How to get involved?
Join us in our fight for elephants! There is never enough people, energy, or ideas. Obviously, such a serious problem as elephant population decline will not have an easy solution. You will not find exact instructions here on what to do and how to do it. It is necessary to involve your creativity and all the abilities and possibilities – and they are different in every one of us.
We require
- weeks to months of spare time and financial independence
- self-reliance, French or communicative English with basics of French
- capability to communicate and report regularly
We offer
- possibility of accommodation
- assistance with logistics in field
- lending of equipment for the field
- support on long-distance (we won’t be present at the place for most of the time)
If you are interested, please fill the form and contact us on info@save-elephants.org.
Thank you and long live the elephants!
The field trips are paid by volunteers and on their own risk. Our organization is not legally responsible for any potential harm or complication that the participants accidentally face. However, we require appropriate travel insurance as well as proper vaccination.
Cameroon – Kalfoun National Park, Yagoua and surroundings
Background
Tree savanna and cultural landscape. Accomodation in a house in a town of Yagoua, in the villages and solitary houses on the park edge, sometimes camping in the nature. Moving around on a motorbike or by car. Mostly walking in the field and occasionally on a horse. About 200 elephants, few giraffes and lions, some hyenas, antelopes live in and around the small park.
Activities and outcomes
- Assistance in crafting and installation of bee hives and documentation of the process
- Direct observation of the elephant herd in the field, recording their location, behavior, taking identification photographs and videos of individual elephants (telephoto lens, tripod)
- Mapping of the territory, creating a list of bird and mammal species, documentary photography
- Creating pictures and/or video suitable for promotion of our starting project of “elephant toothpicks” providing income for women living in local community
- Finding and contacting beekeepers in broader surroundings (trials of hive relocations)
- Making, testing and promotion of solar cookers in local community
Transport
Flight to Douala or Yaoundé, then bus and train (ca 30.000 CFA)
Chad – Baibokoum, Pao, deli and broader surrounding
Background
Tree savanna, wooded mountains and cultural landscape. Sleeping in villages in houses of our partners, sometimes in solitary houses or camping in the field. Moving around on motorbikes and then by foot. Scattered elephant populations that come in conflict with people and are threatened by poachers. Some remains of other wildlife fauna.
Activities and outcomes
- GPS mapping and photo/video documentation of elephant herds and individuals in the area
- Collaborating with local partners in documentation and finding solutions to conflicts between elephants and farmers
- Assistance and documentation of crafting and installation of beehives and honey processing
- Making, testing and promotion of solar cookers in local community
- Based on the season, testing and demonstration of making jams and fruit compotes as a source of income for local communities
Transport
Flight to N’Djamena, bus and taxi to Baibokoum (ca 18.000 CFA) or via Cameroon (extra visa and longer journey)
Congo – Odzala-Kokoua N.P., Tchimpounga reserve, (maybe also Brazzaville)
Background
Activities along human infrastructure across the country (usually covered by tropical rainforest). Sleeping at bases of our partners or in tents at the road checkpoints or in the fields during expeditions. Moving around by cars of our partners, sometimes on a motorbike.
Activities and outcomes
- Accompanying canine unit during field missions and trainings
- Surveillance of the canine unit
- Photo and video documentation of the field activities at the checkpoints
- Installation, check-ups, maintenance and strategical use of photo traps in the field (info on poaching, documentation of animals on logging roads and poacher paths)
- Based on the season, testing and demonstration of making jams and fruit compotes as a source of income for local communities
Transport
Flight to Brazzaville or Pointe Noire, bus Brazzaville – Odzala (ca 25.000 CFA), Brazzaville – Pointe Noire (ca 7 – 15.000 CFA), flight Brazzaville – Pointe Noire (30 – 40.000 CFA), transport from Pointe Noire to Tchimpounga for free.
One-time or long-term involvement to activities
- Promotion of our organization – lectures, distribution of PR materials, fundraising events
- Organization and operation of a stand on public events, promotion of Save-Elephants
- Editing of promotion videos about field projects, creating of subtitles
- Translations French – English, English – French
- Logistics (buying of equipment, sending materials, help in administration of online data)
We are looking mainly for active people interested in long-term cooperation who have their own vision and who are capable to quickly and accurately react to needs of the project at a given time.
We are looking forward to meeting you and to our together accomplished results!