Text James Litston
Do your bit for Europe’s wildlife – choose a volunteering holiday that offers animal encounters with a guaranteed feelgood factor
Wolves in Portugal
Childhood tales of the Big Bad Wolf have been bad PR for these highly intelligent but much-maligned mammals. Centuries of persecution have driven Europe’s wolves from most of their range to leave only scattered, isolated populations. Those surviving in Portugal are particularly endangered.
The Iberian Wolf Recovery Centre aims to educate and enthuse the public about wolf conservation while caring for sick animals in their natural environment. Located in a peaceful wooded valley not far from metropolitan Lisbon, the Centre is home to more than a dozen wolves and is staffed by an international team of volunteers. Activities range from feeding the wolves and monitoring their health, to actively assisting in a local reforestation programme that improves their available habitat. It’s not all hard graft, though; weekends are generally non-work days, which means volunteers are free to explore the local countryside and historic villages, or visit the nearby coves and beaches of the wild Atlantic coast.
Fly to: Lisbon
Minimum participation: 15 days
More information: www.ecovolunteer.org
Beavers in Poland
Beavers may not be the most glamorous of Europe’s native fauna but their habit of damming rivers and improving wetland habitats makes them one of the most industrious. Over-hunting has eradicated beavers from many areas but in the south-east corner of Poland these characterful mammals are being reintroduced to their former haunts.
Here in the beautiful wilds of the Eastern Carpathians Biosphere Reserve – in one of the most sparsely populated and least spoiled parts of Europe – more than 150 captive-bred beavers have been released over a 15-year period. Staying in a solar-powered ‘eco-ranch’ on the edge of the forest, volunteers observe beaver activity in the field, evaluating potential new release sites and researching how the animals influence their environment. As they are generally nocturnal, the best time to observe them is very early in the morning or late in the evening.
Returning beavers to the Carpathians means the region once again hosts a full complement of native wildlife – from wolves, bears and wildcats to golden eagles and the European bison.
Fly to: Krakow
Minimum participation: one week
More information: www.ecovolunteer.org
Bears in Spain
Like wolves, the brown bear once roamed widely across the whole of Europe, but has now been almost exterminated from the western half of the continent. In Spain, only about 150 individuals survive in the north of the country, where remote reaches of the Cantabrian mountains provide a final refuge.
Ironically, it’s now a lack of human interference that threatens the bears in this beautiful area. As rural populations relocate to the cities, there are no longer enough farmers managing their land in the age-old manner, and traditional harvests of nuts and wild fruits have declined, bringing the bears’ important food source into ever-shorter supply.
This problem is being tackled by the Fruit for the Bears project, whose volunteers have so far planted more than 150,000 fruit-bearing trees in degraded areas of the bears’ territory. The trees – mostly chestnuts, hazels, pears and wild cherries – are all planted by hand. It’s hard work but worth the effort, as the fruits ensure the bears have plenty to eat in the autumn, when they lay down the fat reserves that will see them through the lean winter months ahead.
Fly to: Bilbao
Minimum participation: one week
More information: www.fapas.es
Dolphins in Italy
Few wild animals are as universally adored as dolphins. This project, based on the peaceful island of Ischia, provides a fantastic opportunity to encounter several different species – not to mention the odd whale.
Taking to the high seas aboard a classic wooden ‘cutter’ sailboat, volunteers assist in recording sightings and taking photographs to identify individual animals. By analysing this data, researchers aim to better understand the size, health and habits of local dolphin populations in order to help protect them from such dangers as unsympathetic fishing methods and harassment by boaters.
Studies focus on a particular stretch of the Gulf of Naples close to Ischia, where the deep waters of an underwater canyon provide an ideal habitat for a range of species, from common and Risso’s dolphins to sperm whales and the mighty fin whale – second-largest of all the world’s whales. The study area is well known for its biodiversity, and the project operates during the hot summer months, giving volunteers the chance to soak up some sun on deck before cooling off with a dip in the deep blue waters of the Mediterranean.
Fly to: Naples
Minimum participation: one week
More information: ecovolunteer.org
Sea turtles in Greece
They’ve survived Ice Ages and the period of mass extinction that famously claimed their dinosaur relatives, but sea turtles now face the most serious challenges of their multi-million-year existence.
In Greece, their European stronghold, loggerhead turtles are battling on two fronts: at sea they are frequently drowned in fishing nets or injured in collisions with boats, while on land their ancestral nesting beaches have been damaged by resort developments for the package-holiday crowd.
Fortunately, Archelon – the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece – has initiated several programmes to help save these gentle reptiles. As well as protecting vulnerable mother turtles and their nests from disturbance during the summer months, the organisation operates a hospital facility in Athens where sick or injured turtles are cared for year-round. Volunteers at the Sea Turtle Rescue Centre help nurse the turtles back to health and rehabilitate them for their return to the wild. Duties include feeding the animals and assisting in the visitor centre.
Fly to: Athens
Minimum participation: one month
More information: archelon.gr
FR Passion sauvage
Faites un geste pour la faune en Europe – optez pour un séjour comme volontaire avec au programme la découverte d’animaux à l’état naturel et la garantie d’une bonne conscience.
Les loups au Portugal
L’objectif du Centre Ibérien de Protection des Loups est d’éduquer le public sur la question de la conservation des loups, en s’occupant tout à la fois de soigner les animaux malades ou blessés dans leur environnement naturel. Situé dans une vallée boisée non loin de Lisbonne, le Centre fonctionne avec une équipe internationale de volontaires. Les activités consistent à nourrir les loups et à soutenir un programme local de reforestation en vue d’améliorer leur habitat.
Vol à destination de: Lisbonne
Participation minimum: 15 jours
Plus d’informations: www.ecovolunteer.org
Les ours en Espagne
A l’heure actuelle, l’ours brun a été presque entièrement exterminé d’ Europe occidentale. En Espagne, seuls 150 individus survivent dans le nord du pays, là où le fin fond des montagnes de la Cantabrie offre un dernier refuge. Les volontaires qui participent au projet ‘Fruit pour les Ours’ ont jusqu’à présent planté plus de 150 000 arbres fruitiers dans des régions délabrées, sur le territoire des ours.
Vol à destination de: Bilbao
Participation minimum: une semaine
Plus d’informations: www.fapas.es
Tortues de mer en Grèce
En Grèce, les tortues marines (carets) se battent sur deux fronts: dans la mer, elles sont souvent attrapées dans des filets de pêcheurs, tandis que sur la terre leurs nids ancestraux situés sur les plages, ont été endommagés par les développements des stations balnéaires. Archelon – La Société Grecque de Protection des Tortues de Mer – a lancé plusieurs programmes pour aider à sauvegarder ces adorables reptiles, et par l’ouverture d’une infrastructure hospitalière à Athènes, ces volontaires aident à soigner les tortues malades et à les remettre sur ‘pattes’.
Vol à destination d’: Athènes
Participation minimum: un mois
Plus d’informations: www.archelon.gr
Les dauphins en Italie
Ce projet, basé sur l’île d’Ischia, offre la possibilité de rencontrer diverses espèces de dauphins. Les volontaires aident à rassembler des données qui seront utilisées pour les protéger de dangers comme les méthodes de pêche brutales et le harcèlement des bateaux. Le projet a cours seulement durant les chauds mois d’été, ce qui donne aux participants la chance de prendre un peu de soleil.
Vol à destination de: Naples
Participation minimum: une semaine
Plus d’informations: www.ecovolunteer.org
NL Beestig leuke vakanties
Zet je in voor de Europese fauna tijdens een vrijwilligersvakantie. Je beleeft dieren van nabij én je gaat met een goed gevoel naar huis.
Wolven in Portugal
Het Iberian Wolf Recovery Centre wil het brede publiek inlichten over de bescherming van wolven. Daarnaast verzorgt het zieke en gewonde dieren in hun natuurlijke omgeving. Het centrum ligt in een dichtbeboste vallei niet ver van Lissabon en wordt bemand door een internationaal team van vrijwilligers. Activiteiten gaan van het voederen van de wolven tot het helpen bij de herbebossing van hun habitat.
Vlieg naar: Lissabon
Minimumduur: 15 dagen
Meer informatie: www.ecovolunteer.org
Beren in Spanje
De bruine beer is zo goed als volledig uitgeroeid in West-Europa. Er leven nog slechts zo’n 150 exemplaren in Noord-Spanje, waar de Cantabrische bergen een allerlaatste toevluchtsoord vormen. Vrijwilligers die deelnemen aan het project ‘Fruit for the Bears’ hebben al meer dan 150.000 fruitbomen geplant in de bedreigde zones binnen het territorium van de beren.
Vlieg naar: Bilbao
Minimumduur: één week
Meer informatie: www.fapas.es
Zeeschildpadden in Griekenland
In Griekenland worden onechte karetschildpadden op twee fronten bedreigd: in zee verdrinken ze vaak in visnetten, terwijl op het land hun traditionele broedstranden worden vernietigd voor de bouw van vakantieverblijven. Archelon, een Griekse vereniging ter bescherming van de zeeschildpadden, heeft verschillende programma’s opgestart om deze zachtaardige reptielen te redden. In hun verzorgingscentrum in Athene helpen vrijwilligers de zieke schildpadden er weer bovenop.
Vlieg naar: Athene
Minimumduur: één maand
Meer informatie: www.archelon.gr
Dolfijnen in Italië
Dit project op het eiland Ischia biedt de kans kennis te maken met verschillende dolfijnsoorten. Vrijwilligers helpen informatie te verzamelen die dan wordt gebruikt bij de bescherming van deze dieren, zoals tegen dolfijnonvriendelijke vismethoden en pesterijen door mensen op boten. Het project loopt tijdens de zomermaanden zodat vrijwilligers ook wat van de zon kunnen genieten.
Vlieg naar: Napels
Minimumduur: één week
Meer informatie: www.ecovolunteer.org
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