Guest blog by volunteer – Rosie
My time volunteering at the Free to be Wild Sanctuary was more special than I could have hoped for or expected. I was warmly welcomed by all the staff and volunteers from the moment I arrived. The sanctuary itself is a haven where you can work hands on with a large variety of wildlife ranging from mongoose to antelope and from monkeys to giraffes.Â
There is plenty to get involved in from the start and it was great to be able to contribute to making the lives of animals in need better. The most exciting part was the hope that some of the animals I worked with would get the opportunity to be release back into the wild to thrive in their natural habitats. Â
Each day we would spend time prepping and feeding each animal. The most interesting for me was the twice daily feeding of Terry, the one-winged lappet faced vulture. We would also spend the mornings taking the troop of baboons for a bush walk, which was magical for many reasons. It was awesome to be able to interact with such playful and cheeky wild animals daily, but more importantly it was brilliant to be part of a process that helps teach the Baboons how to forage, groom and generally live as a fully formed troop. This is an important part of the processes needed to allow the release of these animals back into the wild.Â
Another key part of our day was spent doing various projects around the sanctuary, such as maintenance & cleaning of the enclosures, enrichment for all the animals and ad-hoc building of new structures needed (e.g., zebra & giraffe feeding stations). These activities are a great way to immerse yourself in the day to day of being part of a Sanctuary and give you the opportunity to work with all the amazing and knowledgeable staff who contribute to the daily operations of FTBW.Â
I can’t thank everyone at FTBW enough for making my time there so special. It was incredibly hard to leave, even after extending my stay twice already. So hard that I have already planned my return and can’t wait to be back in Bulawayo for more wonderful experiences and opportunities to work with the most amazing animals and people.Â
Join our Volunteer Facebook Group
Thinking about volunteering at Free to be Wild? Join our Facebook group for more information. It is a place for all volunteers (past, present and future) to come together and talk about volunteering at Free to be Wild and Zimbabwe.
