Animal Volunteering Around the World

Save the Whales. 

      Did you know that there are 12 different kinds of whales on the endangered species list?  This is because whales and their habitats are being attacked.  How can you help the whales? 

Volunteer Opportunities:  You can be part of a volunteer whale tracking team.  You would be responsible for watching the whales and collecting data.  There are 28 locations in Oregon from which you could help count and keep track of migrating whales.  You could volunteer for a minimum timespan of two days.  Earthwatch Institute also provides six and eight day migration vacations in Canada and Mexico to track gray whale migration.  Additionally, Biosphere Expeditions and Oceanic Society also offer research expeditions to locations like Costa Rica or the Azores for 10 to 14 days. 

      Did you know that around 15,000 exotic felines are kept captive in America even though they are banned as pets in America?  Most of these big cats live in small cages or are penned outside to lure customers.  Nearly all of these big cats will die within two years of being bought.  The number of tigers has decreased to only about 6,000 worldwide, and three of eight tiger subspecies have been extinct.  Habitat loss and hunting have contributed to the reduction in big cats, as around 54,000 animals are shot each year for sport.  

Volunteer Opportunities:  You can take on a three month internship at the Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge in Tyler, Texas and at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida.  Wild About Cats also offers trips to South Africa for ten days to study leopard populations.  The leopards are captured and fit with radio collars and then monitored.  The Cheetah Conservation Fund offers opportunities to volunteer in Kenya and Namibia for administration and education to animal care.  The Cat Survival Trust in England cares for bobcats, snow leopards, and caracals.  Peace River Refuge and Ranch has a number of volunteer opportunities including four week internship programs.  Contact these programs if you are interested.

Research and Protect Manatees. 

     Did you know that even though manatees can live for about 60 years, most of them die before they are ten years old.  It is unfortunate that many manatees are killed by boaters.  This means that there are only about 2,000 – 3,000 manatees left in the wild.  They have been on the endangered animals’ list, but recently many of these protections have been removed.  If you love the manatees and want to help them, you can take a vacation in which you could study the manatees.  There are several organizations that participate in the studying of manatees.  EarthWatch Institute has two week expeditions of manatees in Belize to study their behavior and habitat requirements.  The Manatee Behavioral Ecology Program needs volunteers in Florida to study how manatees respond to watercraft.  Global Vision International studies orphaned manatees in Belize, and the minimum requirement is to stay for two months.  In Fort Pierce, Florida, The Manatee Observation and Education Center needs guides, special events assistants, and grant writers. 

Volunteer Opportunity:  There are many organizations that need help with observing, collecting data, and more about manatees to help protect them.  You can contact one of the organizations listed above if you are interested. 

You Can Save the Sea Turtles and Sea Turtle Habitats. 

       Did you know that even though turtles have been around for over 100 million ears, they are today struggling to survive?  We, as humans, are responsible for their plight.  If sea turtles were to become extinct, the ramifications would be enormous.  For example, green sea turtles eat sea grass that grows on the sea floor.  This grass must remain short for species of fish and other marine life to breed and survive.  Therefore, if these sea turtles were to become extinct, it would negatively impact the lives of other sea animals too.  All seven species of sea turtles, which include flatback, leatherback, hawksbill, green, Kemp’s ridley, olive ridley, and loggerhead turtles are protected by the Endangered Species Act.  Dangers to these sea turtles include commercial fishing nets, poaching of eggs, pollution, dredging of coastal areas, and human demand for sea turtle parts continues to rise. 

Volunteer Opportunities:  You can go around the world to help sea turtles.  In Greece, Peloponnesus, Crete, and Zakynthos are major nesting areas where volunteers are needed to monitor the beaches, particularly in May through October.  In Costa Rica, preparing sea turtle hatcheries, clearing the beaches to facilitate nesting, and nightly patrols are needed to protect sea turtles.  In Kenya, the Watamu Turtle Watch involves helping with beach patrols, turtle releases, nest excavation, and research.  Finally, on the Michoacan coast of Mexico there are two beaches with the largest populations of two sea turtles species in the world.  You can help keep sea turtle nesting areas safe. 

Help Save Bottlenose Dolphins.  

      Did you know that bottlenose dolphins and 37 other species face potential extinction?  Many of these dolphin species are either critically or seriously endangered, such as the black dolphins, pink dolphins, Amazon River dolphins, and Yangtze River dolphins.  Humans are responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of bottlenose dolphins.  Pollution and contamination of the environment are hurting dolphins who are building up high level of contaminants.  Additionally, river and marine dolphins are dying when they collide with boats or when they swallow trash, such as debris, balls, nets, and plastics.    Around 20,000 dolphins are killed each year due to a fishing technique called purse-seining.  Huge nylon nets that are up to one mile long are used to catch yellowfin tuna, but many dolphins are caught and crushed along with the tuna.  Driftnets and gill nets kill many bottlenose dolphins.  They are even hunted for oil, food, and other uses.  Japan is thought to be the largest consumer of dolphin meat.  These gentle animals need our help. 

Volunteer Opportunities:   The Bahamas, Brazil, Belize, New Zealand, Spain, and Greece all offer volunteering opportunities in which you may be able to track dolphins, record their behavior, and collect data. 

     Did you know that chimpanzees now longer live in 13 of 25 African countries that they once inhabited, and that chimpanzees living in West Africa could become extinct within 40 years if we don’t act quickly?  Many chimpanzees are killed in Africa for their meat.  Killing the adults leaves behind orphans who must fend for themselves, and often die.  Deforestation is also negatively impacting chimpanzee numbers.  The trees are being cut down for crop land.  It is estimated that more than 90% of primate habitats in Africa will likely be gone within the next 25 years if we don’t help. 

Volunteer Opportunities:   You can get involved with either research or conservation work with organizations that are working with rescued and orphaned chimpanzees.  You can volunteer at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, which invites volunteers for weeks or months at a time.  There are also chimp sanctuaries in both Europe and the United States that could use your help.  Earthwatch Institute has two week volunteer vacations at Central Washington University to serve chimpanzee conservation efforts.    Chimp Haven is a chimpanzee sanctuary in Louisiana for chimps that were used in the entertainment industry, in biomedical research, or were once pets for people who became tired of them.  Save the Chimps has sanctuaries in Florida and New Mexico for chimpanzees that have been retired from research labs or entertaining  They also would like support from volunteers. 

Restore Coral Reefs. 

      Coral reefs are rapidly disappearing, despite the fact that they have some of the oldest ecosystems found on our planet.  When we allow coral reefs to disappear, we are hurting ourselves.  Many medications are found in coral reefs.  For example, antiviral drugs and anti-cancer agents have been found in Caribbean reef sponges.  The Indian Ocean is said to promise new medicine for tumors, breast and liver cancers, and leukemia.  The Bahamian coral has had anti-inflammatory properties.  Around the world, nearly one third of all coral reefs have disappeared, and more than 60 percent of ocean reefs will be lost by 2030 if we don’t step in and try to conserve them.  Volunteer Opportunities:  In Egypt, Fiji, Honduras, and the Philippines, there are coral reef conservation expeditions by the Coral Cay Conservation.  The Earthwatch Institute has preservation and recovery opportunities in Seychelles, Belize, the Bahamas, and Thailand for nine to fifteen day excursions.  The Reef Doctor allows participants to work on coral reef restoration and research in southwest Madagascar.  The Reef Ball Foundation provides certified scuba divers the chance to help with transplanting, propagation, and coral rescue and reef restoration.  They also need volunteers to assist with the building and deploying of reefballs.