Some memories are captured in photographs. Others come home with you in a slightly more permanent way. For Australian volunteers Jamie, Hayley and Jess, and Cango Academy student Zenny, their time together in the Klein Karoo was marked with an experience they will quite literally carry with them forever.
A New Name, The Same Purpose

Change does not always mean starting over. Sometimes, it means bringing things back into alignment.
As part of Cango Wildlife’s broader rebrand in our 40th year of operation, our volunteer programme is entering a new chapter. Wild Animal Volunteers, established in 2012, will now be known as Cango Wildlife Volunteers.
Since its founding, the volunteer programme has played an essential role in supporting animal care, conservation work, and daily operations across the facility. Volunteers have contributed time, energy, and commitment to meaningful conservation experiences, becoming an integral part of the Cango Wildlife story.
As Cango Wildlife has evolved, so too has the need for clarity and cohesion across our platforms, programmes, and identity. Aligning the volunteer programme under the Cango Wildlife name allows us to streamline processes, strengthen recognition, and ensure that every part of the organisation speaks with one clear voice.
The updated name and visual identity reflect this unity. Cango Wildlife Volunteers sits clearly within the wider Cango Wildlife family, reinforcing shared values, standards, and purpose. It also helps current and future volunteers better understand how their contribution fits into the broader conservation work taking place across the organisation.
While the name and branding are in the process of changing, the heart of the programme remains the same. Volunteers and interns will continue to support animal care, conservation education, enrichment activities, and behind the scenes work that contributes directly to the wellbeing of the animals in our care.
This transition is about continuity, not replacement. About building a stronger, more connected foundation that supports both conservation outcomes and volunteer experiences, grounded in responsibility, learning, and meaningful contribution.
Further Reading
Cango Wildlife CEO Douglas Eriksen recently took Project ZOA to a new audience, delivering the keynote address at the 18th NRF-SAEON Graduate Student Network Indibano in Hazyview, Mpumalanga, on 16 September 2026. The South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), a research platform of the National Research Foundation, brings together scientists working across South Africa’s terrestrial, marine, freshwater and atmospheric environments. Its Graduate Student Network connects Master’s and PhD researchers from across the...
The final day of Arbor Month brought with it a fitting moment of growth at the newly opened Africa Skills Cango Academy, as representatives from the Garden Route District Municipality joined the Cango team for the handover and planting of indigenous trees. The Garden Route District Municipality donated 35 indigenous plants, comprising 20 Karee trees and 15 Spekboom, to be planted at the Academy. The initiative formed part of Arbor Month and...














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