Home / Projects & Destinations / Thailand / Wildlife Rescue
| Location | 2.5 hours south of Bangkok, near Cha Am |
| Start dates | Every week on a Sunday (this is flexible) |
| Duration | 1 - 12 weeks |
| Availability |
Spaces available, except July 2012 |
| Cost |
1 week: £499 2 weeks: £699 Extra weeks: £100 per week £50 discount for 8 weeks or longer |
| Discounts | 1. £35 per person for friends / partners 2. Combined discount Elephant Care + Wildlife Rescue e.g. 2 weeks Wildlife + 1 week Elephant = £949 (normally £1198) |
Volunteer at a wildlife rescue centre, caring for an amazing variety of wild animals that are being given shelter.
There are currently over 300 rescued animals, with just over 200 primates. This includes 5 different species of macaque, 2 species of gibbon, civets, a tiger, sun bears and Asiatic black bears, a crocodile, exotic birds and many more.
Read what past volunteers have said about this project in our Thailand Wildlife Rescue reviews.
The exact nature of the work you will be doing varies all the time and there is no such thing as a 'typical' day. However there are certain everyday jobs that will be your responsibility; primarily feeding the animals and assisting with cleaning the enclosures. A rota system is followed for these jobs so that the duties are fairly distributed.
In addition to this you will probably be involved with, amongst other things, the construction of new cages and enclosures, working on enclosure enrichments, assisting with tours for visitors, maintenance work for cages and the gibbon islands, and keeping the centre's grounds clean.
Volunteers work a six-day working week from about 6.30am-5.00pm. The atmosphere at the Centre is informal and relaxed. You will be scheduled where you are most needed and where your skills can be used to the maximum advantage.
Although you will work very closely with the animals, there is a strict ‘hands off’ policy, whereby no physical contact is allowed with the animals in order to help their rehabilitation and maintain a safe working environment.
The centre is based on temple grounds near Thayang in the South of Thailand, about 100 miles South of Bangkok. It is approximately 25km from the beaches of Cha Am and Hua Hin.
It is a very natural, peaceful and beautiful rural location and the centre is located beside a small lake which has a series of small 'gibbon islands.' These are used to rehabilitate the gibbons at the Wildlife Rescue centre.
By volunteering at the Wildlife Rescue centre you will make a major contribution to the welfare of animals in Thailand.
The centre would not be able to run without the hard work of the volunteers and their financial support; the majority of the volunteer fees go directly to the centre, providing a vital source of funding for their future work.
On a personal level you will have a unique opportunity to work alongside some incredible wildlife and gain the satisfaction of helping to make a difference to their lives.
The following items are not included and estimates are given as a guide for your budgeting: flights to Bangkok (£550-£650), visa (£50 if staying over 30 days), travel insurance, personal spending (£40-£50 per week).
A taxi from Bangkok airport or your hotel can be arranged to take you directly to the centre for approx £45. This is a private taxi using regular drivers from the centre and is our recommended way to travel to the centre.
The centre's aim is to save wild animals and their habitat from destruction.
The centre rescues wild animals from places where they are maltreated and/or neglected, and helps them to spend the rest of their lives in a sanctuary as close to the natural environment as possible with the best possible care. In particular, it provides a permanent sanctuary for life for those animals that no-one else is prepared to care for e.g. the sick and disabled.
The focus is on rehabilitating captive or domesticated animals and, if possible, preparing them for a reintroduction to their natural habitats.
As well as the Wildlife Rescue project, there is also an Elephant Care project based at the same site.
Kate is the volunteer coordinator; she is the first point of call for volunteers and she and the local team will be there to support you throughout your time on the project.
During your first few days you will be given a tour of the centre and your role will be explained. You will be introduced to the staff, and of course the animals!
There will be a group of Wildlife Rescue volunteers at one time, usually around 10-20 people. In addition, there will be volunteers taking part in the Elephant Care project which is also based at the centre. In total, the number of volunteers at the Centre is on average around 20-30, although this can vary considerably. As volunteer income is so important to the centre there may be times when a greater number of volunteers are accepted. Volunteers come from a range of nationalities and age groups.
Including volunteers on the Elephant Care project (based at the same centre), there will be between 20-40 volunteers at one time and you will all live in shared rooms on-site, however the number of volunteers at the centre can vary significantly.
All main meals are provided at the centre and vegetarians and vegans are also catered for.
Volunteers normally work 6 days per week and on your day off you are free to explore the local area or visit the excellent beaches which are about 25 kms away.
After work you can relax at the centre and socialise with other volunteers. There is a TV that you can watch DVD's on and there is room for everyone to sit and relax in the main volunteer house.
There is a small village with an internet cafe and small shop, and there is also a large Buddhist temple to visit, these are just a 5 minute walk from the centre.
For a night out volunteers regularly club together and organise a taxi to Hua Hin where there are many bars, restaurants and a night market. On Wednesday evenings there is also a big night market in Cha-am selling lots of cheap clothes and souvenirs, which is always popular.
You will need to be able to tolerate high temperatures and humidity, work well within a team and be adaptable to living and working in a group.
It is physical work in a hot environment so can be draining, but it is also very rewarding.
PoD is run as a non-profit organisation and does not receive any external funding. We charge a fee for all our placements to cover the overseas costs of volunteering and the costs of running our organisation in the UK. Fee levels are set to match costs (on a non-profit basis) and any surplus monies are distributed to the overseas organisations and charities we work with via the PoD Charity.
For over 10 years PoD has been providing volunteers to help charitable projects around the world. The PoD Charity was established in 2010 to build on this success by also providing financial assistance. Find out more and get involved in fundraising for this project through the PoD Charity.
Becky in the PoD UK team looks after this project so if you apply you will hear from her soon!
 |
Elephant Care Thailand |
 |
Bear Rescue Cambodia |
 |
Elephant Care & Research South Africa |
 |
All animal projects |
We are passionate about volunteering and are dedicated to providing well supported projects where there is genuine 2 way benefit.
"My experience in Thailand was one I will never forget. The wildlife centre was an amazing place to wake up every morning and the people you meet from all over the world will be friends forever!" - Becci
98% of PoD volunteers rate their experience as good or very good!
Population:
approx 65 million
Capital:
Bangkok
Time zone:
GMT + 7 hrs
Currency:
Baht (THB)
Phone code:
+ 66
Visa:
required for stays of over 30 days
Health & Safety:
click here for the latest UK government travel advice
If you are interested in volunteering as a family we have a range of amazing projects suited for families with children under 18
Home | Useful links | Travel Insurance | News | Sitemap
Follow us
© Personal Overseas Development Ltd 2010. All Rights Reserved
BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE
FINANCIAL PROTECTION, INSURANCE & ASSOCIATIONS
PoD has a Total Payment Protection Policy (topp) insurance policy to protect all monies that you have paid to PoD in relation to your trip. This meets all EU and UK travel regulations. In the unlikely event of PoD's failure before you travel you would be refunded your money.
PoD has public liability insurance cover of £2 million and chooses to take out additional specialist crisis management insurance. PoD is also a member / partner of:
