A Unique and Exciting Conservation Working Holiday Programme based in the heart of the Namibian Bush
Welcome to P.A.W.S. part of Okonjima’s and AfriCat’s vision to restore the land back to its original state and once again witness the magnificent cheetah stalking and hunting its prey in it’s natural environment. Africa’s fragile ecosystem and wildlife are inseparably linked, co-existing successfully since time began.
Unfortunately due to man’s influence this delicate balance is rapidly changing and the need to reverse this damage and protect our environment has become paramount.
Erecting Fences for Cheetahs
Combining the management and implementation of fundamental conservation principals we aim to restore this balance and in time recreate this sustainable eco-system once more. Through your involvement & commitment we are creating valuable employment and training opportunities for the local community to aid us with our vision.
Located in the heart of the Okonjima Game Reserve, this exciting eco- tourism project works alongside the AfriCat Foundation, the world’s largest animal welfare programme committed to the long term conservation and release of Namibia’s large carnivores, especially cheetahs and leopards.
Okonjima’s total reserve encompasses 55,000 acres (22,000 hectares) of which large sections still harbour the scars and remains of old commercial cattle farming land.
Volunteers outside AfriCat Clinic
It is this land that PAWS aims to restore and return back into a Game Reserve with the ultimate goal of introducing an amazing new variety of Namibian game into the area.
By choosing this project you will be undertaking essential reserve maintenance tasks which include : dismantling windmills, fence-lines, old water troughs, bush clearing tasks, repairing waterholes, dam and bridge maintenance etc. You may also have the fantastic opportunity of working directly at the AfriCat Foundation itself (when projects are available) which include : bone collecting within the cheetah camps, cleaning out the wild dogs’ water trough, erecting and repairing fences and netting, fence maintenance etc. Later in the day volunteers will take part in a multitude of exciting activities including :
Cleaning the Wild Dogs Water Trough
visiting the cheetah conservation programme - the AfriCat foundation, leopard tracking, hyaena tracking by foot, bushman walks, visiting the lions, birding & game drives etc.
There is also unique opportunity to go behind the scenes of the AfriCat Foundation to witness first hand the feeding of all these beautiful animals at this sanctuary. On occasions cheetahs & leopards need to be rescued by AfriCat and re-released back into the wild and a lucky volunteer may be given the unique and very exciting opportunity to accompany one of the AfriCat team to do just this! A rare privilege to witness first hand this delicate & highly organised operation.
Volunteers Rescuing Cheetah
History
Okonjima meaning ‘place of the baboon’ turned from cattle farming to
tourism in 1993 and shortly after launched the animal welfare foundation, AfriCat. The AfriCat Foundation is a non-profit organisation committed to the long term conservation of Namibia’s large carnivores, especially cheetahs and leopards and is home to a 4,000 hectare (10,000 acre) Cheetah Rehabilitation Reserve giving previously non-releasable cats a second chance to be wild and free. Okonjima’s total expanse encompasses a 55,000 acre (22,000 hectare operational private nature reserve.
Other game to be seen include : leopard, giraffe, oryx, kudu, zebra, impala, eland, wildebeest, red hartebeest, duiker, steenbok, dik-dik, and warthog.
Also nocturnal animals such as porcupine, honey badger, brown hyaena, spotted genet, aardvark and over 250 bird species may be seen.
