Bear Rescue Volunteering - Cambodia
Location: 1 hour south of Phnom Penh
Start dates: Every week on a Sunday
Duration: 1 - 8 weeks
Availability: Spaces available Volunteer age requirement: 21 years +
Cost: From £595 / $940 - see pricing table below
Start dates: Every week on a Sunday
Duration: 1 - 8 weeks
Availability: Spaces available Volunteer age requirement: 21 years +
Cost: From £595 / $940 - see pricing table below
How will I make a difference?
By volunteering at the centre you will make a major contribution to the welfare of bears in Asia by helping the centre to continue with its amazing work. Your time and efforts will help to care for the bears, and the majority of the programme cost will go direct to the centre providing an essential source of funding for their future work.
The project has achieved a great deal with the support of volunteers by providing a safe haven for the rescued bears to enjoy. The centre has also been at the forefront of ending the dancing bear trade in Asia.
Thanks to the hard work of the centre and volunteers, all of the enclosures are now extensively furnished with pools, rocks, hammocks, climbing frames, lush native vegetation, and a variety of enrichment toys to ensure that the bears are kept happy and healthy at all times.
What will I be doing?
Volunteers normally have 2 days off per week and work from 8am to 4pm from Monday to Friday.
You will be working closely with the keepers. Other tasks do not directly involve the bears but benefit them greatly, such as developing new 'enrichments'. Enrichment is anything that makes the bears lives more interesting such as filling up hollow bamboo with honey or other treats, making frozen fruit ice lollies, rebuilding climbing frames, putting out dead trees etc.
Direct physical contact with the bears is not possible as these are large wild animals and can potentially be dangerous. The only exception is if there are young cubs at the centre during your stay, but this cannot be guaranteed and will be at the volunteer coordinator’s discretion and under their supervision.
There are usually 1-4 volunteers at the project at any one time with a maximum of 6. You will be working with a larger full time team of staff.
More about the project
The centre aims to protect, preserve and enrich the lives of bears. To date they have rescued over 150 bears which have come from a variety of backgrounds. There are many dangers facing bears, and they need to be rescued from a number of circumstances, including being:
Location and free time
The bear rescue centre forms part of a larger wildlife rescue centre is located about 1 hour's drive from the capital city Phnom Penh.
During your free time you can relax at the volunteer house, which is very comfortable and has a nice lounging area and balcony. It is also equipped with games and DVDs for evening entertainment!
You can easily walk to the local village which has a food market. Phnom Penh is a great place to visit at weekends. It is an exciting city, growing fast and becoming more geared up to tourism. There is a lot to do and there are many bars and restaurants catering to different tastes.
Cambodia itself is a beautiful country with breath-taking scenery and warm, friendly, welcoming people. There are many places of interest including the world heritage site of Angkor Wat.
Volunteer accommodation
Volunteers live in a 5 bedroom house on the outskirts of Samranjouen village, roughly 10km away from the sanctuary. Rooms are shared between two (same sex) volunteers and a cleaner/cook is employed to look after the house. There is also satellite internet in the house which volunteers can use.
What’s included and where your money goes?
Prices
1 week - £595
Extra weeks - £275
By volunteering at the centre you will make a major contribution to the welfare of bears in Asia by helping the centre to continue with its amazing work. Your time and efforts will help to care for the bears, and the majority of the programme cost will go direct to the centre providing an essential source of funding for their future work.
The project has achieved a great deal with the support of volunteers by providing a safe haven for the rescued bears to enjoy. The centre has also been at the forefront of ending the dancing bear trade in Asia.
Thanks to the hard work of the centre and volunteers, all of the enclosures are now extensively furnished with pools, rocks, hammocks, climbing frames, lush native vegetation, and a variety of enrichment toys to ensure that the bears are kept happy and healthy at all times.
What will I be doing?
Volunteers normally have 2 days off per week and work from 8am to 4pm from Monday to Friday.
- Preparing bear food and assisting the keepers to feed the bears
- Repairing and maintaining the enclosures
- Maintenance and cleaning of the areas surrounding the enclosures
- Working with the keepers; cleaning the enclosures inside and outside
- Making enrichment items and activities for the bears
You will be working closely with the keepers. Other tasks do not directly involve the bears but benefit them greatly, such as developing new 'enrichments'. Enrichment is anything that makes the bears lives more interesting such as filling up hollow bamboo with honey or other treats, making frozen fruit ice lollies, rebuilding climbing frames, putting out dead trees etc.
Direct physical contact with the bears is not possible as these are large wild animals and can potentially be dangerous. The only exception is if there are young cubs at the centre during your stay, but this cannot be guaranteed and will be at the volunteer coordinator’s discretion and under their supervision.
There are usually 1-4 volunteers at the project at any one time with a maximum of 6. You will be working with a larger full time team of staff.
More about the project
The centre aims to protect, preserve and enrich the lives of bears. To date they have rescued over 150 bears which have come from a variety of backgrounds. There are many dangers facing bears, and they need to be rescued from a number of circumstances, including being:
- Rescued from restaurants where they would have been butchered and served as bear paw soup to diners
- Confiscated from hotels and restaurants where they were caged for the amusement of guests and tourists
- Seized from the black market where their gallbladders and other parts have been used for traditional medicines or souvenirs
- Saved from poachers selling orphaned cubs as exotic pets or status symbols
- Freed from snare traps set in the forests to capture animals
Location and free time
The bear rescue centre forms part of a larger wildlife rescue centre is located about 1 hour's drive from the capital city Phnom Penh.
During your free time you can relax at the volunteer house, which is very comfortable and has a nice lounging area and balcony. It is also equipped with games and DVDs for evening entertainment!
You can easily walk to the local village which has a food market. Phnom Penh is a great place to visit at weekends. It is an exciting city, growing fast and becoming more geared up to tourism. There is a lot to do and there are many bars and restaurants catering to different tastes.
Cambodia itself is a beautiful country with breath-taking scenery and warm, friendly, welcoming people. There are many places of interest including the world heritage site of Angkor Wat.
Volunteer accommodation
Volunteers live in a 5 bedroom house on the outskirts of Samranjouen village, roughly 10km away from the sanctuary. Rooms are shared between two (same sex) volunteers and a cleaner/cook is employed to look after the house. There is also satellite internet in the house which volunteers can use.
What’s included and where your money goes?
- A comprehensive information booklet
- Support from your dedicated volunteer manager within the PoD UK team
- Travel advice and assistance
- Pick up from a meeting point in Phnom Penh on arrival
- Induction and training
- Accommodation (a simple shared room)
- Transport to and from the centre Monday - Friday
- Two meals per day (volunteers buy their own lunch)
- Support from the volunteer coordinator
Prices
1 week - £595
Extra weeks - £275