11 Amazing Ways to Volunteer With Elephants, in Africa and From Home

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Are you looking for an amazing way to work with elephants?

Then you’re in the right place! My volunteer experience in Africa was an absolutely incredible one, and I highly recommend volunteering .

But before I committed to a program, I did some careful research to find an ethical to work with. One who’s work is a genuine benefit to the animal, not just a commercial enterprise. This is a crucial step.

You also want to be sure that you will be learning and having a positive experience, not just working as slave labour. All volunteer programs are not created equally. This article is going to list ethical for you, and let you know what they do, and what you can do for them.

Plus, if you hear about the plight of these iconic animals and want to help, but can’t make it to Africa? You can still make a difference. Skip to these opportunities.

Below you’ll get a list of some of the best places to volunteer with elephants, and details on what they’re all about. You’ll also find out what to look for in a volunteer program and what to avoid.

Working as an elephant conservation volunteer is such a unique and rewarding experience. There are many ways to get involved, from working at an elephant sanctuary or orphanage to joining a research project.

You can track and monitor elephant herds in the plains of Kenya, Zimbabwe, or South Africa. African elephants are illegally poached for their tusks and meat, and their populations are shrinking at an alarming rate.

By volunteering, help the elephants in a number of ways, from working at a rescue to learning how to track and identify them. If you’re interested in volunteering with elephants in Africa, read on.

*All prices quoted here are approximate, and are subject to change.

Top African Elephant Conservation Experiences

Below we’ll take a look at some of the best elephant volunteer programs throughout Africa. We’ll also discuss what kinds of work you’ll do as an animal conservation volunteer.

1. The Elephant Care and Research Project | South Africa:

This project is located in the Western Cape of South Africa and focuses on the behaviour, breeding habits, and biology of elephants in their area.

Their goal is not only to improve the well-being of the small herd elephants in their own 110-hectare park, but of elephants worldwide.

These are 10 elephants that have been rescued from culling situations, have been orphaned, or have been relocated for various reasons.

What Volunteers Do

Short-term volunteers with the project have the opportunity to help with the daily care of the elephants and learn about them firsthand. THEY

➥ Are involved in the feeding of the animals, and the general maintenance of their living areas.

➥ Observe and record elephant behaviours at all times of the day and night.

➥ Learn how to make elephant dung paper, which is then sold to raise funds for the continuation of the project.

🐘 Fun Fact: Elephants do not digest the fibrous material in the enormous amount of plants they digest. For this reason, their droppings can be washed and boiled to make high-quality, entirely sanitary paper!

Longer-term volunteers receive training and real-life practice in study and research techniques. They are able to aid in the study and observation of these gentle giants and see how what is learned can benefit elephants everywhere.

All Volunteers:

➥ Spend time observing how the elephants interact with other people.

➥ Collect and analyze elephant dung and discover what this can demonstrate regarding the health of the animals.

➥ Learn to analyze the data that has been recorded when observing the elephants.

➥ Be involved in educating the community about their environment, about elephants, and about sharing an area with them without conflict.

➥ Have the opportunity to participate in the monitoring of the herd of zebras that share the park.

The Elephant Care and Research Project is a safe haven for their elephants, with welfare and learning at the forefront of their mission.

Volunteers are an integral part of the sanctuary’s efforts and their contribution helps to further its mission.

⭐️ Distinction: The Elephant Care and Research Project is the recipient of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which is known locally in South Africa as the resident’s Award for Youth Empowerment.

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2. The Elephant-Humans Relations Aid (EHRA) | Namibia:

Located near Swakopmund, Namibia, the focus of EHRA is the conservation of the uniquely and remarkably adapted desert elephant.

Their goal is to help resolve conflict between these elephants and the communities that they are surrounded by. The conflict arises from the scarceness of the resources, namely food and water, that the elephants and the people share.

This is accomplished in large part through community education, the construction of protective walls around water sources, and the ongoing monitoring of local elephant herds.

This is an excellent opportunity for volunteers to take part in real-world, practical conservation.

What Volunteers Do

A volunteer’s time on the project is divided up into weeks. The longer volunteers spend with the project, the more different tasks and locations they get to experience.

For example, they have the unique and exhilarating opportunity to camp out in the wilds of Namibia, near whichever aspect of the program they are currently involved with.

There is nothing like sleeping under the stars in a country with minimal light pollution. If you haven’t yet experienced this, it will blow your mind!

Mind you, tents are also an option if you’d like to work your way up to sleeping out in the open.

Volunteers will get to:

➥ Participate in the construction of the walls that protect water sources.

➥ Track elephants in the area, observe and record data regarding the individuals in the herd.

➥ Assist in keeping the ID record of the elephants current, as well as their locations.

➥ Aid in the gathering of data regarding the breeding bulls in the area by collecting their dung.

➥ Travel to different locations in the area as they track the elephants, often sleeping in a new spot every night.

With its dedication to elephant protection and research, the Elephant-Human Relations Aid is an excellent project.

They provide valuable volunteer experiences for those looking to make a difference in the lives of these animals, as well as an amazing experience for volunteers.

You can download a brochure here for more information on the program.

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3. Horse Riding and Wildlife Conservation | Zimbabwe

For those who ride and would love to combine that with their conservation work, this program is for you. You’ll be involved in elephant and rhino conservation, as well as the care of your horse and others on-site.

While the max for the horse riding program is 2 weeks, you are free to add on to your stay minus the horses. The price is an additional US$1015 per week.

What Volunteers Do:

➦ You’ll help exercise and feed the rehabilitating elephants and rhinos on-site, and keep their beds clean.

➦ Assist with counting and performing welfare checks on the animals on the conservancy.

➦ Perform patrols on horseback: boundary patrols, anti-poaching patrols, snare sweeps. Locate and monitor specific herds in the game park.

➦ Assist with all manner of cattle ranch duties.

➦ Learn to use radio telemetry to track rhinos and elephants, so you can observe their behaviour and monitor. This ma not be done on horseback.

The Horse Riding and Wildlife Conservation program is perfect if you love horses and would like to take that into the field of conservation.

4. Lusaka Elephant Conservation | Zambia
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Located in Lusaka, Zambia, this sanctuary is dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned elephants. Their goal is to slowly prepare these young elephants for release into the wild.

The Lusaka Elephant Conservation project focuses on providing quality care for orphaned animals, promoting the natural behaviour of the animals and educating local communities about conservation and preservation efforts.

Keep in mind that, for ethical reasons, volunteers will have no actual direct contact with the elephants.

When the young charges are about 3 years old, they are transferred to the affiliate release facility in Kafue National Park. See #5 below.

What Volunteers Do

Volunteers help with observations, animal feedings, and educational activities. Here are some examples of volunteer tasks:

➥ Assisting in the care of the young elephants in the Elephant Nursery. This includes preparing bottles of milk formula and collecting leaves and twigs, ie. food for the older elephants.

➥ Maintain the elephants’ enclosure, keeping it clean and in good repair.

➥ Educating the community as well as local schoolchildren about the animals and the importance of their conservation.

➥ Observing the herd along with the individual animals and noting behaviours and group dynamics.

➥ Going on outings to nearby Lusaka National Park, learning research skills by conducting small research projects. These may involve vegetation surveys, or spore and scat observations.

➥ Sitting in on public education lectures.

Lusaka Elephant Conservation is a great programme for African elephant conservation. It’s definitely one to consider for anyone who would like to be an elephant sanctuary volunteer in Africa.

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5. Kafue Elephant Conservation | Zambia
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This programme is a release facility, affiliated with Lusaka Elephant Conservation above. At the age of approximately 3 years, Lusaka’s young elephants are brought here to be weaned and prepared for life in the wild.

Kafue volunteers actually begin their experience at Lusaka in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire project.

They will then move on to Kafue, the oldest and largest national park in Zambia. Volunteers will have the enviable task of assisting in the gradual release of these elephants into the wild.

Keep in mind that, for ethical reasons, volunteers will have no actual direct contact with the elephants.

What Volunteers Do

➥ When you volunteer with orphaned elephants, you’ll be tracking released orphans. You’ll also determine what they feed on in the different seasons.

➥ Making use of camera traps, spoor, and tracks to build a database of facts regarding the local elephant population. This database will also include facts about the other wildlife that they cross paths with.

➥ Filming and studying the behaviour of older elephant calves and collecting data.

➥ Learning about ways to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. Meeting with the local community members to discuss this issue, and educate the people on various mitigation strategies.

Kafue Elephant Conservation is another great project for volunteers, and really can be the experience of a lifetime.

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6. Imire Rhino and Wildlife Conservation | Zimbabwe

This program is an opportunity for people who are passionate about rhino and elephant conservation. You can contribute your efforts to save some of Africa’s most iconic endangered species.

The program is located in Marondera, Wedza, Zimbabwe, about 90 minutes from the capital city of Harare. Volunteers are asked to commit for a minimum of two weeks and can stay for up to 12 weeks.

What Volunteers Do

➦ You’ll work side-by-side with conservation experts, and within local communities. This might involve teaching school children about their environment and its conservation.

➦ Depending on the day, you may get to see the K9s in the anti-poaching unit in action. You could also be involved in game counting.

➦ You’ll help fix fencing and other maintenance chores as necessary. This includes possible building projects in the conservancy.

➦ Volunteers patrol the area looking for snares that the animals could get caught in.

➦ You might spend some days involved in animal tracking and their care. You could do some bee keeping, gather hay in nearby fields, or clearing roots there.

➦ Taking resident elephants for walks and taking part in their enrichment is often a highlight.

At Imire Rhino and Wildlife Conservation you can work with elephants, as well as rhinos and cheetahs. This is such a rewarding way to spend your time in Africa.

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7. Wildlife ACT | South Africa

The Wildlife ACT volunteer program is an award winning one that aids in the conservation of several different endangered animals. The cost of volunteering varies depending on the location and duration of the program.

Wildlife ACT has several programs around Africa. The ones located in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, Tembe Elephant Park, Manyoni Private Game Reserve are all in South Africa. These are the programs that offer the greatest opportunities to work for elephants.

Keep in mind that you will not be working only with elephant monitoring.

What Volunteers Do

➦ You’ll learn how to with monitoring animals using radio telemetry in reserves. This data helps to better understand the animals’ demographics and how they impact the environment.

➦ Assisting with the procurement of these satellite tracking devices. You may also get to help with fitting them on the animals.

➦ Volunteers assist with the creation of individual elephant identikits to aid in managing the area and its elephants. You’ll find out how to tell different elephants apart.

➦ You could assist with the reintroduction of elephants to new, protected areas and monitoring their progress after release.

➦ There is always maintenance and manual labour to be done, for example building bomas (enclosures) and repairing structures.

➦ Your group might also help in setting up wildlife hides, or placing camera traps in the field.

Working with a Wildlife ACT volunteer group means getting involved in anti-poaching efforts. This is on top of conservancy management and maintenance. As well, you’ll aid in spreading conservation awareness and education in local communities.

Download their Endangered Species Project Document here.

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8. Wildlife Conservation & Research Expedition | South Africa

The Wildlife Conservation & Research Expedition is a program offered by GVI. It allows you to contribute to important wildlife and conservation research in the South African bushveld.

GVI, or Global Vision International, run award-winning programs all over the world. The Limpopo project is in a private South African nature reserve, and contributes directly to conservation efforts.

What Volunteers Do

➦ You’ll learn survey techniques like radio telemetry. You’ll use those your new skills to assist in collecting data on the animals in the program’s area.

➦ You may be involves in community outreach and education. Community members are often not aware of the plight of the local animals, seeing them only as pests.

➦ You’ll learn facts about animal behaviour, the environment you’re working in, and the situation faced by the animals there.

➦ Volunteers take part in the upkeep and general maintenance of the area and its structures.

➦ GCI volunteers get to learn from experienced and passionate guides while they’re in country.

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There are many opportunities throughout Africa, and the world, to volunteer with ethical wildlife groups and make a difference in the world.

If you’d like to spend your time in Africa – some of it or all of it – getting involved, and learning about Africa and its wildlife, consider clicking on one of the links above to learn more.

✯ Read more about volunteering with Africa’s Epic Wildlife: Volunteering with Animals in Africa: The Best Programs in 2023

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Other Ways to Contribute to Elephant Conservation

If you’re unable to travel to Africa you can still help!

Those of us who are unable to pick up and travel to Africa for weeks at a time can still make an amazing contribution to these gentle giants.

Consider these options:

9. Amboseli Trust for Elephants (ATE)

The Amboseli Trust for Elephants was created to support the Amboseli Elephant Research Project (AERP). This enormous project has studied the elephant population of Amboseli National Park in Southern Kenya since 1973.

This Trust offers several ways to be involved in elephant conservation. For example:

➤ Donate, on your own behalf or in honour of someone else.

➤ Choose a specific elephant family, then join Elatia, an Amboleli Trust group that will give you a window into the daily lives of your elephant family. There’s no better use for an inbox that to receive elephant gossip!

For a yearly donation of US$30, you can choose up to 6 elephant families, or give this gift to someone you love.

➤ For a small donation, you can name an elephant! Once the name you’ve chosen has been given to one of these beautiful elephants, you can email to request updates. Have a look at the naming brochure to learn more.

➤ Another great way to support this great cause is by shopping. The Amboseli Trust’s online store has many elephant-themed gift items that you can treat yourself to, or present to the another elephant lover in your life.

10. Tanzania Conservation & Research Program

The programme’s tagline is – “Protecting Migratory Wildlife and the Habitat around Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park”.

Tarangire is home to Africa’s second-largest elephant population. The program works by involving communities in conservation work. The organization works with people in the community to help them coexist with the animals.

This program is protecting not only elephants but also other endangered species. One way they do this is by ensuring working with the community to ensure the migration corridors remain open and safe for the animals to travel.

To lend a hand you can:

➤ Support the Woodland Park Zoo, in Seattle, WA The zoo is a partner of the Tanzania Conservation & Research Program. Every visit helps support elephants in Tanzania.

➤ Donate to the cause. You can even make a bigger impact by bringing the program to work! Employer matching of donations is welcome! check on this website to find out if your corporation participates.

➤ Adopt an animal! You’ll receive an adoption certificate, photo and fact sheet of your new adoptee, as well as desktop and mobile wallpaper, and more. Check out the different levels of adoption.

11. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Haven for Elephants & Rhino (SWT)

Orphan elephant rescue is at the heart of the work done by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, as well as rehabilitation. Unfortunately, they don’t accept volunteers at their African project in Kenya.

But there are volunteer opportunities for administration and find raising efforts in the US and the UK. Read more about those on their website here.

And their are ways to support Sheldrick’s work in Africa. Read more about the projects they have ongoing, and choose your favourite if you can. Here are some ways you can contribute:

➤ Adopt an orphan elephant – or rhino or giraffe! You can choose your own elephant, or have one chosen for you if the decision is too difficult.

In return, you will receive:

• a personalized adoption certificate
• an email each month, updating you on your adoptee and on the project
• access to the keeper’s photos, videos, and diaries about your adoptee
• a new watercolour painting each month by Angela Sheldrick
• a warm fuzzy feeling that you’ll carry around all the time

➤ Fundraise for SWT and the wildlife. Choose your method of fundraising – you’ll find many suggestions – or take part in one of their own organized events. All funds will go to the wildlife projects.

➤ Donate money, or an item from the SWT Wishlist, such as a day’s milk for a nursery elephant, or 4 bales of hay.

➤ Become a Partner, or speak with your Employer to see if the company would be interested.

➤ Purchase exclusive merchandise at one of their online shops – the Global Shop or the US Shop.

If you follow @SheldrickTrust on Instagram, you will get a notification when the trust goes live in Nairobi with Milk o’clock! You’ll meet some of the orphans that are in their care, hear their stories, and get to watch bottle feeding in action.

It’s the next best thing to being there!

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How to Choose the Right Program Volunteer With

Elephant conservation volunteers can make a significant impact when working with elephants in Africa. You can contribute to their welfare and to the conservation efforts that protect them.

But it’s important to find an ethical volunteer program that provides a unique, beneficial experience for both the elephants and you.

To ensure this, you’ll do need to do your research. There are many sanctuaries around the world that offer volunteer programs, but not all of them are created equally.

How to Determine if an Organization is Ethical

1.Research the organization: Look up the organization that runs the volunteer program and read about their mission, values, and goals.

Check if they have any certifications or partnerships with other organizations that promote ethical practices. And look for the standards and practices they use in caring for the elephants.

2. Read reviews: Look for reviews of the volunteer program from previous volunteers. Check if the reviews mention any ethical concerns or issues with the program. Look for evidence that they provide safe and meaningful experiences.

3. Ask questions: Reach out to the organization and ask them questions about their practices. Ask about how they care for the elephants, what kind of activities the volunteers will be doing, and what kind of training the volunteers will receive.

Look for sanctuaries that promote natural behaviour and interaction between animals. That provide ample space for physical and mental stimulation, and focus on conservation efforts.

4. Check for transparency: Look for transparency in the organization’s practices. Check if they provide detailed information about their finances, their staff, and their operations.

5. Look for red flags: Be wary of organizations that offer programs that involve riding elephants, taking photos with elephants, or other activities that may be harmful to the elephants. Also, be wary of organizations that do not provide adequate training or support for their volunteers.

6. Finally, research the organization’s policies on animal welfare and captivity: an ethical organization should prioritize the wellbeing of their animals over all else.

With these factors in mind, you can be sure to find an ethical elephant organization for your volunteer experience.

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Amazing African Elephants Facts

• An African elephant can live to be up to 70 years old in the wild.
• When an elephant drinks it can draw 12 litres, or 3 gallons into its trunk at a time.
• A baby elephant may suckle the end of its trunk for comfort.
• It takes at least 6-8 months for an elephant to learn to control the 40,000 muscles that make up his trunk. Or most of them, anyway.
• Until they learn to control their trunks, they will drink by putting their face in the water.
• There are 2 distinct species of African elephant – the savannah elephant and the forest elephant. One of the many differences is that savannah elephants are larger.
• Tusks are extended teeth that can be used for digging, lifting, stripping bark to eat, for defense, as well as to protect the trunk.
• A trunk can weigh as much as 140 kg, or 309 pounds.
• The skin of an elephant can be up to 2.5 cm, or 1 inch in places.
• A female elephant can give birth to as many as 12 calves in her lifetime.
• Are elephants vegetarians? They sure are. Food details: elephants eat fruit, roots, tree bark, twigs, grasses, small plants, and bushes. In fact, one elephant can eat between 149 and 169 kg, or 330-375 lb per day.
• The African bush elephant is the largest land mammal. They have a weight range of between 5,200 and 10,000 kg, or 11,500-22,000 lb.

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Summing It Up – Volunteer With Elephants in Africa

Volunteers with ethical elephant projects are essential in providing much-needed care for these irresistible animals.

From providing practical care to assisting with community education, volunteering with elephants in Africa can make a real difference in the lives of Africa’s elephants.

With these sanctuaries and volunteer opportunities in mind, you can be sure to find an ethical elephant project for your volunteer experience that focuses on the welfare and conservation of elephants

Happy Volunteering!

Read more about Africa:

➡️ How Many Gorillas are Left in the World
➡️ South Africa – Wildlife Sanctuary: For the Love of the Animals
➡️ Volunteering in Africa with Animals – Best Programs in 2022
➡️  Iconic Animals of Botswana & Where to See Thema
➡️ Find Your Dream Destination in Africa

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