Volunteering Opportunity to work with Elephants in India.
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Are you looking for a volunteering opportunity in India that is out of the box? If you are ready to live an adventure, India is waiting for you. You could volunteer to take care of one of the greatest animals on earth. Become friends of an elephant, and start today your volunteering adventure. This sort of giving back is something you will never forget.
The Environment.
You can find the sort of program to work with elephants in an Elephant Village. This place is where elephants from all around India are taken after they are rescued from zoos or circus in which they used to live. These elephants were not treated right. They were rescued and now have a place to live in which the locals take care of their needs. This is a safe haven for this impressive animals.
The people that live among the elephants are fully aware of their needs. They live together in a village that has become a magical place where these enormous animals exist. One of the villages has over a hundred elephants. Half of them are already settled on special installations. You can be part of the daily activity to continue to take care of elephants.
The Chores.
The chores when volunteering to take care of elephants include many tasks. You would be in charge of the cleaning and grooming of the elephants themselves. That is one of the most interesting experiences, as you will be working very close to them. One of the scariest chores for some people is to be part of the cutting nail procedure. This is important to keep the elephants clean and ready. If you feel comfortable around these big animals, you are going to love to give them a massage.
Other chores include cleaning their area and making chapatti and hay packages to feed them later. These chores are some of the most exhausting, as the weather is generally hot. To reward the volunteers for all their hard work, there is another chore that is one of the most wanted for most. You can take elephants for a walk. Taking the elephants to eat and refresh is part of the reward after a day of hard work.
The Schedule.
The schedule to work with elephants 6 hours a day from Monday to Friday. The schedule starts early in the morning (5 am) so that the sun is not too hot. During this first shift, the hardest work is done. In the afternoon, elephants are taken to eat and refresh. This second shift is of three hours. Some people find the second shift the reward after the first shift.
The Experience.
Elephants are an important part of the culture in India. Working with elephants can bring you the opportunity to submerge into their culture. The experience is memorable, and you will get back home with memories you will never forget.
Of course, this volunteering opportunity is not easy. When you engage, you are going to find the work exhausting. The physical activity required to work with elephants can be a lot of work, and if you are not used to it, you may resent it, particularly during the first days. However, and beyond the exhaustion, the reward of working side by side with people from India and taking care of these marvelous creatures is worth every sweat drop.
Be Aware of the Culture.
The volunteer opportunity to work with elephants in India is usually bonded to villages in which there is a huge elephant population. However, elephants are not there alone. They are bonded to local elephant keepers. They will be your guide when you get into the elephant’s world. In India elephants are part of the daily culture. Most elephants you will know are used in local events and religious ceremonies. This has been a tradition for centuries, and you must respect it.