Predator Research Project - South Africa

About Us

WildComm Research Stations operate within the diverse savannah ecosystems of Limpopo, South Africa. Our team supports ecological research and long-term monitoring projects, providing critical data for conservation and wildlife management in the region.

Location: Private wildlife reserve, home to two of the Big Five

Internship Overview

This internship offers hands-on experience in wildlife research, focusing specifically on carnivore ecology. Interns will contribute to an ongoing study examining predator population trends, activity patterns, habitat use, and interspecies interactions across the reserve. This is a field-based and data-intensive position, suitable for students pursuing studies in ecology, conservation biology, or related disciplines.

Key Objectives

• Understand long-term population trends of key predator species on the reserve

• Investigate daily, lunar, and seasonal activity patterns

• Assess predator movement and habitat use, including interspecies dynamics

Responsibilities

• Support maintenance of a grid of motion-activated cameras

• Tag and process images

• Identify patterned predators (e.g., Leopard, Civet, Genet) using our databases

• Extract metadata and maintain accurate records for analysis

• Under supervision, conduct regular walking transects along key roads and paths

• Record predator tracks, scat, and other signs using GPS

Requirements

• Comfortable working independently and in a team in field settings, under the guidance of field coordinators 

• Moderate level of physical fitness, though most interns find their stamina improves over time (fieldwork is conducted on foot in rugged terrain and in challenging weather)

• Attention to detail and willingness to spend time on data management tasks

• Previous field or camera trap experience is not required

What You’ll Gain

• Fieldwork experience in a diverse and biodiverse savannah reserve

• Training in camera trapping, predator ID, data processing, and ecological monitoring techniques

• Exposure to real-world conservation and research challenges

Duration: Flexible — 2+ months recommended 

Conservation Fee

Your contribution helps support critical conservation work.

The conservation fee also includes:

• Training and access to research equipment 

• On-site accommodation

Transport:

• Students will be fetched in the nearest town, Louis Trichardt, where they will be assisted by a staff member to do their shopping.

• Fortnightly town trips for supplies.