Daktari Wildlife Orphanage

About Daktari Wildlife Orphanage

Situated in Hoedspruit the Daktari Wildlife Orphanage wants to educate and inspire children to care for their environment through the medium of a wildlife orphanage. It is an organisation of people who care, not only for animals and nature, but also for those less fortunate than themselves.

We are a wildlife orphanage which uses orphaned wild animals as an education medium. The volunteers and staff supplement the school curriculum by giving a hands-on education, in existing school subjects, and at the same time provide an environmental experience. The goals of the organization include learning through working together and improving the quality of life of all participants, including the animals.

Each week we invite children from the local underprivileged school or local HIV+/AIDS Orphanage, to stay at Daktari. We only take six children at a time, which provides a unique possibility for them to benefit from a more individual learning experience. As all the children come from underprivileged backgrounds we only charge them a minimal fee of for their stay.

At Daktari we believe that education is the only way to a better future, and therefore we have developed an educational program with special focus on the environment and wildlife. We have included lessons in English, Maths, Biology, Geography and also life skills about relationships, substance abuse, safe sex, violence and respecting your environment. Many of these children have not had the opportunity to learn about wildlife and therefore we encourage interaction with wild animals in order to stimulate a sense of responsibility for their heritage.

A very important aspect of Daktari is the wildlife orphanage. We care for animals which are hurt, orphaned or too tame to be rehabilitated back into the wild. We provide them with good facilities, care and love. They also serve as a great education medium for the children who assist in the daily care, cleaning and feeding of these animals.