subject: What Wildlife You Can Expect To See On A Volunteer Vacation In Namibia [print this page] When selecting a volunteer vacation you may choose Africa because you would like to see particular animals in their natural habitat, and if you were to choose Namibia you would definitely not be disappointed.
The typical conservation project you can expect to be involved in when choosing your volunteer vacation involves big cats and the relationship they have with their prey and humans in the area. The projects collect information about the predators and their prey by capturing and collaring big cats so that they can be collared and tracked which allows volunteers to get involved in the assessment of their behaviour. Other than the big cats, you"ll see a whole host of other animals out on safari as you"ll be monitoring water holes for activity and also counting the big cat"s prey.
When it comes to the predators you will be looking at during a conservation holiday in Africa you can expect cheetahs, leopards and caracals.
You may more commonly associate a leopard with the jungle, but they can most certainly be found in the plains of Namibia. Although the coat colour of a leopard can vary greatly depending on its habitat, you can still expect to recognise them from their distinctive rosette markings.
Cheetahs are well known for their speed and are the fastest animal on land "" reaching speeds between 70 and 75 miles per hour, meaning they could keep up with you on a British motorway. Luckily for you as a volunteer on your vacation, the only time you"ll be up close and personal is when the cheetah is sound asleep! Another random cheetah fact is that they cannot climb upright trees because they have semi-retractable claws and their pads do not allow for gripping.
Caracals are probably the least known cat you"ll be dealing with in the Namibian plains and are much smaller than both leopards and cheetahs with a fully grown male weighing in at 13 to 18 kilograms. The caracal"s size means that it is classed as a small cat, but it is amongst the heaviest and the quickest of small cats. The name caracal comes from the Turkish "karakulak" which means black ear, and if you get a glimpse of them you"ll understand why. Caracals are often considered to be vermin by farmers in Namibia. This is because they prey on domestic livestock, and as they are seen as pests farmers often resort to killing the animals, an action which can hopefully be reverted from the work done by conservation projects. If you do manage to catch a glimpse of a caracal you"ll be one of the few who do because although they are relatively abundant, they play hide and seek very well.
