Wolf Sanctuary in Portugal

Volunteers are needed to help conserve and protect one of nature's the most beautiful and mysterious species - the Iberian wolf.

At present, the number of wolves on the whole of the Iberian Peninsula is an estimated 2000, 300 of which are in Portugal. Throughout the 19th century, the wolf thrived in virtually all of Portugal's national territory. The decline in wolf population has been marked since 1910. Today, despite the wolf's conservation status, several studies suggest that the wolf population in Portugal still continues to decrease. The main causes for the decline of the wolf population are the direct persecution by humans and the extermination of the wolf's natural wild prey - red deer and roe deer. The decline is worsened by the fragmentation and destruction of the wolf's habitat and by the increasing numbers of feral/stray dogs, that compete for food.

As a volunteer in this project, you will work in a 17 hectare recovery center and help maintain an adequate captivity environment for wolves, that are no longer able to live in the wild. You will live in a comfortable chalet surrounded by beautiful scenery and get to know people from the around the world.