International Primate Rescue

Description: International Primate Rescue has rescued primates from all over the world and currently cares for 75 Common Marmosets, Black-eared Marmosets, Common Squirrel Monkeys, Bolivian Squirrel Monkeys, Tamarins, and Mona Monkeys at our South African monkey sanctuary.

Positions available: Volunteers, gap year students, adult career breakers, and more are welcome apply for a placement at the sancturay with immediate effect.  Volunteers are accepted for short periods (a minimum of 1 week) or if you'd prefer to "get to know" the monkeys, feel free to stay for as long as you like. The following Long-term Volunteer positions are available:  Builder - help construct new monkey enclosures and greenhouse.  Plumber - perform plumbing maintenence in the sanctuary volunteer house.  Electrician - run electrical lines in the monkey enclosures and volunteer house.  Cook - prepare meals for volunteer workers.

Location: The sanctuary is currently located in Polokwane, South Africa (although the sanctuary is being moved to Pretoria).  Polokwane is approximately 3 hours north of Johannesburg.  Volunteers can request a pick-up from the Johannesburg Airport or choose to travel on their own, using the bus or an internal flight to Polokwane airport.

Duties: Daily duties are listed below; duties are worked out on a rotation basis to give volunteers time off to travel around the surrounding areas (for example, some volunteers have travelled out to Kruger National Park for a couple of days).  Transport into Polokwane/Pretoria is provided twice a week.

• Food preparation, feeding the primates, cleaning the enclosures
• Medication and supplements of sick and elderly primates
• Accompanying primates to the vet
• Assisting with surgical procedures
• General monitoring of unstable primates
• Hand rearing
• Record keeping
• Enclosure building and maintenance
• Introductions and monitoring of two unfamiliar primates
• Separating fighting primates (including by hand)
• Relocating and monitoring of primates to new enclosures at the sanctuary
• Enrichment – adding new branches and other enrichments items to the enclosures
• Assist in rescue operations

Free time: Not all the time is spent looking after the monkeys; there's usually enough time to relax in the sun or venture out to other activities.  In addition to the weekly braai (BBQ), previous volunteers have experienced activities such as:

• Spend a few days at Kruger National Park
• Visit the local municipal wildlife centre (where giraffes, lions, and others can be seen)
• Visit the local museum
• Visit the pubs in Polokwane
• Have a shopping trip to the local Savanna Centre mall
• Visit the Cinema (in the Savanna Centre)
• Read in the sun or in the house on an evening
• Chill out in the garden by a fire

Accommodation: Your accommodation will be a room in the house with access to a shower, washing and cooking facilities, which are shared with other volunteer workers.

Costs: £175 (Great British Pounds) per volunteer worker per week.  This fee includes full board and three meals a day. You will be responsible for your own traveling expenses.  Volunteers generally arrive at the airport in Johannesburg and travel to Polokwane by bus or plane, where you can be collected by a staff member from the sanctuary.  Alternatively, volunteers have opted to be picked up from Johannesburg Airport by a sanctuary staff member for an additional cost. Volunteers are expected to arrange their own travel insurance, if desired.  You will be be required to sign an indemnity form before your arrival at the sanctuary.