Research Internship
Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, South Africa

This exciting internship project is part of a larger, ongoing monitoring and research project focusing on habitat and wildlife fieldwork, as well as conservation management. Under the guidance of highly experienced field guides and a scientific coordinator, who ensure a high standard of the project and quality of data collected, the work conducted by interns is being used by reserve management to make informed decisions. These efforts have resulted in a comprehensive biodiversity data base collated for the reserve. This opportunity creates life changing experiences and lasting memories for interns. Your help will make a big difference to conservation and reserve management. Join now!

Location of the Project

The project is located in the 36,000 ha (90,000 acre) Welgevonden Private Game Reserve, located in the heart of the Waterberg Mountains, South Africa. The reserve has been included into the recently declared UNESCO Waterberg Biosphere and this private-public partnership is unique in terms of fast tracking the consolidation of the Waterberg Biosphere into a single large viable ecosystem. Private reserves in the Waterberg Biosphere manage the land under their control in line with national park policies and have played a significant role in rehabilitating the area, which was previously intensively used as farm and agricultural land.

The reserve is characterized by contrasting majestic mountain landscapes, grass covered hills and deep valleys. The impressive diversity of wildlife, including the Big Five, cheetah, rare species and an amazing variety of bird species (more than 300 spp.) is due to its location in the transitional zone between the dry western and moister eastern regions of southern Africa. The largest colony of endangered Cape vultures, more than 800 breeding pairs have settled in the surrounding mountains. The reserve is also home to an abundance of plant species including some rare yellowwood and cedar trees as well as 5m high cycads and tree ferns.

The seasons in the Waterberg region vary from very hot summers to mild and very cold winters. The higher altitude results in hot rainy summers starting in October and ending around March. The summer rains transform the region into a lush flowering paradise, but the increased foliage does make animals harder to see. The dry season is during the winter months from April to September and is very pleasant with warm dry days and cold nights. Traditionally, the best game viewing is in winter when vegetation becomes sparse and water is restricted to rivers and water holes.

Research Questions

The reserve was formed by a group of landowners who took down their fences in the late eighties in an attempt to re-wild their lands. As a result the area now comprises a mixture of natural veld (rangeland) and old farmland which in itself poses certain management questions that need to be addressed. The perimeter of the reserve is now fenced and therefore is a closed ecosystem requiring active management and conservation interventions.

Previously, the system would have been adapted to random fires, sparked by lightning, which would have burnt out naturally. These were controlled when the area was farmed. But the question is, should reserve managers keep controlling fires or let them burn naturally as they used to? Perhaps more importantly, what are the effects of these fires on the biodiversity of the region?

More questions come up. Which species, and how many of each species, can the reserve support? What are the best ways to maintain population sizes? Should some old farm management systems that increased the grazing value be continued? Experimental plots have been set up to investigate the effect of different management regimes on grass growth, species diversity, and herbivore usage. Which regimes are working best with the current objectives of the reserve?

The growing lion population is very important to land owners and tourism operators, however the high number of predators have also had negative impacts on the plains game and other herbivore populations. These herbivore and plains game species are not only predated by lions, but given the low nutritional value of the 'sourveld' environment are also limited in their normal population growth, to the extent that natural birth rates are low and a large number of game had to be replenished on an annual basis. It is therefore important to monitor the lion movements and distribution on the reserve as this is the main predation pressure to the herbivore population.

Another significant management issue on the reserve is one that is shared amongst many of South Africa's conservation areas; the apparent over-population of elephants. As national parks and game reserves are fenced, the ancient migratory routes used by elephants in a completely natural state have been blocked, and as a result elephants are forced to stay in unnaturally small areas where they can profoundly impact the ecosystem. Therefore population numbers must be controlled, either through contraception or culling. Welgevonden use a contraceptive called pZP which is injected into females and prevents sperm entering the egg post-copulation. It is hoped that there are minimal behavioural effects on the elephant's complex social system as females still enter oestrus and males enter musth. However, until now these influences have been poorly researched. Interns form an integral part in the long-term monitoring effort of the elephants which will eventually give great insights into the overall effectiveness of the method of population control.

Answering these fundamental questions is vital for the effective management of the reserve and, although management staff have probed at answers, they have never had the resources to investigate many of these issues in detail. For this reason scientific expertise is required and with the help of interns they can deliver recommendations through research projects.

Internship

Interns will receive training in survey methodologies and data collection protocols by the on-site intern / scientific coordinator and are fully supervised by qualified field staff. Developing and experiencing many skills in fieldwork, interns also have unique opportunities to encounter and photograph many species the average tourist can only dream of.

Interns complete a one week Bush Craft Training course which prepares them to safely work in a big game environment and give a foundation of knowledge on animal identification, tracking, and behaviour. During this week interns go on educational walks to get them used to being on foot in the bush.

The mornings of the remaining weeks are spent monitoring and collecting samples from pit line traps. These traps are 3 x 5m strips of partially buried plastic with buckets at the end; the concept is that small mammals, invertebrates and reptiles will try to by-pass the plastic and fall into the bucket so that they can be identified and counted. The remainder of the mornings is spent conducting bird point counts which give estimates of bird diversity in the area.

The afternoons are spent on three main tasks. Firstly some time is spent developing the rhino identikits. These take advantage of unique features on individual rhinos to form a database of all of the individuals on the reserve so that individual movements, social interactions and other behaviours can be monitored. Other times are dedicated to carrying out herbivore and bird transect counts, or dung counts on old farm lands and in recently burnt areas to give estimates of herbivore numbers and their usage of the experimental management blocks. Interns also have to radio-track the two main groups of lion on the reserve at least once a week. Finally, interns make observational notes on the behaviour of the contracepted elephants to generate a data base for the long-term monitoring program in the reserve.

To pack in this busy schedule, interns have breakfast at camp and then start work at 6 to 7am, depending on the morning task. Lunch is generally back at camp but sometimes packed lunches are prepared the night before if the group is working a long distance away from camp. Dinner is always back at camp except on occasion where the team will braai (BBQ) in the bush and then sleep out under the stars. Most workdays end at around 5 to 6pm but this depends on the type of activity being conducted and the area where the group is working.

These are long days and due to the type of work, interns must have a good level of personal fitness. Team members do not have to be physically strong but must have a good work ethic and be prepared to be flexible in their approach to their daily activities. Project tasks may sometimes be repetitive, however this is often inherent to data collection and your continued enthusiasm and efforts will make this an enjoyable experience.

Internship Duration

The project runs all year round and interss have to sign up for a minimum of 1 month or a maximum of 12 weeks. Please note that Christmas and New Year are quiet periods when many staff members may be on leave. Periods longer than 12 weeks must be arranged beforehand, and will be subject to visa approval.

Daily working hours average 8 hours a day and generally run 6 days per week. Note: Longer work days may be required depending on research requirements, data collection times, work load and the nature of activities.

Required Skills

There are no specific skills required, but interns should have:

• A love for nature and wildlife and a genuine desire to make a difference in conservation.
• Interns must be fit and healthy and be prepared to work hard! It is up to the interns to make the most of his / her stay at the reserve. Staff will provide guidance to ensure a rewarding experience, but ultimately each intern’s attitude will determine his / her enjoyment of the program.
• Intermediate fluency in English.
• Preferable, but not essential to have an International Drivers License especially if you wish to travel around SA after your stay at the project. The distances between towns are great and public transport is very limited.

Arrival and Departure

OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg (JNB) is the international gateway to southern Africa where interns will be met by a representative of the project. Interns must arrive at the airport before 12h00, and will be transferred to the reserve as one group departing at 13h00 on the 1st day of every month.

Interns that have arrived on earlier flights are therefore required to wait at the airport until this time. Interns that arrived during the previous day can overnight at the Africa Backpackers Centre (www.africacentre.co.za) or any other hotel near the airport. These interns are required to report at the International Arrivals Hall of the airport, on the starting date (before 12h00) in order to be transferred with other arrivals to the reserve. The reserve is about 250 km or a 3 h drive from the airport in Johannesburg.

The return transfer from the reserve to the OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg is also on the 1st of every month. The return transfer leaves the reserve early in the morning at 09h00, arriving at the airport at 12h00. Departure flights from OR Tambo Airport must be booked after 15h00 to allow for traffic and check-in delays.

Accommodation

Interns are accommodated at a research camp which is located near the main reception and administration buildings inside the reserve. There will be a maximum of 9 interns at any one time. Accommodation is either in the dormitory building at the staff house, or in the comfortable tented camp with permanent dining, kitchen and ablution facilities. Interns are required to share the accommodation tents with each other (same sex sharing cannot always be guaranteed). Comfortable sleeping stretchers are provided, but interns must bring their own sleeping bags, pillows and/or duvets. The staff house has a central dining and recreational area, outside verandah and lapa for barbeques, a fully equipped kitchen with stove, oven, fridge and freezer.

Interns live in a group environment and are expected to maintain cordial relationships with fellow interns and staff. Field staff stay on site at the farm house which provides an ideal opportunity for interns to gain first hand knowledge from experienced people about the challenges and rewards of living and working in the African bush.

The camp is also used for field research and various researchers, academics and dissertation students may be based at the camp. This is an ideal opportunity for interns to meet like minded individuals and make many new friends from around the world.

The camp has electricity and cellular phones, cameras, iPods and laptops can be charged. Please note that South Africa uses 220V with a 3 round prong power outlet.

Please remember the reserve is located in a rural area with only a small town about 20 km away. There are limited social activities and attractions in the area and is not ideal for interns that need to be in or near a big city! It is recommended that interns take ample reading material, card / board games, iPods, walkmans and similar items to entertain themselves.

Meal Arrangements

All meals are prepared by interns themselves from food supplies provided by the project organization. Most meals are taken in camp but if a full day of field work is required and depending on the distances from the camp, a packed lunch may be taken in the field. Interns will be scheduled to clean the camp themselves and must be willing to help with all camp duties. Vegetarian and other dietary requirements must be indicated on the booking form in order to cater for special meals.

Communication

There are limited communication facilities at the reserve. Field staff have one computer on site with a very basic internet connection, sufficient for email communication only. Interns may use this computer for email contact if arranged with the camp staff (at an additional cost). Internet facilities are available in Vaalwater, the nearest town 20km from the reserve. Usually a trip is taken into town every 2 weeks.  

It is highly recommended that interns bring their own mobile phones and purchase a “pay as you go” SIM card and air time vouchers at the airport or from a local store in one of the towns. Vodacom is the preferred network supplier in this region. There is an intermittent cell phone signal at the camp and around the reserve.

Health Issues

Note: The reserve is located in a malaria free area.
Interns are required to have a comprehensive medical and travel insurance policy, including emergency evacuation before arrival at the reserve. A copy of the policy will be required upon arrival. Interns are also required to sign an Indemnity Form with the Reserve Management upon arrival at the camp.

We recommend that interns are vaccinated and take appropriate preventative measures against potential diseases like typhoid; hepatitis A & B; diphtheria – tetanus – polio; measles-mumps-rubella; varicella (chicken pox); HIV/AIDS; and traveler’s diarrhea. You can read more about up to date health issues and required vaccinations on Center for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov) and www.mdtravelhealth.com. Additionally, it is advisable that you bring sufficient supplies of personal medication. Most towns have pharmacies, but they may not have your medication in stock.

The medical facilities around the reserve are basic and not capable of dealing with serious trauma or illness. In the unlikely event of either of the above you will be evacuated to Pretoria (200 km) where excellent medical facilities are available.

During the wet season, it is strongly recommended that interns protect themselves against ticks as some tick-borne diseases can be serious. Preventative measures like wearing long sleeves, long pants, hats and shoes rather than sandals, and insect repellents are recommended. We advise using insect repellents containing 20-35% DEET or 20% Picaridin (Bayrepel) to exposed skin. DEET may also be applied to clothing. Products with a lower concentration need to be re-applied more frequently.

Packing List specifically for this Project

Interns are required to wear neutral coloured clothing suitable for working in the bush, i.e. denim or khaki pants and cotton shirts. The following clothing is suggested: trousers and shorts; T-shirts and collared shirts (short and long); light weight hiking boots; open shoes / sandals; socks; hat; jacket; rain coat. For specific tasks that require special clothing (i.e. fire management), interns will receive an overall which has to be returned to the organization at the end of their stay. Interns must also bring their own sleeping bag, pillow, duvet / blanket, small backpack (rucksack) to carry food, water, raincoat etc.; and 2 water bottles.

Suggested Readings

It is strongly recommended that all participants read the reference materials listed below as these will provide valuable background information. This will help to put the project goals and activities into context, and allow interns to gain as much from this experience as possible.

• Welgevonden Private Game Reserve website http://www.welgevonden.org/
• Kilian, P.J. (2003) The ecology of reintroduced lions on the Welgevonden Private Game Reserve, Waterberg. MSc Thesis. University of Pretoria. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-09072005-091726/unrestricted/00front.pdf

Bertschinger, H. et al. (2008). Chapter 6 - Reproductive Control of Elephants. Page 209–222. In: R.J. Scholes and K.G. Mennell (eds) Elephant Management: A Scientific Assessment of South Africa. Witwatersrand University Press, Johannesburg. http://www.elephantassessment.co.za/

BOOKING

Dates:

Starting and ending on the 1st day of each month. We host interns every month throughout the year (including December). If interns are unable to start on the 1st day of a month, please consult with our office.

Note:

• Deposit is payable 4 weeks after pre-booking.
• Outstanding amount is payable 2 months prior to the start of the project.
  

Price Includes:

• Airport transfers to and from the reserve at the start and conclusion of the project
• Accommodation in the research camp
• Three meals a day catered by interns
• Full time staff members to supervise and support interns
• Project components - orientation, training, research and practical modules
• All activities, on-site transportation, game drives and game walks
• Academic supervision and project management
• Field guides, text books, training manuals, PDA’s, GIS software & hardware
• Survey equipment, radio telemetry equipment
• Project placement and management fee

Price Excludes:

• International roundtrip airfare to South Africa
• Compulsory travel, medical and evacuation insurance
• Immunizations
• Drinks. These can be bought on the way to the reserve
• Communication (phone calls, emails)
• Personal expenses
• Personal travel excursions and adventure activities

How to Book

• Any person above the age of 18 years is encouraged to apply.
• There is no specific booking date, but full payments need to be made 2 months prior to arrival.
• Interns are required to book a minimum of 1 month, starting the 1st day of each month and ending on the 1st day of the next month.
• Complete and submit the Booking Form electronically, or mail or fax it to the office of Eko Tracks.
• Interns must also submit a short CV (resume).
• Once we have received your booking form you will be pre-booked on the project and be sent a confirmation letter.
• After receiving the deposit, your place on the project is secured.
• Eko Tracks will also send you a tour dossier with information about the passport, flight schedules, vaccinations, and a packing list to assist you in preparing for the trip.