CTAHR’s study-abroad program in South Africa is an exciting opportunity for students to visit Africa while learning about African Ecology and Conservation Ecology. Students get to live in a camp at Balule Nature Reserve, part of the Greater Kruger National Park in Limpopo Province of South Africa. The camp has thatched-roof cabins, an outdoor bathroom, a kitchen, a covered common area, and a fire pit where dinner is cooked every night. The camp has no fences, so animals such as elephants, giraffes, and hyenas are free to come in and out of the camp. There will never be a day when you won’t see an animal roaming around. Watch the video here!
The course can be taken as a 3- or 6-credit class or as non-credit. While there are formal lectures, the course is mostly hands-on field work. Each day is a different task—one day you can be setting up camera traps to learn about animal behavior, another day you’ll be learning about how to use herbicides to control invasive vegetation.
Students also have the opportunity to interact with the people in the surrounding community, including going on patrol with the Black Mambas, a local all-female anti-poaching unit. Not only do you learn about global conservation efforts concerning rhinos and elephants, you’ll also get to learn why it’s important from a local perspective to save these animals.
If you’ve ever been curious about what it’s like to live in the African bush and see beautiful animals, or if you just want to make positive impact, this is the perfect opportunity for you! Besides learning about a different culture and living in a unique environment, you’ll also learn about yourself through this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Learn more here or contact PEPS Professor Mark Wright at markwrig@hawaii.edu.