Are you considering a career working with wildlife? Do you want to gain as much experience as possible so that you have a better chance of getting your dream job? Then perhaps you should consider one of the wildlife training courses run in one of the great game reserves in Africa. There are many courses on offer, of varying duration and offering an array of potential qualifications, so no matter how far you want to take your training there will a course suitable for you.
Wildlife Training Guide Course
This is one of the most fascinating of all of the wildlife training courses and involves a huge variety of lectures, practical sessions and individual study. To take part in this course you must be a qualified back-up trail guide and be looking at increasing your guiding skills to include viewing potentially dangerous game on foot.
Shamwari Game Reserve is one of the most prestigious in Africa and covers 26000 hectares of the Eastern Cape. It is a haven for game viewers and attracts many visitors every year. On wildlife training courses hosted here, under the careful guidance of a team of instructors who are well qualified in wildlife conservation, biodiversity and the African bush, you will be exposed to some of the most exciting game viewing experiences you can ever have.
A perfect mix of theory and practical sessions, this course includes subjects ranging from dangerous animal behavior to weapon handling, and from tracking techniques to bird identification. Progress and final competency is assessed through both examination papers and practical tests and the resulting qualifications are accredited and recognised with some prestige.
The wildlife training courses are carefully structured, with lectures being led every morning and game drives and walks taking place every afternoon. The game drives and walks in the bush are aimed at helping you put all of the learned theory into practice, while being exposed to potentially new and unfamiliar situations. Teamwork is an important part of training and students are often put into groups to tackle projects and complete tasks. Students are also encouraged to lead walks and track game on their own while being guided by the experienced instructors. This allows for constructive feedback and positive reinforcement that in turn leads to increased confidence among individuals.
The wildlife training courses are run on a full board basis and the accommodation is usually on site. Rooms are fully furnished and filled with all of the mod cons and convenient facilities. Internet is easily accessible and there is a communal area, TV and library. Often you will find a boma on site, which is a place for going over the day’s events and discussing what has been learned. Typical African BBQs can be enjoyed under the stars on most evenings while students unwind and soak up the moonlit atmosphere of the African bush.