Volunteer with Elephants

Apply to Volunteer with Elephants Abroad

When you think about elephants what do you think? Usually the image of gentle giants with wagging tails. The sad reality is elephants are facing a really difficult future due to poaching, human encroachment onto their land, loss of natural habitat and the now defunct logging industry. With One World 365 you can sign up to work with elephants - this will be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. 

Play a vital role in protecting and caring for elephants and helping them have a better future. Our website connects you to recommended wildlife sanctuaries and projects all around the world. You could help hands on actually washing and feeding elephants or contribute in other ways for example creating and running educational and conservation initiatives.

Not only are we passionate about helping elephants, we are very keen on making sure you have a good time whilst supporting ethical sanctuaries and we have a number of ways of making sure that happens. We help various non profit organisations recruit volunteers from around the world and we want more people to take the opportunity to join projects and have the experience of a lifetime. There are structured programs available year round where you can volunteer with elephants, we also provide information on free and paid positions. 

Search amazing elephant volunteer projects where you can help and learn about elephants whilst helping to support conservation. This experience will provide you with memories to last a lifetime

 

Why the Need for Assistance

Worldwide there are only around 20,000 elephants living in the wild compared to over 100,000 only 100 years ago and this number if falling all the time. Elephants in the past have been made to work in tourist camps or in the logging industry - some elephants have never had freedom to even live in the wild.

In Asia it is common for elephants being abused for tourist purposes and being forced to perform tricks or provide tourists with rides in the jungle - this is common in places like Chaing Mai in Northern Thailand. Please avoid these unethical experiences, there are lots of amazing santuaries and places where you can see and help elephants. 

In Africa poaching is a huge problem, thousands of elephants have been slaughtered in recent years reducing their numbers in the wild. There is a big demand for ivory in developing countries like China and Vietnam which results in hunters killing elephants, cutting off their tusks and then trying to smuggle them to the Far East to be sold for a big profit. This is an absolutely horrendous industry leaving numbers of elephants in countries like Zimbabwe shockingly low.

These animals are facing daily struggles but there are lots of inspirational wildlife conservation organisations and wildlife charities trying to improve the situation.They aim to provide a safe environment, reduce/stop poaching, raise numbers in the wild, help injured elephants back to health and rehabilitating them before being released back into a natural habitat. This is your chance to help these ancient creatures and play a key role in the future of the species.

 

Tasks & What to Expect

Are you thinking about volunteering with elephants and wondering what you might be doing? When you join a program one of the most exciting things is actually getting to meet the elephants you will be working with, these are huge creatures and very friendly in nature when you see them up close. By volunteering at an elephant sanctuary you could be working with baby elephants or old elephants which have had bad lives in the logging or tourism trade. Some placements can be hands on meaning you will be able to stroke, feed and be close to the elephants in a safe environment - this really depends on the destination though.

Generally tasks can include:

Feeding
There are lots of tasks where you will be able to collect food, usually pineapples and lots of tree leaves - you will be impressed by how much elephants eat which is around 200 - 250 pounds of food per day! They really love to eat throughout the day and its great to watch a hungry herd of elephants in real life and not just on tv.

Washing
These creatures need to be clean and you might be involved with washing the elephants, this is usually in the morning when you can use a water hose to wash and clean the elephants or in a lake, pond or river. You might even possibly even get to go swimming with them which can be a scary / exhilarating experience.

General Assistance
You will be able to work alongside local staff with duties like collecting food, cleaning enclosures, creating interactive games to keep the elephants entertained, walking them, constructing new enclosures and seeing the general daily routine runs smoothly.

Education / Conservation Awareness
Educating local people and is also important to raise awareness about the problems elephants face which is so vitally important to their future. You might be able to travel into local villages or schools telling local people about elephants and the need to protect them, sometimes you might work with local staff creating leaflets or working on social media websites to get the messages out. Another aspect of some programmes is guiding visitors around the parks, this could be tourists or local people who are interested in learning more about these creatures.

 

Typical Day

A day working with elephants is an amazing experience, every sanctuary and organisation offers different programs but generally this is what you can expect to be doing during your average day:

• 7:00am - You might be expected to wake up early because elephants are early risers, usually you have a time which you will meet your fellow participants and collect the elephants for morning activities. 
• 8:00am - Feed the elephants breakfast
• 9:00am - Observe / bath the herd
• 10:00am - Elephants need lots of exercise and sometime you will take them for a walk or collect food for the day
• 11:00am - Prepare lunch for the herd
• 12:00pm - Eat lunch with your fellow participants and then have a rest
• 1:00pm - Cleaning enclosures and creating a happy environment for elephants to live
• 2:00pm - Take the elephants for a bath / scrub
• 3:00pm - Let the elephants relax and wander around
• 5:00pm - Feed the elephants
• 8:00pm - Elephants usually have early nights falling asleep in the late evening leaving you free time to relax at night

 

Volunteer with Elephants in Asia

 

We are one of the best volunteer organisations in the world for helping people volunteer in Asia with elephants. We help connect you to top rated projects and help raise awareness of non-profit organizations which help directly help elephants. Below you can read more information on elephant programs in Asia...

 

Volunteer with Elephants in Thailand

Thailand is one of the worlds most popular travel destinations and if you are thinking about visiting then why not combine this experience by helping elephants too. In Thailand elephants are a national symbol of the country but you might be surprised to see how badly these creatures are treated.

As is the case in many developing counties, tourism has fast become a lucrative source of income in Thailand. The Thai economy is hugely dependent on the money brought in by tourists. Unfortunately, there are always two sides to every story, and sadly elephant-cruelty makes up that other side. Animal welfare is not always a concern amongst many Thai locals, and because of this lack of awareness, many elephants are exploited and abused.

Elephants are often forced to survive in very poor conditions and face torture training methods that include being chained in a cage and deprived of sleep, starved and beaten with sharp objects. Sometimes you can even see elephants being paraded through cities like Bangkok or popular tourist resorts like Phuket where their owners try to get money off tourists wanting pictures.

There are some really special local organisations and elephants sanctuaries in Thailand like the Elephant Nature Park in Chaing Mai and Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) located in Petchabari which are two of the most respected locations. They along with other organisations are doing really amazing work to rescue and help protect elephants giving them as normal life as possible in places like Surin. If you apply to work in Thailand with elephants you will be able to help and also meet lots of other international participants too. 

It is very easy to apply to volunteer in Thailand at an elephant sanctuary, you can view placements on our website today. Also if you are planning on visiting Thailand try to avoid riding elephants on trekking tours and trips, usually these elephants working in the tourism trade are kept in horrendous conditions and treated badly.

 

Volunteer with Elephants in India

India is a worldwide famous destinations which is known for their exotic wildlife. Unfortunately elephants are facing a difficult future, they are no longer needed from the logging industry and are often used in circuses and in cities for the pleasure of tourists.

Elephants also face threats from poachers and some are forcd to work at camps which take tourists around popular sights in places like Jaipur. There is a lot of good work going on which you can get involved with though where you will be based in locations like beautiful Jaipur in Rajasthan, the North of the country. 

At the Amber village which is also known as the 'Elephant Village' elephants are still unfortunately put to work at the world famous royal Amber Fort. There have though been volunteer projects in India set up in recent years though to help care for the elephants and provide better attention / living conditions. You will get to work with local mahouts working throughout the day usually around 9:00am - 7:00pm (don't worry there will be lots of breaks too) and also weekends free.

You will help the local mahouts, tasks can include bathing, cleaning and preparing food, caring for baby elephants, providing water and making sure the elephants are healthy. Although we don't support the use of elephants for tourism purposes, these projects in India are at least a step in the right direction.

 

Volunteer with Elephants in Laos

The main goal of new elephant projects in Laos is to promote sustainable elephant-based tourism, which allows the population to maintain one of its main sources of income and improve the life of these gentle giants. For now, the projects we promote are focused on low-volume, maximising the value given, and the duration is structured around a 1-week+ placement duration. So that volunteers in Laos can fully maximise their experience and also get to go sightseeing.

 

Volunteer with Elephants in Sri Lanka

Volunteering in Sri Lanka with these incredible creatures gives you a hands-on experience in a beautiful country. As well as helping elephant conservation. Each day you will work with and learn about these magnificent yet endangered animals. There are sancutaries in rural areas around 90km from the capital Colombo. Helping is a great way to see more of this beautiful country, learn about the local people and also contribute to conservation efforts.

Sri Lanka is a unique country and you will get to integrate into the culture, get to know local people and learn some new things e.g. cooking like a local.  On placements in this country you will get to help Asian elephants and support conservation efforts with daily tasks. You will learn a lot about these animals and the country.

Some programs also allow you to help manage eco sanctuaries and farms where you can help care for chickens, cows, paddy field and vegetable garden and also spend time with disadvantaged local children. By the end of your stay you will be able to read elephant body language, identify health and sickness signs in elephants, single handedly take your elephant to the river for a bath and have made friends and memories that will last a lifetime.

 

Volunteer with Elephants in Africa

Poaching is a huge problem, around 25,000 elephants were killed last year and its vital educational projects working with local communities are successful to provide elephants with a better future.

African elephants are the largest living land animals on earth and there are National Parks and Game Reserves where elephants roam free and where you can help. You will be able to educate visitors on the decline in African elephant numbers due primarily to the destruction of their habitat and the poaching of elephant ivory tusks.

There are skilled placements for vets which are popular with students undertaking veterinary and animal courses at university. On some Africa volunteer programs there are unique placements for vets where you will be trained to take care of animals for example elephants at national parks.

The Addo Elephant National Park, The Amakhala Game Reserve and The Shamwari Game Reserve located in the Eastern Cape in South Africa all accept volunteer vets year round. You can work at endangered species rehabilitation centres in Africa which play a crucial role in conserving many endangered wildlife species.

 

Volunteer with Elephants in South Africa

You could help elephants by applying to volunteer in South Africa, there are wildlife nature parks all around the country in beautiful places like Northern Kwa-Zulu Natal and Grahamstown. The nature parks provide a safe environment for elephants to roam far away from poachers, it is a magical site to see elephants walking free in the wild.

Being able to help elephants will only add to the true authentic African experience you will receieve. We also highly recommend visiting the Addo Elephant National Park where there are hundreds of elephants roaming free - this is a popular stop off on the Garden Route and you won't regret visiting if you are passionate about wildlife conservation.

 

Volunteer with Elephants in Namibia & Botswana

A couple more countries you might want to consider are Botswana and Namibia, there are conservation efforts in the Southern Kunene Region of the country where in the 1980's elephants were wiped out of existence. It is only recently herds from other areas have returned to the area and now there are over 600 elephants living here. You can apply to help local organisations with their long term aims of providing a safe and sustainable way for elephants to live without the fear of poaching.

 

Volunteer with Elephants in Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe there are now special conservation areas set up for animals like elephants and rhinos to live in the Zambezi Valley. For decades the declining wildlife numbers in this country were a real problem but since the intervention of local NGO's and international conservation charities the situation is slowing improving.

You will play a significant role at the reserve and get involved with a whole host of conservation activities, your itinerary will vary according to what the reserve and its residents need as wildlife don’t do too well with schedules! Help out with a range of activities including; feeding, looking after and learning all about elephants, caring for lions and their cubs when there are any, assisting with releasing animals into game reserves if this happens while you’re there, and maintaining the reserve through bush clearing, fencing and landscaping.

Your time at the project will give you inside knowledge on African wildlife, ecology, conservation and an insight into the local culture. Volunteering in Zimbabwe is also a safer destination than you might think.

 

Volunteer with Elephants in Kenya

Reserves in Kenya have dedicated wildlife centres staffed by veterinarians, ecologists and environmentalists. They also feature breeding centres, a wildlife rehabilitation centres, animal hospitals, education centres and an anti-poaching units.

Projects and reserves have received many awards and offers volunteers a wonderful experience. Some programs are divided into two parts and operates on a two week rotation, there is a Olowaru Bush Project and a Oloibor Elephant Project. These have a focus on gaining an understanding of a previously unstudied population of elephants. 

The aim of some volunteer projects in Kenya is to monitor the predator-prey relationships of the animal populations, and establish the effect of the human/wildlife conflict on the lion population. You will set off with the Researcher and a local Masai guide surveying species and collecting data, recovering fresh scat and making casts of prints.

The information you help to gather will form an essential part of assessing the conservation needs of the lions and making sure they are met. In your spare time you might want to visit the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage which takes in orphanged wildlife like elephants and rhinos.

 

Volunteer with Elephants in Tanzania

By choose to volunteer in Tanzania you can also work to help long term conservation efforts and protect elephants from poachers. Your main role as a volunteer will be to help with monitoring elephant herd activity between Tsavo East National Park and the Tanzania border near Oloibor, whilst at the project your activities may include:

• Tracking and recording elephant evidence and movements
• Data collection with our Research Project Leaders
• Recording animal numbers of other large mammals in the vicinity
• Individual identification and family group research
• Counting and recording elephant numbers, group make up and location using GPS equipment
• Habitat and human population surveys within the elephant range

 

Paid Jobs with Elephants Abroad

If you have any previous skills or expertise in fields like veterinary there are opportunities to find paid gands on work caring for elephants. You will usually be working in teams of vetinerary professionals or work alongside local staff with operations. Paid/free positions are available but usually you will need to commit for long term periods.

If you are just looking to turn up and help elephants do not expect to get paid or receive a wage for the work you do, the reality is in contrast to this, some placements will require you to pay a fee to participate, this can be the case if you apply through a large international sending agency and also direct to a local sanctuary.

 

Eligibility & Requirements

• All Nationalities are welcome to apply but you will need to check to see if you are eligible for a tourist visa for your country of choice
• Most organisations will require you to be aged 18+ but sometimes there are special trips for 15-17 year olds and some places offer specific placements for families
• You might be required to have travel insurance
• If you have no previous experience doing something like this in the past do not worry, most organisations offer full training on arrival where you will learn about the types of tasks you will be asked to do
• Most organisations will require you to participate for a minimum of 2 weeks or longer but if you are on a short time scale you can usually visit some sanctuaries and help on a day trip or join special short term programs. We recommend you stay for at least 3 weeks just to get used to your tasks and really get to know your fellow staff

 

What to Consider Before Applying

Sometimes elephant sanctuaries are located in very rural areas miles away from the nearest town / city, if you are looking for a wild experience partying every night then working at a sanctuary might not be for you.

At a lot of centres you might find there is no wifi or phone connection but this on the other hand allows you to get away from normal life and do something totally different. Also consider the time you want to participate, if this is your first time doing something like this then maybe you are best staying for a short period e.g. 2 weeks to see how you find it and if you enjoy the experience extend your stay once at the project - this is usually easy to do.

If you are expecting to ride elephants you might be disappointed, most centres focus on conservation and allowing elephants to live in a natural environment. Most projects will require you to be aged 18 and over although some organisations accept families but some restrictions apply. If you are planning a holiday and you would like to join a taster trip e.g. a one day visit with hands on interaction familes are eligible and the price is cheaper for children.

You will need to check your destination to see if any inoculations or vaccinations are needed and to apply you will also need to be in good health. A positive attitude, the ability to be adaptable / flexible will also really help.

 

 

How to Apply

There is no best time to apply and positions are open all year round. Some times of the year are usually more popular than others e.g. summer so apply early to secure a spot, these programmes are some of the most popular voluntourism placements in the world. There is no best time to apply, placements are available all year round.

View our featured programs above or use our advanced search to find local local wildlife sanctuarys and organisations around the world. Please contact us direct if you need any specific help arranging a placement or for more options search all our wildlife volunteering programs.

 

Reviews & Testimonials 

"It had always been my dream to visit Thailand and help elephants but I was shocked by some of the fee's, some companies charging literally hundreds of pounds to participate. I volunteer with a wildlife sanctuary in Thailand, it was one of the cheapest I found with elephants at around £200 per week and I signed up. Before going the cost was a nagging feeling with me thinking how expensive this seemed when it should be free, even my family and friends were very negative about me paying. But when I arrived I saw first hand the inspiration work in rescuing and helping wildlife throughout South-East Asia I was amazed. They rely solely on donations and also volunteers who give up their time to help and without the money raised from donations and volunteers there would be no operation running." Paul, UK

"I made the choice to volunteer with Kindred Spirit Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand because it is a small and intimate program that puts the needs of their elephants first." - Deb, USA

"I volunteered at an elephant park in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand which was probably one of the best experiences of my life." - Jack Boad, UK