Testimonials from Volunteers | AERU Elephant Experience

Volunteer Testimonials

“Working for AERU at Knysna Elephant Park has exceeded all my expectations. I was already aware of the amount of dedicated research the team do here, and quickly began to understand my individual role within it. Everything else that came along after that was an extraordinary bonus. Getting up so close and personal with all the elephants amazed me, I was content simply watching them from afar, but to see them every day and begin to recognise not just their physical features, but emotional triumphs and personality traits was something I was not expecting. They are truly magical to watch, and I feel so humbled to have been welcomed into their secret lives.”

~ Kirsten Blackburn, 2016

Nolan Mott

There are no books to read, videos to watch or stories to hear that can adequately describe my experience here

Caleigh Roach

my experiences in the field with the elephants and guides have been excellent. Watching the ten ellies interact with their environment, each other, and operate in their own manners has given me such valuable insight that a textbook could not.

Laura Peoples

...there were so many special moments each and every day. The first time I met the elephants I was in awe. They are all so special in their own way and this became more and more evident the longer I spent time with them.

McKenna Bixby

The joy and laughter that I have experienced here is unlike anything I think I could get anywhere else. It is so relieving to know that there are other people in the world that love elephants like I love elephants. Whether it is the staff members, the volunteers, or the guides, I was always in good company.

James Kapp

Spending my time at a research facility has really opened my eyes to see what is going on to help conserve this magnificent species. To see the hard work from the research team being translated in other parks across Africa is brilliant

Graham White & Ema Dean

...it will be very sad to leave all 10 ellies behind but we have been lucky enough to come and live our dream and explore this amazing country

Martha Tingey

These have genuinely been the best weeks of my life and the happiness I feel every time I see the elephants has not gone away.

Nikki Lewis

Learning the history of AERU from Dr Debbie was fascinating and Clare’s presentation on SDB’s, though very humorous, helped me understand just how much elephants are like humans and the work they do is so important in making captive elephants all over the world happier and healthier.

Dominique Diedericks

I had always read about the Knysna elephants; the forest, and how our souls connect to these experiences, but never did I think I’d be able to live this fantasy myself.

Leanne Plank

Not only is it incredible to get to work with the elephants nearly every day but the nature here is outstanding. Every morning the sunrises seemed to get more stunning and the stars at night were phenomenal.

Chasen Stephenson

My life has been forever changed and I am utterly grateful to have been humbled by those (both human and elephant) around me. Use this time to learn, grow, and adapt to the world around you. If you are open enough, the elephants will teach you a great deal about yourself and you won’t regret it!

Liney Mahl

The great thing about this place is that you are doing a lot of different things everyday so you will never get bored. You are obvious doing the observations of the elephants and that’s really cool but you also collect dung from the elephants, collect the data, photo project and making stuff in the AERU shop and you are doing ...

Ke and Nina Krausenbaum

One of the most wonderful moments here was the morning when I had to do Boma observation outside with the Milky Way above me and the ellies in front of me. Everything was so clear and calm, just wonderful.

Dr Elaine Yarbrough

I had not expected that these big creatures could have such distinctive personalities. The matriarch, the leader who is big, steady, and teacher to the younger ones.

Jo Davies

The experience here is very unique, and the first captive Elephant project I have done, and it’s awesome. The love and care for these Elephants from all staff is amazing. The bond the Guides have with the Elephants is apparent to see, and something I will never forget.

Anna Donnerstag

The people here and the place feels like a second home for me now, I am just happy that I had the chance to make so many new friends from all over the world, human and animals.

Sara Larca

The staff and supervisors were warm and friendly and made us feel comfortable and appreciated from the very beginning. As time went on I realised how knowledgeable and fun they were as well.

Sunita Randhawa

Volunteering with AERU has been a life changing experience that has taught me a lot about myself and given me the opportunity to do things I’d never have done before...

Denise Deutschendorf

One of the best moments here were the Christmas Party for the elephants! We had made for all elephants a cake and on the next day all of us had the pleasure to feed the cakes to the elephants.

Aliyah Zweig

I hold a warning for future volunteers: Be prepared to get dirty, it’s not always an easy job but it’s incredibly rewarding and if you let the experience be all that it can be, it will change your life.

Tina Hasibar

But it was not only the ellies I liked here. I got along very well with the other Volunteers, we made trips and went out in the evenings, played cards, cooked together and had a lot of fun. Also everybody from AERU was very nice, always helpful and I enjoyed things like the Braai and Pancake night together with some ...

Ellie Pedrick

When I was in primary school I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I replied “I want to be an elephant, so I can be Ellie the elephant”. This experience has allowed me to get as close to my childhood dream as humanly possible.

Tabea Horst

Not only the Elephants were great, but also the other people I met during my time here. So thanks to the other Volunteers from all over the world, which who I went Ziplining in Tsitsikama, Surfing at the Beach, Clubbing in Spotlight (which is definitely better than Flashback!), on a horseback Safari, to Monkeyland, to Jukani, to Knysna… I ...

Leen and Elmi van Beelen

I volunteered at Knysna Elephant Park in 2013 for 6 weeks and my husband for 2 weeks. And even before we left, we knew that we really wanted to come back. Because spending quality time with these beautiful giants, being so close to them, observing them and helping the AERU team with their research is just perfect, I really cannot ...

Thibaut Appel

Words are hardly enough to describe what has been the best experience of my life so far. Discovering South Africa and finally meeting my favourite animal was mind-blowing. It makes you feel small and humble towards those amazing creatures. I will always remember the two herds. Shungu is adorable, impatient, so cheeky and seems to love playing the fool especially ...

Sam Elvidge

Whilst working as part of the AERU team I have taken part in lots of activities, such as; cleaning up the Orchard and the Camp, making Enrichments for the ellie’s, getting creative with Dung Paper and Stuffed Ellie’s and doing the ‘Keisha Project’. However my favourite parts by far were field activities. Herd Activity, Nearest Neighbour and Activity on a ...

Megan Carpenter

The aeru team have been outstanding from start to finish and they really do make you feel part of the family. Without people like them being able to volunteer would be impossible. The guides that work alongside these elephants everyday are incredible, they put so much work and effort into the job they do and they love these elephants as ...

Hannah Needle

My time as an AERU volunteer has been insightful to say the least, who would have thought I could have fallen in love with so many things in such a short space of time! I have never been a morning person and yet here I get up with little difficulty. Catching a tractor into a field to monitor and walk ...

Kirsten Blackburn

There is so much compassion and understanding between the heard and their guides, and yet so much we just don’t know when it comes to their inner thoughts and mysterious methods of communication. I loved to watch the guides with the elephants, to see how they interacted and the immense level of respect and love they have for one another...

Volunteer Testimonials

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