2-WEEK COURSE:
APPLIED CONSERVATION
AND WILDLIFE FORENSICS
This two-week course experience provides participants with a comprehensive understanding of wildlife forensics, ecological systems, and conservation management.
Combining classroom-based lectures, field excursions, and practical, hands-on forensic investigations, the course explores how science, law, and conservation intersect to combat wildlife crime. Participants will learn from a multidisciplinary team of veterinarians, conservation scientists, forensic experts, and legal professionals while experiencing the unique biodiversity and culture of South Africa.
By the end of the program, attendees will have developed both technical and contextual knowledge of wildlife crime investigation and conservation practices - equipping them to make meaningful contributions to wildlife protection efforts globally.
A certificate of completion will be awarded by the academy upon course completion.
KEY INFO
Next Course Start Date: 18 July 2027
Location: The training will be facilitated on a game reserve on the West Coast, South Africa as well as various other locations in the Western Cape, South Africa
Study Mode: In-Person
2027 Course Prices: $3560 | €3050 | £2625
Included
Accommodation at Buffelsfontein Game and Nature Reserve, the West Coast, Karoo and Cape Town
Catering (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Transport during the course
All park entrance fees and permits for educational excursions
Excluded
Alcoholic drinks
Flights to and from Cape Town
Our shuttle service will collect course participants from Cape Town between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM on the Sunday the course begins. The course will conclude on Saturday afternoon, with participants being dropped off at their accommodation or the airport. Upon request, we can provide recommendations for reputable drivers for airport transfers and suggested Cape Town accommodations.
This program is ideal for
Students and graduates in forensic science, conservation biology, ecology, veterinary science, or environmental studies
Law enforcement personnel, customs officials, and environmental officers involved in wildlife protection and anti-poaching enforcement
Researchers, policy professionals, and NGO staff working in biodiversity conservation or wildlife trade monitoring
Anyone passionate about wildlife protection and seeking practical field experience in wildlife forensics and conservation
Course Objectives
Understand the principles of modern wildlife conservation and protected area management.
Apply practical field ecology and species monitoring techniques in African conservation environments.
Develop skills in wildlife tracking, animal handling, and basic veterinary support.
Identify and investigate wildlife crime scenes using forensic and evidentiary procedures.
Collect, document, and present forensic evidence in simulated legal and courtroom settings.
Examine the structure and operations of wildlife trafficking and poaching syndicates.
Understand anti-poaching strategies and operational conservation responses.
Explore the links between conservation, law enforcement, community engagement, and ecosystem protection.
Assess and address challenges related to human–wildlife conflict.
Gain practical, field-based experience that bridges academic learning with real-world conservation operations.
Build multidisciplinary skills relevant to careers in conservation, wildlife protection, ecology, and environmental law enforcement.
How You Will Learn
Lectures
Theory, knowledge, understanding
Experimental Learning
Practice, problem solving, application
Educational Excursions
Context, background, culture
What You Will Learn:
Wildlife crime scene investigation and evidence collection
Crime scene photography, documentation, and chain of custody procedures
Statement drafting and courtroom testimony skills
How to prepare and present forensic evidence in a moot court setting
Wildlife veterinary forensics, including poisoning investigations and post-mortems
Wildlife handling, first aid, animal monitoring, and biological sampling techniques
Ethical wildlife capture principles and dart gun awareness
Forensic entomology and post-mortem interval estimation
Species identification, biodiversity monitoring, and ecological assessment methods
Conservation and protected area management in Africa
Survival skills, knot work, and environmental awareness
Poaching tactics, anti-poaching strategies, and snare identification
Tracking principles and operational field response techniques
Core firearm safety principles and scenario-based decision-making exercises (demonstrations only, no live firing or fire-arm handling)
Snake identification, behaviour, venom awareness, and handling techniques
Wildlife trafficking and illegal trade dynamics
Human–wildlife conflict management and urban conservation challenges
Marine wildlife rehabilitation and marine conservation approaches
Environmental education and community conservation engagement in the urban context
Indigenous ecological knowledge and African field conservation practices
Practical conservation field skills through immersive, hands-on experiences in South African ecosystems
Program subject to change due to weather conditions and availability
Educational Aims and Learning Objectives:
Apply wildlife crime scene investigation and forensic procedures, including evidence collection, documentation, photography, chain of custody, and reporting.
Develop practical knowledge of legal processes through statement writing, evidence preparation, prosecutor consultation, and courtroom testimony simulation.
Understand wildlife forensic and veterinary practices, including post-mortems, poisoning investigations, forensic entomology, wildlife handling, first aid, and disease awareness.
Understand the principles of ethical wildlife capture, darting awareness, and wildlife condition assessment.
Analyse poaching tactics and apply tracking, navigation, and operational response principles used in anti-poaching operations.
Demonstrate an understanding of firearms safety (demonstration only), conservation law enforcement procedures, and scenario-based decision-making.
Conduct ecological monitoring and biodiversity surveys using species identification, animal assessment, and field monitoring techniques.
Examine conservation and protected area management systems, including governance challenges, sustainability frameworks, and human–wildlife conflict.
Build fieldcraft and survival skills through tracking, knot work, ecological awareness, survival techniques, and environmental interpretation.
Evaluate wildlife trafficking and illegal trade systems, including enforcement challenges and conservation impacts.
Explore human–wildlife interactions through studies in urban ecology, baboon behaviour, and environmental education initiatives.
Engage with cultural and ecological knowledge systems through exposure to indigenous practices, botanical gardens, marine conservation centres, and rehabilitation facilities.
What Can I do With This Course?
Conservation Impact: Build a career in conservation, supporting efforts to combat wildlife crime and protect biodiversity
Field Guiding: Gaining a deeper understanding of local ecology as well as human-wildlife conflict, which would assist one when guiding a group out in nature
Postgraduate Studies: Use the course as a foundation for undergraduate or postgraduate studies in wildlife forensics, conservation biology, or related fields
Payment options:
Participants have two payment options:
1. Pay in full: Participants can choose to pay the entire course fee upfront.
2. Pay a deposit: Alternatively, a participant can secure their booking with an initial deposit of $500/€500/£440. The remaining balance can then be paid either in one lump sum or in 2–4 instalments.
Please read our FAQ section for more payment related details.
Got Questions??
Start by browsing our FAQ section - you might find your answer there. If not, feel free to fill out our contact form, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.