Explore Animal Welfare and Conservation Volunteer Programs

This was a long standing ambition for me and I wasn't disappointed. I think it's fair to say that you get out as much as you're prepared to put in.
I went for 6 weeks in March/April in 2012 & 2013 so enjoyed the end of the winter season & start of the spring. Everything is organised for you from collection at the airport to daily 30 minute transfers to & from the sanctuary. The main daily task is usually preparing food for the bears, donkeys & wolves. Other tasks are dictated by the weather but for me included clearing ditches and bagging leaves to allow water flow; cleaning the on-site surgery and training suite in the main building; helping with the guided tours. You work alongside the local permanent staff, who are very friendly but certainly appreciate it if you make the effort to speak a little Romanian. The work can be dirty but that's one of the reasons I love this programme so much - it's not a glorified holiday; more roll your sleeves up and muck in! Having said that you do get plenty of time when the tasks are complete or you're awaiting a food delivery when you can explore the sanctuary (the setting is breathtaking) , observe the bears and take fantastic photos. The apartment in Brasov was ideal as not too big; the max it holds is 4 people in 2 bedrooms; it's great fun sharing with other volunteers, especially when exploring the bars/restaurants in the evenings/weekends, although I have to say I did enjoy a period when I had a room to myself. Razvan is the Romanian Oyster rep who speaks perfect English and works tirelessly to ensure you have everything you need. He took us to the supermarket to stock up on food and a few sightseeing trips at the weekend. He even helped me organise a birthday trip for my visiting sister to the Danube Delta, including hiring a car & getting a hotel to accommodate us in the 'closed' season. As I was there for quite a long time, I also took the opportunity to visit the dog shelter in Brasov, which is another worthy cause supported by the same charity.
This really is a fantastic experience; I can't wait to go back again and I hope to make it an annual event!

Working at the Libearty sanctuary in Romania was possibly the most wonderful and exciting trips of my life. Every day just walking up to the main house we got to see many of the bears who live there. Mostly we prepared an sorted food, which left plenty of time to take some fabulous photos or just sit and observe the bears. Apart from the volunteering, there was always something to do near the flat since it was two streets over from the main road. Many afternoons were spent just strolling around and enjoying the scenery or people watching with my fellow volunteers, who I still keep in contact with. If you want to meet some amazing people and some cool bears you absolutely must take part in this program!

I spent three weeks volunteering in the Zarnesti bear sanctuary and living in the apartment provided for the volunteers in nearby Brasov. It was a completely new experience for me. Although the work itself was quite repetitive (preparing the food for the bears, some work maintaining and cleaning the grounds and buildings on the site), the location was magnificent (so was the weather, in April-May) and the chance to observe dozens of bears going about their daily lives was truly unique. The staff on site were cheerful and friendly and appreciated my attempts at speaking Romanian; the volunteer coordinator in Brasov, Razvan, could not have been more helpful - and was great to have around and socialize with as well. We finished work in mid afternoon most days so there was plenty of time to explore Brasov and relax in the private area/garden outside the apartment. The only downside for me was lack of privacy - the apartment consists of two shared bedrooms and a kitchen, so there's no space indoors for quiet time, but for anyone who isn't bothered by that it was very comfortable.

In the summer of 2013, I spent an entire month volunteering both with the wildlife and with the elephants. Everything was simply wonderful. From waking up to the shouts of gibbons to going to sleep to the sounds of geckos. We were completely submerged in this wonderland. Taking elephants on walks and showering them was one of my favorite part of this trip! Even thought I loved my time spent here, I wouldn't recommend this trip to everyone. Simply because not everyone is suited for the lifestyle we experience on this trip. For instance, the shower head in my bathroom had broken off, so I basically showered with a hose my whole time there. And you can forget about hot water, on a typical day when it's 40 degrees Celsius out that's not an issue. But after a cold and heavy rain fall when you are out feeding the monkeys in the forest, you can bet you'd wish you had some hot water. The social aspect of this trip was also amazing! When I was there, we were at the very least 35 volunteers from all over the world! And there was never a dull moment! From looking threw night markets, to hiking a national park on the look out for wild elephants, we were always entertained by one another! And our nights out to the bars were also nights to remember!

I spent just two weeks volunteering at the Zarnesti Bear Sanctuary near Brasov, but that incredible experience left a lasting memory. This is such a unique opportunity to spend time with these magnificent creatures, and contribute to their ongoing protection.

One of my lasting memories is of walking around the large enclosures, set within a stunning autumnal forest, and watching the brown bears pace along with me - it is a magical place, and an experience I will always remember.
I also really enjoyed living in the unit in Brasov, which is located within the walls of the beautiful medieval city.

The other great advantage of this program was the support from the Oyster team. Anne was so helpful - we talked over Skype before my program, and then she even took me out to a pub lunch when I visited the England office! And Razvan was the Romanian contact - he picked me up from Bucharest, helped with shopping and even drove me out to Bran Castle on one of the weekends. I've heard some worrying stories about big volunteering companies, so I would truly recommend Oyster as it seemed to me that they really do care about their volunteers and their programs.

If you want to do something different, if you care about the treatment of animals, and if you are not afraid of a little hard work, then you will have a great time on this program.

The highlight was releasing the hatchlings everyday as well as collection the turtle eggs whilst they were being laid, I loved the hands on experience. The project site was in the most beautiful and rural location, there was so much to see and do each day. I enjoyed the surf and playing football with the locals. Some patrols could be tough when it was raining heavily out, but seeing the turtles made it all worthwhile as well as being motivated by other volunteers.
Turtle conservation was the best experience of my life and definitely like to return one day to help some more! I would highly recommend going to save the turtles!

I have spent five weeks in the magic beach of San Miguel, Costa Rica. We have been volunteering on the sea turtle project. The work was mainly during the night, patroling the beach and collecting turtle eggs in order to prevent them from beeing poached. We have collected thousands of eggs and have released thousands of baby turtles. To see the hatchlings making their way in the pacific ocean is touching the Soul.
The work in combination with the inspiring volunteers has changed my life. After returning back to Switzlerand I have left the financial industry and I have started to work for our familiy Business.