Tanzania: Wildlife Conservation Volunteering

Kilombero Valley Ornithological Centre is an NGO striving to conserve birds, their habitats and biodiversity within the Kilombero Valley.

We work with the local community to develop the sustainable use of natural resources to conserve threatened and near threatened bird species and the natural environment of the Kilombero Valley for the benefit of the public including future generations.

Please visit our website http://www.kvoc.co.uk/ for more information.

As our name might suggest, much of our work is focussed on birds in the region, but we also conduct a range of surveys looking at the rich biodiversity within the Kilombero Valley including reptiles, amphibians, small mammals and carnivores. One of the reasons that there is such a high level of wildlife in the region is the proximity of the Kilombero Valley to the Selous Game Reserve and Udzungwas Mountains National Park. The forests in this region are crucial to providing a habitat for the Ruipa Wildlife Corridor. Although much of this forest has been destroyed, areas with a large population of wildlife still remain.

We work closely with the local communities and schools in the area, including the Ulanga District Council. We also conduct socioeconomic surveys to try and better understand the impact that agriculture and farming in the region is having on the wildlife, and vice versa. We are a non-profit organisation and volunteer contributions are a key source of funding for the work that we do.

Currently, the costs for volunteers are US$700 per month. We are occasionally able to take volunteers for periods shorter than this if you are unable to commit to this length of time. Our volunteers contribute more and experience more of what the project has to offer if they stay for at least a couple of months. We are also happy to help students at college or university who would like to conduct fieldwork for their individual projects, provided this can be reconciled with ongoing work.

Students are eligible to apply for one of our internships, which run from 8-15 weeks at a cost of US$100 per week. The costs quoted above include collection from Julius Nyere International Airport in Dar Es Salaam and transport to the project site, as well as full board and lodging (shared accommodation or single person tent) once at the KVOC camp. All other costs must to be covered by the volunteer.