Do you want to support a Wildlife Research Team in a Big 5 Game Reserve and make a real difference in conservation? It doesn’t matter if you are looking for a meaningful holiday, purposeful sabbatical, or a place to conduct field research – Selati Research is the place for you. You don’t need any previous knowledge or experience – all you need is a passion for wildlife & conservation!
Work with us and learn about nature & wildlife all whilst getting a once in a lifetime conservation experience!
Conduct research with us
Do you require a thesis or dissertation about a wildlife-related topic? Are you involved in a research project but are in need of somewhere to conduct your fieldwork? Our team consists of scientists, wildlife managers, ecologists and field guides who will support your research work!
Your Conservation Adventure!
Volunteers are at the core of the work we undertake and are key in enhancing the reserve’s conservation efforts. At Selati you will contribute to real conservation work. You will be directly involved in the daily tasks of the Selati Research Team and you will be actively helping endangered wildlife species.
Research-Activities
You will support the Research Team in their daily tasks of monitoring, data collecting, maintenance of our camera traps and many more conservation & research related tasks. Your help is also needed in the office in the form of camera trap processing and data entry. For those with longer stays, you may also have the opportunity to develop your own project if desired.
Education
Learn about the reserve’s ecology and the role that each species has on the ecosystem. Gain an understanding of the impact that population growth & decline has on the environment. Get to know animal behaviour, tracks, and signs on daily game drives.
Work with wild animals
Help monitor endangered and vulnerable species (lion, cheetah and rhino). Support us in collecting data about leopards, elephants, hyenas, and many more. Sometimes animals have to be immobilised in order to fit collar, treat an injury, or relocate the animal. You will be directly involved in that amazing experience.
Collect memorable moments
Working in conservation can be hard work. There will be some long, hot days but we always try to get breaks and time to explore the reserve and have some fun! Sundowners, climbing up a koppie or even having a sleep out in the bush! Braai and talk with like-minded people about wildlife & conservation.
Help us create a conservation legacy!
This project helps tremendously to keep the reserve running and our wildlife safe! All the income generated from the Volunteer-Programme enables us to carry out the work that the Research Team does.
Starting days are on Mondays only. We plan each programme around two, three and four-week “cycles.” However, we can accommodate long-term stay too. We do recommend a stay of at least two weeks to get the best benefit from the experience. Check out our available dates online on our booking platform.
Prices 2025
HIGH SEASON (Mar – Oct)
14 nights or less
15 - 29 nights
30 nights or more
LOW SEASON (Nov -Feb)
14 nights or less
15 - 29 nights
30 nights or more
Included
Self-organise
5 Reasons why to choose Selati Research
Big 5 Private Game Reserve
Work in a 27’000ha Big 5 Private Game Reserve. Human footprint on the reserve is minimal.
Hands-on Experience
Directly involved in field work and supporting wildlife management
Meaningful Contribution
Small groups, real conservation, authentic research
Education
Learn about the reserve’s ecology, biology and understand the role that certain species have on the ecosystem.
Experienced Team
Wildlife Manager, Field Guides, Ecologists and Scientists
“I genuinely loved each and every day at Selati! Having the opportunity to spend time with so many wild animals on the drives and also around camp was astonishing. Being so close to lions, rhinos, elephants and cheetahs is something that still continues to blow my mind! It was also incredible to learn from Matt, Mads, and Steve about life on the reserve, from tracking animals, dehorning rhinos, and discussing the ‘bigger picture’ of conserving the wider ecosystem. Aside from being literal super-humans, they also made us feel welcome and at home throughout our stay, going above and beyond to fit in the excursions that we wanted to do and organising a sleep out.
There was a mind blowing highlight every single day which has left me speechless through the volunteer experience! Getting the two young male lions back from the neighbouring reserve set the bar very high on day one and certainly ensured that our first couple of hours in SA would be well remembered! Other highlights include walking the male cheetah back under the fence in the river, and seeing a young bull elephant pulling down a branch and eating on the side of the road before dragging the branch into our path. Although these were impressive moments, the most breathtaking highlight was being on foot with the female cheetah when she was eating a kill and then did a warning charge! Trying to explain how incredible these experiences were to people at home has been impossible and the photos really don’t do any justice to just how magical Selati is. Just having the chance to experience and help during the different operations with animals has been a pleasure and I cannot thank you enough!
I wasn’t expecting to learn half as much as I did during the couple of weeks I was there! I have gained so much knowledge about wildlife, tracking, tree species, animals I didn’t even dream of seeing, animal behaviour, collecting data and how it all comes together when working to conserve the wider ecosystem! It’s also been intriguing to learn about South Africa’s culture outside of the reserve and discuss some wider cultures and their beliefs and how this impacts some of the work you do at Selati. The knowledge I have left with is purely down to Mads, Matt, and Steve who took the time to discuss things in detail and were very approachable if we ever had any questions. Their explanations were clear and engaging, making learning about reserve life genuinely fascinating!
I’m sure 99% of the volunteers say they’ve had an experience of a lifetime, and this feedback form already sounds like a cringey cliché, but I have genuinely loved every single moment at Selati and cannot thank you all enough for a fantastic experience. There aren’t the words to explain to people at home the magic that happens at Selati, but it is something that I won’t be forgetting any time soon! With any luck, I would love to come back and do it all again, but until then I hope you know how much the last couple of weeks have meant to us! I cannot wait to see the next adventures happening at Selati! Thank you for everything!”
Megan, Beth and Jessica, from the UK, volunteered with us in 2023 for 19 daysFollow Selati Research on Social Media for more insights:
