Tuesday 14 July 2015

Animal Welfare and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Volunteer Projects in Australia


Habitat conservation and animal welfare continue to be the main focus of many volunteer projects in Australia. This is because natural wildlife habitats also continue to be threatened because of environmental and manmade reasons. Fortunately, there are many different organisations and groups that are steadfast in pursuing their mission to promote wildlife conservation and general animal welfare. This provides you plenty of opportunities to do your part in helping save the environment and its inhabitants from neglect and ensuring a richer place to live in for generations to come.

Every animal species requires its own set of environmental conditions to move around, feed, live, reproduce, and thrive. Over time, however, we have seen these habitats destroyed either by natural disasters or by humans. Mining, industrial and commercial projects and developments have been at the forefront of this destruction and these kinds of threatening activities have jeopardised the ability of wildlife to survive. Couple this with climate change and we are witnessing two of the biggest major threats to the welfare of the environment and its inhabitants in our lifetime. We need to see a shift in our way of thinking and decisions makers must feel compelled to act. By implementing policies and programs that protect natural habitats, wildlife is also protected. In Australia, countless organisations play leading roles in campaigning for and protecting natural animal habitats and have turned their attention to ensuring animals who fall victim to negative human intervention of some kind are well cared for in welfare in shelters and sanctuaries, with the aim to release back into the wild. Animal welfare and conservation organisations are integral in holding Governments and decision makers accountable for shaping sound conservation policies when managing forests, National Parks and other conservation areas to ensure that wildlife can thrive in their natural environments.

When seeking out opportunities to help animal welfare and habitat conservation initiatives, it is best to find ethical volunteer recruitment organisations whose goals are to protect animals and the environment. While many companies provide opportunities to help, many fail in delivering sustainable projects that are required to ensure long term change. When looking for an organisation that cares for rescued animals and wildlife, do your homework and ask the organisation what checks and measures they have in place to ensure the animal’s best interest are at heart.  

Learn All About Overseas Volunteer Programs Available in Australia




Feel like volunteering? If you find yourself developing a strong motivation and desire to contribute to society, you can participate in countless different programs—a compulsion that can only be satiated by leaving your comfort zone and heading out to volunteer. With the number of volunteer organisations eager to take you under their wings and nurture your heart for volunteerism and conservation, it can be quite overwhelming to select a program that will best suit what you want to accomplish. Depending on your goals, the following categories can help you make an informed decision on the kind of program you should invest your time and yourself in:

  • Short-term volunteer programs – Most short-term programs are focused on cultural learning experiences. Some of these are non-profit, while some are for profit. Short-term intercultural placements in fact, make up the majority of today's overseas volunteer programs. Most don't require specific professional or educational qualifications.

  • Long-term volunteer programs – Long-term programs focus more on empowering local people or the program beneficiaries. These often involve some form of skills transfer, which means you may be required to have a certain professional or educational degree or qualification.

  • Conservation or environmental volunteer programs – These are the types of programs that are mainly concerned with environmental and conservation work out in the field. The motivations and goals of organisations involved in these kinds of causes are wildly varied, but most focus on environmental issues on a local scale. These types of volunteer programs are advisable if you want projects that are results-oriented.

  • Relief/emergency volunteer programs – The focus of emergency and relief volunteer programs is on relieving emergency situations that often arise as a result of natural disasters or political/civil conflicts. These programs often run on short notice and are concentrated on basic needs like food, water, medicine, sanitation, shelter, and rescue.