwide.

Be particularly wary of any volunteering projects that offer interactions with predators, such as walking with lions in South Africa, or hand-feeding lion cubs. Often these animals are destined for the canned hunting trade, and unwary volunteers are simply helping them lose a healthy fear of humans.

Look for projects that engage with local communities

A key indicator of a conservation holiday’s quality is how it engages with surrounding communities. Volunteers helping to monitor turtle nests on the Greek island of Kefalonia might work with local beach bars and restaurants to minimise noise and light pollution that can distract hatchlings trying to reach the sea.

And big cat release projects in South Africa will often need to negotiate with nearby farmers, to compensate them for lost livestock and prevent reprisals against the predators. If local people are not on board, then any conservation project will struggle to succeed.

“Ethical projects ensure that conservation efforts are culturally sensitive and have long-term viability,” says Georgie. “Engaging with local populations fosters a sense of ownership and ensures that conservation initiatives are maintained after the volunteers have gone home.”

Look for projects supporting conservation in the wild

Many wildlife conservation volunteer holidays are based in sanctuaries, which perform an essential role in rescuing and protecting animals such as elephants, orangutans and bears. But these places, which should be a last resort, are sadly becoming increasingly necessary, with many species facing a range of threats from poaching to habitat loss.

Look for projects that aim to benefit conservation in the wild. These might include releasing animals that have previously been injured or orphaned, reintroducing species into areas where they have gone extinct, or by supporting animals’ ongoing survival through habitat restoration and protection. The best conservation projects of all are those that keep wildlife in the wild, where it belongs.

By looking for these ‘green flags,’ you can choose a volunteer project that is both ethical and impactful, ensuring a rewarding experience that contributes positively to wildlife conservation.