LEO Africa - Volunteers for Wildlife and Conservation

LEO Africa - Volunteers for Wildlife and Conservation Wildlife monitoring, conservation, sustainable living volunteer project based in South Africa. Since The Limpopo Eco Operations (LEO Africa) Wildlife Monitoring.

Conservation, Sustainable Living Volunteer Programme offers an exciting combination of lion, white and black rhino, leopard, elephant, cheetah, hyena monitoring as well as conservation work, data collection & processing, ID kits creation for reserve management. Join our volunteer project to get involved in real conservation, learn about wildlife, reserve management, animal behavior, sustainable living and get to know people from all around the world.

Some experiences stay with you long after you leave the bush. 🐾🌿🦁For Nathan, joining LEO Africa at only 18 years old was...
30/05/2026

Some experiences stay with you long after you leave the bush. 🐾🌿🦁

For Nathan, joining LEO Africa at only 18 years old was more than a first solo journey abroad. It was a step into the world of wildlife conservation, learning, purpose and personal growth.

Here is his testimony 🌟 :

“I am Nathan, an 18-year-old young man who had never travelled alone abroad before. I challenged myself to go to the other side of the world to discover what truly inspires me: wildlife conservation.

Surrounded by an exceptional staff and kind-hearted people, I lived six unforgettable weeks. They shared with me their passion for protecting nature and animals, especially those threatened with extinction. Always ready to answer even the smallest question with kindness, patience and humour, they created a truly unique atmosphere. We felt like a real family united under the same flag: conservation.

Through this experience, I had the chance to get close to some of the most beautiful species in the animal kingdom, such as cheetahs, lions and rhinos. I also became more aware of the many threats facing our planet and the living beings with whom we coexist.

From anti-poaching to dartings, as well as ecology, wildlife monitoring and reserve management, I gained valuable knowledge that will help me pursue my dream of becoming involved in conservation. More than just a trip, this adventure confirmed my calling: to dedicate my life to protecting the living world.”

Thank you, Nathan, for being part of LEO Africa and for bringing your curiosity, dedication and passion to the reserve. Experiences like this are exactly why conservation education matters. 💚
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One of the most striking waterbirds to spot in the bush? The Saddle-billed Stork (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis) 🐦✨With ...
20/05/2026

One of the most striking waterbirds to spot in the bush? The Saddle-billed Stork
(Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis) 🐦✨

With its red-and-black bill, bright yellow saddle, long legs, and black-and-white plumage, this is a bird that is hard to miss!

Usually found around wetlands and shallow water, it hunts patiently for fish and other aquatic prey, and is most often seen alone or in pairs.

A useful detail to know: the female has a bright yellow eye, while the male has a dark brown eye 👀

Can you tell the male and female apart in these pictures?




📸 LEO Africa Photo Contest Winner 🏆✨A little late, but here she is: last week’s winning photo, selected by you through o...
13/05/2026

📸 LEO Africa Photo Contest Winner 🏆✨

A little late, but here she is: last week’s winning photo, selected by you through our story vote! 🗳️

Here is what our winner shared about the moment behind the photo:

“Leopards are very elusive animals so being able to spot one in a tree on our drive through Kruger national park was such a special moment. Definitely a moment that will stay with me forever.”

Congratulations to our winner, and thank you to everyone who submitted a photo and voted 🙌🐾

06/05/2026

Spotted on the way back to camp 🐾🌙

Hyenas are very shy animals, so crossing paths with one on Abelana Game Reserve is always a special moment, for us and for our volunteers. 🤍

Often misunderstood, hyenas play a very important role in the ecosystem. As scavengers and skilled hunters, they help keep the bush clean by consuming carcasses and limiting the risks linked to disease spread. In doing so, they help maintain the natural balance between species. 🌿

At LEO, we really love hyenas… Quiet, intelligent, and essential to the wild… every hyena sighting feels like a privilege. ✨

Have you ever seen a hyena in the wild? 👀🦴
👇 Tell us below!

Through Rafał’s lens: the cheetah siblings. 🐆✨A quiet, powerful moment from the bush, and the story behind it.
24/04/2026

Through Rafał’s lens: the cheetah siblings. 🐆✨
A quiet, powerful moment from the bush, and the story behind it.

✨ Through Rafał’s lens ✨Today, we are sharing the volunteer testimony of Rafał, a former LEO Africa volunteer and talent...
24/04/2026

✨ Through Rafał’s lens ✨

Today, we are sharing the volunteer testimony of Rafał, a former LEO Africa volunteer and talented photographer with a real eye for the wild. His words speak for themselves… and his photos will too.mamos
- - -

“Hi, I’m Rafał, a seaman from Poland and a nature lover, just like you :)

Somewhere along the way, photography stopped being just a hobby and became something more… a way of seeing and understanding the world.

I believe photography has influence.
It can make people pause.
Look closer.
Care more.

My first volunteering experience was with sea turtle conservation in Costa Rica.
Last year, I joined the program at Abelana Game Reserve with LEO Africa, and honestly, it felt surreal.

Cheetahs. Lions. Elephants. Giraffes.
Not on a screen, but right there in front of me.
Like stepping into a National Geographic story.

And now, a few months later, I can say one thing for sure:
leaving after just two weeks was my only mistake.

Abelana is not just about wildlife.
It’s about people, open, kind, and passionate.
The kind of people who make you feel like you belong.
And the people who made the same choice, people similar to you.

You fall asleep to the sounds of the bush.
You wake up surrounded by nature.
And every single day brings moments you’ll carry with you forever.

If you’re thinking about it, don’t hesitate.
It’s worth it. More than you expect.

And since I’m better with a camera than with words…
I’ll let my photos speak from here.”
- - -

A huge thank you to Rafał for sharing his experience with us. 📸🌿
Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing a special photo series from his time at LEO Africa, each post highlighting a different part of his journey through the bush. 🦁✨

Stay tuned for more!



Earth Day is a reminder that conservation is about more than wildlife. 🌍🌿At LEO Africa, we are surrounded every day by t...
22/04/2026

Earth Day is a reminder that conservation is about more than wildlife. 🌍🌿

At LEO Africa, we are surrounded every day by the beauty and complexity of biodiversity: animals, plants, habitats, water, and the delicate balance that connects them all.

But appreciating nature is not enough. Protecting it also means being aware of the impact we have through our daily choices.

Using less plastic. Wasting less water. Being more mindful of what we consume. Respecting wild spaces. Understanding that small actions matter.

Through conservation work, field experience, and daily life in the bush, our volunteers are encouraged not only to observe nature, but to build a deeper respect for it and reflect on how to care for it better, both here and at home.

This Earth Day, we celebrate the beauty of the natural world, but also the responsibility that comes with being part of it.

Because protecting the planet starts with awareness, and continues through action. 🤍🌍

What is one small change you try to make for the planet?

Often seen riding on large mammals such as giraffe, buffalo and rhino, the Red-billed Oxpecker is one of the most useful...
22/04/2026

Often seen riding on large mammals such as giraffe, buffalo and rhino, the Red-billed Oxpecker is one of the most useful bird calls to know in the bush. 🐦👀

This small bird feeds on ticks and other parasites, which is exactly why it is so closely linked to the presence of larger mammals.

With its bright red bill and striking yellow eye-ring, it is a bird well worth knowing. It is also specially adapted for life on large mammals, using its tail as a prop while clinging to the animal as it feeds.

Because of that close association, its sharp call can act as an early warning that a large and potentially dangerous animal is close by.

In the bush, awareness is not only about spotting wildlife, it is also about listening carefully to the sounds around you. 🌿👂

At LEO, this is the kind of bush knowledge we love sharing: the small details that help you understand the bush more deeply.

Want to discover the bush beyond the obvious? Come volunteer with LEO Africa ! 🦁🧡🌱

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Phalaborwa

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+27 (0) 79 877 27 17

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