Monkey RescueSouth Africa

The Monkey Rescue project we work with in South Africa cares for non-indigenous primates that have been rescued after having been orphaned, mistreated or kept as pets. The centre aims to provide a safe and nurturing home and rehabilitate primates that are unable to return to the wild.

The centre currently cares for over 100 primates, including marmosets, tamarins, capuchins, macaques, squirrel monkeys, mona monkeys, patas monkeys and grey mouse lemurs. There are also other rescued animals on site including fennec foxes, grey mouse lemurs, sugar gliders, tortoises, dogs and cats.

Volunteers at the centre are involved in caring for the animals directly as well as helping to maintain their enclosures. Each day will differ and volunteer tasks include:

• Food preparation
• Cleaning enclosures
• Building and maintaining enclosures
• Behavioural observation and monitoring
• Primate relocation
• Making monkey beds
• Providing enrichment
• Hand rearing (if it is needed during your stay)

There is also ‘monkey time’ which allows you to spend time with some of the primates in their enclosures.

Working days and hours

You will generally be working for 5 days and have 2 days off per week. Daily duties are worked out on a rota basis, to give volunteers free time to travel around the local and surrounding areas.

Other volunteers

There are usually 4-15 volunteers with a maximum of 20, but this varies considerably throughout the year.

Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Award

This placement has been approved by the DofE as meeting the requirements for the Residential section of the Gold Award.

Volunteer reviews

Read about volunteer experiences and challenges in our South Africa Monkey Rescue reviews.

Why are volunteers needed?

The centre survives almost entirely on the support that volunteers provide. Whilst there are local staff onsite, they are often over-stretched with daily care tasks and so volunteers provide the monkeys with extra care and attention. The primates are often unable to be released into the wild so this is essential for their well-being and quality of life.

Volunteers also help to look after the sanctuary, maintaining existing enclosures and building new ones so that the project can continue to provide a comfortable safe haven for primates and other animals.

“Volunteers are the main support for our work, without volunteer’s onsite support we wouldn’t be able to keep developing to be able to rescue more and more primates year on year. The work volunteers do directly enhance the lives of the primates on site and helps to create a better environment and forever home for these animals.”
Lucy, Volunteer Coordinator

The volunteer house is based within the centre so you are just a few steps away from the monkeys. Your accommodation is a very basic shared dorm-style room with bunk beds and shared bathrooms in the volunteer house. There are shared living areas both inside and outside that volunteers use for socialising and relaxing in their free time. There is good phone signal onsite, but no access to WIFI.

Meals

Meals are not included in this placement and volunteers will prepare their own meals at the accommodation. Here are typical examples of the meals which you can buy at local supermarkets, restaurants and cafes:

• Breakfast – fruit, cereal, toast
• Lunch – sandwiches, salad, pasta 
• Dinner – pizza, salads, pasta, burgers, stews

There are vegetarians and vegans options available. 

The tap water is safe to drink.

The sanctuary is located outside of Pretoria, one of South Africa’s 3 capital cities. The city is known by locals as “Jacaranda City” for its thousands of jacaranda trees lining the streets with beautiful purple blossom. The city is home to a number of universities and museums, galleries and botanical gardens making it a fantastic place to explore during your time off.

The sanctuary is based in a rural area just outside of the city and is in a perfect position to visit local game reserves, a water park, malls, a cultural village and an elephant sanctuary. Longer trips can also be taken to visit Kruger National Park. These activities are best booked locally once you are at the project.

You will have two days off per week to explore the local area or travel further afield.

Travelling in South Africa before or after your placement

South Africa is situated at the southern tip of Africa and ranges from desert to sub-tropical. With dramatic landscapes, amazing wildlife and a rich and diverse culture and interesting history, South Africa has something for everyone. Popular activities in South Africa include:

• Spotting the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo) on safari
• Travelling the Garden Route
• Visiting Cape Town and sampling some of the local wines

To find out more, see the Lonely Planet South Africa.

Caitlin

“Everyone at the Monkey Rescue was incredibly welcoming and friendly from the first moment I met them! I loved every second I spent at the project, and although there was a fair amount of cleaning involved, you still have the opportunity to spend a lot of time with the monkeys. Every short termer gets monkey time, in which you get the opportunity to go in an enclosure with a select few of the monkeys. These times were always my favourite!!!

I’m so glad that I chose this project to get involved with, it’s such a rewarding project and I loved getting to know all the primates, especially when you can experience their different personalities and the way they react to everything.”

Ethan

“Working with the primates is such an amazing experience. It was very different to how I thought it would be in such a good way. The main thing that took me by surprise is how different all the monkeys are, they all have unique personalities and they stand out loud and clear within a matter of days.

It was great to experience such a different culture to the UK. Most rewarding was simply being able to help out an organisation that gives everything it has to the welfare of their monkeys, not only with my donation but with my time working at the project.”

Stacey

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent here. I learned a lot about monkeys and life in South Africa. It was amazing to get the chance to work so closely with the monkeys. The other volunteers were very helpful and there was always something to help with. I enjoyed monkey time with the squirrels and Thimone. My faves were Shapken Louie Charlotte Maitai Celeste, and many others!

The volunteer house is basic but it’s South Africa and it’s an unreal experience overall. You really do learn a lot and get to immerge yourself in real rural South Africa. Most rewarding was being with the monkeys and helping to make a difference.”

Jeanne

“I had never done anything like this before, but now I can’t imagine planning a big vacation without some element of service in it. Volunteering was fun and rewarding. The work was not too strenuous and the hours were reasonable. I loved getting to know the different monkeys and learning about their various personalities, temperaments and needs.

It was great to be working outdoors and the country was absolutely gorgeous. I felt completely appreciated and valued, by the head of the project as well as the volunteer coordinator and other staff there. For learning about and helping the animals, getting outdoors and being physical, and meeting new people from around the world, I could not imagine a better first volunteer experience.”

Read more reviews