Great Barrier Reef: An Eco Friendly Volunteering Tour in Australia

The Great Barrier Reef is among the many attractions that Australia has to offer. It is also home to a huge population of marine turtles. However, because of disease, starvation and injuries caused by discarded fishing gear, boats or the ingestion of plastic materials and products that these gentle animals mistake for food, marine turtles are constantly rescued and taken into care. Fortunately, there are rehabilitation centres that take injured sea turtles brought in from the Reef and rehabilitate them, giving them specialised care and treatment.

A Rehabilitation Centre for sick marine turtles on the Great Barrier Reef is kept alive by volunteers as well as by donations from local businesses. Over the last 10 years, the centre has seen and treated in excess of 170 sick and injured Green, Olive Ridley and Hawksbill turtles, of which many have contracted "floaters disease," a disease common to sea turtles.

Volunteers offer their time and effort to assist. As you can imagine, there is feeding and cleaning to do, tourist tours to run and turtles to rescue and release. It is a great contribution to this self-sustainable rehabilitation centre as it could not be run without their help.  The volunteers get something in return of course, as this is very unique and special work and vacancies are limited. Where else would you get to be so close with some of the most prehistoric creatures on earth?

The centre is very much in need of additional hands that assist them in rehabilitating these turtles while sustainable and humane practices are promoted with the use of education initiatives to locals and tourists. Volunteers can enjoy being close with the turtles while completing simple tasks including cleaning turtle tanks, feeding the turtles, scratching the turtles, performing reef monitoring research, turtle release and providing any kind of assistance when requested. Volunteers may also enjoy a special visit to the Intensive Care Unit where they can see local volunteers care for critically injured or very sick turtles. Volunteers are expected to work in hot, humid, or wet weather, depending on the season in which they visit. You do not need to have any special skills to volunteer at this rehabilitation centre. The only requirement for this kind of volunteering projects is a love for animals and their welfare.

Blog Source URL: http://www.oceans2earth.org/volunteer/blog/an-eco-friendly-volunteering-tour-in-australia

Animal Volunteering Programs – A Helping Hand

Joining animal volunteering programs is a great opportunity to lend a helping hand to animal welfare and wildlife conservation groups, and many animal volunteer recruitment agencies offer you the opportunity to join a variety of animal volunteer programs abroad. Australia has only one organisation that is dedicated to animal volunteer recruitment giving you access to local animal welfare and wildlife conservation projects that no one else offers. Volunteering in Australia is a great way to experience hands-on animal rescue and rehabilitation and the opportunity to care for its beautiful wildlife.

Animal volunteering programs are a great way to spend your summer because they give people who have a love for animals, the opportunity to get up close and care for wildlife and the environment where they live. Projects can include animal rehabilitation, rescue, marine conservation, wildlife care, research, veterinary assistance and education programs. You can choose where to contribute by looking at the details of a project and seeing which one is suitable. Look at the location, types of animals you will be caring for, the type of work involved, the work hours and the length of stay.

Volunteers may prefer a one-week volunteering holiday or a longer three month stay. A non-profit volunteer recruitment organisation can help arrange your trip to Australia and connect you with a suitable Australian wildlife project. Reputable not for profit volunteer recruitment organisations are able to offer access to ethical wildlife conservation and animal welfare projects. Some also offer opportunities in other countries such as South America, Asia and Africa, so you should be able to find the right program for you.

You may choose to travel alone, however to make volunteer work more enjoyable, invite some of your friends and family with you. Animal volunteer programs can provide some valuable and unique experiences with animals like kangaroos, wallabies, monkeys, lions, bears, elephants, and turtles, and if you have someone to share it with, it can be an even more amazing experience. Many animal welfare organizations will welcome a helping hand from volunteers to keep their services running for the animals and help promote their cause, however ensure you book through a reputable volunteer recruitment organisation so you know you’re contributing to something legitimate.

Blog Source URL: http://www.oceans2earth.org/volunteer/blog/animal-volunteering-programs%E2%80%93a-helping-hand

Things You Need to Know About Australian Conservation and Animal Welfare Volunteers

Volunteerism is very much alive in Australia and people from across the country and the world are finding Australia the perfect place to get immersed in animal welfare. Volunteer travel, otherwise known as volunteerism is a popular concept among travellers to this side of the world, combining their vacation or holiday trip abroad with some volunteer opportunities that open them up to local conservation and volunteer projects, and a whole lot of life-changing experiences.

The opportunities for conservation and animal welfare volunteer travel are few and far between in Australia. Opportunities to care for wildlife are only found through select organisations who have built relationships with animal welfare organisations and/or wildlife carers over time and have structured local and international volunteer programs to suit. If are wanting to volunteer with animals, you will need to find such an organisation.

Australia is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world and, as such, threats to its natural beauty and resources are inevitable. The country is one of the most environmentally diverse places in the world and boasts sprawling desserts, coral reefs, sparkling coastlines, snow-capped mountains and vibrant cities. However, the influx of tourists wishing to admire these attractions is taking its toll on the natural environment. For example, tourists removing coral from the Great Barrier Reef. Also, because of climate change, pollution, urban development and agriculture, much of its beauty diminishes year after year. Fortunately, attempts to curb the trend are visible through various conservation projects and volunteering opportunities that various government and not-government organisations pursue and implement, and efforts to conserve Australia’s natural diversity are plenty. Due to the multitude of passionate individuals who dedicate their time to care for this land and its inhabitants, great and unique opportunities have become available. As a volunteer with one of these organisations, you can follow your passion or your curiosity and contribute to conserving some of the most precious natural resources in the world, and it’s animals in need.  

There is only a short list of conservation and animal welfare organisations that you can become affiliated with in Australia if you wish to pursue volunteerism in this country, and only one Australian-owned organisation that is dedicated to animal projects only. They offer the opportunity to travel to various parts of the country including the coast, the forest, the reef and the outback, and places you may not have seen before caring for animals and the environment. Conservation and animal welfare groups tackle the ramifications of climate change, pollution, displacement and human/wildlife conflict, all of which are integrated into the larger scheme of things that encompasses complex environmental and conservation issues. Volunteers can do their part, no matter how small, and can become involved in caring for hurt and displaced animals or in a variety of conservation different activities such as planting trees, rebuilding wildlife habitats and restoring forests (weed control, invasive species control, etc.

Volunteer projects start from a week’s contribution to a matter of months depending on how much time you’ve got to spend.  

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.