Africa has sharp toothed animals both on land and off the shore. If you are looking for a gap year project with bite, then you should consider heading to South Africa where you can experience extreme adrenaline highs working with big cats on land, and tiger and great white sharks off shore. Cuddly and cute they may not be, but working with some of the world’s most exotic and endangered animals is a thrill that you will probably only have the chance of once in your life: so what are you waiting for?

Sink Your Teeth into Shark Conservation

If you are looking for a gap year experience that is high on adrenaline, then you might like to consider a tiger shark conservation project. The waters around South Africa are filled with tiger, great white and whale sharks. Their numbers however, are threatened and they need your help to survive. People with scuba licenses are free to join research projects with these kinds of sharks and assist in learning more about these giants of the deep.

At Gansbaai in South Africa, there are whale shark conservation projects that get you up close and personal with whale sharks and provide an adrenaline injection that few other gap year projects could compete with. During this three week project you will learn all about the great white shark its biology, marine habitat, breeding patterns and what is threatening their survival. The numbers of great whites are dropping and this means that getting involved in their conservation is more important than it has ever been in the past.

Kicking it With the Big Cats

When you think South Africa, probably one of the first images that leap to mind is of big cats. Lions, cheetahs, leopards and other big cats are waiting to meet you at some of the wildlife conservation projects that are available to gap year students. Shamwari Game Reserve is located an hour from Port Elizabeth on the Eastern Cape and it is home to many lions and other big cats. While working on a project there you will get to feed and look after the animals under the watchful gaze of the park rangers. Other maintenance and veterinary care tasks will be taught to you while you are visiting, and you can develop a real appreciation for and understanding of these giant beasts.

Around Cape Town there are several big cat reserves where you can organise your gap year experience. Aside from the excitement of getting involved with the big cats as well as other “big five” African animals, there are plenty of other thrills available. Around Cape Town there is bungee jumping, zip line tours, abseiling and quad biking. All of these experiences up the thrill quotient and add up to a once in a lifetime trip for adrenaline junkies. One of the biggest thrills of all on these trips is the knowledge, that you are making a difference and assisting in the conservation of some of the planet’s most exotic and revered animals – and that is priceless.

Author Bio: Mark Bottell is the General Manager for Worldwide Experience, an online tour operator offering extended breaks on gap year and other

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