Excludes: International flights and personal travel insurance
Rhino Dehorning and Conservation Medicine
SOUTH AFRICA
Hoedspruit, South Africa
Group 2
August 24th – 31st, 2025
$5,500 USD
INCLUSIONS & EXCLUSIONS
Includes: Accommodation, meals, in-country transport, field activities, insurance, and lectures
GROUP SIZE
Capacity: 10 delegates per group to ensure personalized training and collaboration
HIGHLIGHTS
Delegates will be participating in all field work during their time in South Africa, and have the opportunity to take part in immobilisations, anaesthetic monitoring, physical exams, blood draws, mass captures, translocations and other interventions (such as dehorning and collaring) of a variety of African species. In addition to this, they will be taking part in scheduled practical activities, including:
Rewilding Rhinos: Be part of African Parks’ groundbreaking project to relocate and reintegrate 2,000 rhinos into the wild—the largest conservation initiative in Africa’s history.
Participate in Rhino Dehorning: Join the team in the critical task of dehorning rhinos, a vital anti-poaching measure that directly contributes to their survival.
Hands-On Wildlife Conservation: Participate in the darting, capture, and treatment of a variety of African species, and experience wildlife conservation from the frontlines.
Helicopter Darting: Join the darting team in the air over Greater Kruger National Park and experience the process of capturing wildlife from a helicopter. Learn the skills of darting yourself under expert guidance.
Fieldwork with Conservation Experts: Work alongside renowned conservationist Steph Arne and other leading experts, gaining exclusive insights and hands-on experience in wildlife conservation.
Meet the Black Mambas: Spend a day with the inspiring, all-female Black Mamba anti-poaching unit, and accompany them on patrols protecting Greater Kruger National Park.
Wildlife Forensics: Delve into the science of wildlife crime with a special session on poaching forensics and the unique opportunity to discuss a rhino post-mortem investigation.
Support Local Communities: Assist with a community-based conservation project that helps families living on the edge of national parks and provides care for a highly trained anti-poaching canine unit.
Safari in Kruger National Park: Explore the iconic Kruger National Park, home to the Big 5, and enjoy breathtaking wildlife encounters in one of the world’s most famous reserves.
Stay on a Wild Nature Reserve: Immerse yourself in nature by staying on a beautiful game reserve with free-roaming wildlife. Wake up to the sounds of lions roaring, birds singing, and the African bush coming to life.
FULL PROGRAM DETAILS
Join renowned conservationist Steph Arne and African Parks in the field for a unique, once in a lifetime opportunity to take part in what is being hailed as the “biggest conservation project in Africa’s history”.
This mission will take place over one week in South Africa in August 2025 and is open to all conservation enthusiasts. It will be based in the beautiful town of Hoedspruit adjacent to Kruger National Park, and there are 10 places available.
A key component of this opportunity is the involvement in African Parks’ (AP) momentous project to re-wild 2000 rhino over the next 10 years. After purchasing the world’s largest private rhino population in 2023, located on a farm in Klerksdorp, AP has committed to what is being hailed as the “biggest conservation project in the continent’s history”. The plan is to dehorn and re-wild these 2000 animals over the next ten years, to different homes around Africa, and we have been invited to take part in a stage of this special project.
In Hoedspruit, delegates will have the opportunity to learn about all aspects of conservation medicine while getting hands-on practical experience handling African wildlife. We will conduct the anaesthesia and capture of many African species for conservation purposes, take part in important rhinoceros dehorning, and provide assistance to a community-based project that helps to support families and their livelihoods on the edge of national parks. We will also have the unique opportunity to spend an afternoon studying the forensics behind a rhino poaching investigation and learn about the process of a rhino post mortem examination. Additionally, we will spend an afternoon conducting a health clinic for the local, highly trained antipoaching canine unit, and spend a morning on patrol with the incredible Black Mamba’s – an all-female antipoaching unit servicing Greater Kruger.
Delegates will also go on safari in South Africa's famous Kruger National Park and have the opportunity to spot the Big 5.
The conservation of biodiversity is becoming a much higher priority globally. With climate change and the loss of biodiversity in ecosystems around the world, conservation organisations are working tirelessly to protect our species. This opportunity will not only provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience for delegates to take part in the biggest conservation project in Africa’s history, but will also offer a rare opportunity to participate on the frontline of real conservation efforts in Africa’s heartland.
ACCOMODATION & MEALS
Lodging:
- Comfortable accommodation in Hoedspruit, designed for convenience and a connection to nature.
- Single-occupancy requests can be arranged upon availability and may incur additional fees.
Meals: Prepared by a private caterer, meals feature a mix of African and international cuisines. Special dietary needs can be accommodated with advance notice.
INCLUDED SUPPORT
Transportation: All in-country transport, including airport transfers and field site travel, is fully arranged.
Field Activities: All veterinary supplies, permits, and helicopter time are included.
Support Team: A full-time teaching veterinary and conservation team will guide and mentor you throughout the trip.