Earlier this year a member of The Great Projects team paid a visit to the new Rhino and Elephant Conservation Project over in Zimbabwe! Connor loved the time he spent at the project, so we asked him to tell us his top 3 highlights from his time with the rhinos and elephants!
1.Breakfast is that little bit better when it is spent with the elephants
The only other time I have been that close to an elephant whilst tucking into my toast is when watching a repeat of Planet Earth on the TV! Being able to watch these majestic (and sometimes mischievous) beasts close up is something that is going to stay with me for a long time to come, and I can safely say that all of the volunteers at the project site felt the same!
2.Watching the volunteers try to hit the targets with the paintball guns provided everyone with a good laugh!
One of the activities on this project gives volunteers the chance to test out their accuracy on a paintball course designed by the anti-poaching team. Volunteers were running around and diving on the floor, all in the hope of hitting the cans and cardboard targets that littered the course. There were laughs, smiles, and of course an edge of competitiveness in the air, so when Jen the volunteer was declared the winner she was absolutely delighted!
This activity gave everyone a great chance to learn about how the anti-poaching team on the project works, and with a large number of questions being asked it was clear that this was a topic volunteers were passionate about.
3.Walking with the elephants is something I don’t think I will ever forget
Every day the elephants (and rhinos, but due to our short time at the project we were unable to take part in a rhino walk) are taken from the safety bomas they stay in overnight out into the open grasslands where they are free to roam for the day. We were able to walk with the elephant handlers, at a safe distance of course, and simply take in the majesty of these imposing animals. It may sound silly, but you do not realise just how big an elephant truly is until you see one up close, and this is not an experience you will want to miss out on!
There are of course plenty of other activities that you will take part in if you become a volunteer on the Rhino and Elephant Conservation Project, but these were my personal favourites in the short time I was at the project site. Whilst there you could also take part in carnivore feeding, campouts beneath the stars and a plethora of conservation-based activities, so if you want to learn a little more then head over to the project page!
