Dog Wildlife Scent Detection Internship

Dog scent detection wildlife surveys | Project Intern | Role & Placement Information 

About the programme:
Based on a non-big 5 wildlife reserve and dog training and rescue centre in South Africa, learn and practice canine behaviour working with dogs trained to survey and detect endangered wildlife via scent-based tracking. 

You’ll be based on a rich farmstead & reserve habitat between the world-renowned Kruger National Park and Blyde River Canyon. This opportunity provides students or interns a rare chance to gain a practical understanding and skills in canine cognition and its use in scientific or forensic capacities.

Take part in dog-based activities & training regimes focused on teaching and improving these working dogs' natural scent detection abilities, ensuring they're able to perform successfully during wildlife research surveys and patrols in the African bush.  

In addition to the conservation and research function of the dog centre, it also rescues and rehabilitates dogs who are housed onsite, as well as supporting and working with the wider community area to provide care to stray dogs or pets, and even supports with hydrotherapy.

This region is very remote, with some villages and pet owners being unable to access the necessary resources or medical understanding needed to treat their dogs. As such, spaying (neutering) and vaccination initiatives are also completed by the centre, to help animal welfare and the welfare of pet owners, who suffer with their beloved animals. 

Canine-based diseases are often particularly threatening to endangered wildlife species. Canine distemper or rabies as examples are carried by stray dogs and particularly threaten predators such as lions, leopards, African wild dogs (Lycaon Pictus) or hyenas. Supporting the health of dogs or strays in rural communities proactively reduces the risk of local wildlife epidemics.  

Schedule and work hours:
Monday to Friday

All projects, training and activities will be lead by onsite staff who are familiar with the area & environment you’ll be working in, as well as expert canine behaviouralists, researchers & scientists, as well as partner organisations or wildlife conservation groups you’ll work closely with.

Most days start early in the morning, with the dogs up and active… ready for as much exercise and attention they can get their paws on!

After a quick grab and go style breakfast for yourself, you’ll help with the preparation of the dogs morning meal as well as snacks relied on throughout the day to reinforce the dog training agenda. 

You might have a briefing in the morning and a discussion as a team with the planned exercises and activities of the day, where and how you are going to be practising with the dogs, or even any specific care or feeding, or behavioural requirements.  

After a morning check to ensure the well-being and health of all the animals onsite, as well as basic essentials of feeding or cleaning of any enclosures, you’ll begin several active hours of exercise, repetitive reinforcement training or even mock patrols and tests to scent detect decoys or targets. 

Any field days that the dogs take part in during scientific surveys or research are possible thanks to this regular training, based on canine behavioural techniques and skills. Ensuring that the dogs (as well as you!) understand what’s expected during a survey is critical for ensure their success and practicality as a scientific research methodology. 

On the days when you aren’t rehearsing and practising the dog training at the centre, you’ll be exploring and working on the farmstead grounds and wildlife habitat around it, conducting patrols, walks or other activities focusing on conservation and wildlife protection. 

During days where you're taking part in community outreach and support, you’ll leave the centre as a group via vehicle to where you're needed, meet and work with locals living in the surrounding area or villages in it, going to areas that welcome the medical help you're able to provide their own dogs, animals or even the community itself. 

After your daily activities.
You’ll typically break in the early evening and are able to fill your time as you wish, this might mean spending a bit of extra time with the dogs to just play and socialise, helping with some gardening and farming, or most likely socialising with the other students or group participants living on site in this communal and friendly environment! 

Weekends and free time
Free time you can spend at the centre or choose to head out for some of the many activities in the area. Go solo or with your group and visit local reserves to do a safari drive or bush walk, meet rural communities in the area to get to know the local culture, take part in mountain hikes, boat rides or panorama tours… this is South Africa’s wild frontier! 

Projects you'll work on:

We’ll expect you to take part in a variety of different projects and goals while you are with us to help with ongoing conservation work and research. 

• Dog scent-based wildlife research surveys
• Canine behavioural training
• Canine rehabilitation and care
• Canine hydrotherapy
• Dog & community vaccination work
• Dog & community neutering programs
• Community outreach and development
• Conservation & habitat management
• Farmstead duties & reserve management
• Wildlife surveys
• Anti-poaching patrols
• Offsite activities & excursions

University credits
We’re able to offer students and those serious about a career in wildlife conservation enrolment in a diploma equivalent of 16 UCAS points (UK) or 10 College credits (US), this diploma is based on the work you’ll be doing in South Africa.

The diploma requires a minimum of 2 week practical involvement with projects

Canine professional accreditations – You can also join a professional accreditation in dog training & canine cognition, this is an optional course and diploma that typically lasts several weeks. 

As such its should be considered carefully and in advance of arriving, if you would like further details into the course syllabus, its structure & accredited status, please contact our team. 

Highlights:

• Dog training and canine behaviour — Learn and build skills working under professional dog trainers and wildlife research experts, a rewarding & career investing opportunity for anyone serious about working with dogs. 
   
• Support African wildlife research  — These working dogs are trained to detect hard-to-locate species, understand this valuable method of surveying and how it’s useful for scientific research. This method of ecological surveying is novel, and provides several unique advantages over other techniques, particularly with located critically endangered or elusive species of mammal. 
   
• An incredible region — The centre is an ideal base to explore the Kruger National Park & Blyde River canyon, many people travel here just for the adventure, and you’ll be able to benefit from this organically as you explore the area on patrols, surveys or even activities like mountain hikes, big 5 safaris or discovering temperate rainforests. 
   
• Community care — From vaccination & neutering programs to rescuing strays, support local rural communities with pet care, help with eco-investment, from building kennels to sustainable agriculture. 
   
• An active adventure — From training with dogs with endless energy, patrolling through reserves looking for animals or to remove snares, this is a physical & rewarding role.  

The placements include:
During your time at the dog research & rescue centre, you'll be housed onsite and in shared student or volunteer accommodation. 

- Food and drink onsite
- Accommodation
- Inclusion in projects
- Dates out and off-site project activities 
- Personal development with dog training
- Transportation in South Africa
- Equipment
- 24/7 on site support
- Wifi access

Facilities are basic, but comfortable, with safari style tents with fixed beds, storage space, lighting and electric avaliable onsite to ensure your comfortable, and able to study and train effectively. 

Apply for this role
Thank you for your interest in supporting our goals with conservation across South Africa, if you would like to learn more or apply for this internship, you should be able to do so through the Handshake platform, or send an email to info@hambaafrica.co.uk 

Please state your interest in learning more.

Once received, our team will get back to you with additional questions to help understand your request, as well as suggestions and support with how to move forward.