Volunteering in South Africa – Monkeys by the Pool

Volunteering in South Africa at the Monkey and Wildlife Rehabilitation Center project was an amazing experience. Every morning I had a coffee and talked to the other volunteers before starting morning chores. After cleaning enclosures or food prep all the volunteers had breakfast together and then split into groups to finish chores or go harvesting by the river or forage for the monkeys.

Before lunch was pool time, my favorite time of day. The baby baboons were let out of their cage and jumped onto the volunteers to be taken down to the pool. We would spend over an hour playing with the baboons as they ran around the pool, went swimming, and climbed and chased after each other.

After lunch afternoons were pretty quiet and a lot of the volunteers had baby time, where we went into the enclosures with the baby monkeys and played with them for a couple of hours. After a shower everyone has dinner together, and sitting with all the other volunteers and chatting with the new friends you’ve grown so close to makes you feel as if you’re part of a big family.

During my time volunteering I formed bonds with humans and primates alike and gained a deep appreciation for Africa and its amazing wildlife. My only regret is that I didn’t stay longer!