Sir – As an international environmental charity we are appealing for volunteers to help our scientists in South Africa this year.

If you want to explore this beautiful country, and combine your visit with a 12-day expedition helping scientists to understand and protect some of South Africa’s most iconic wildlife, then the Earthwatch expedition Conserving South Africa’s Mammals could be for you.

You’ll enjoy the excitement of helping with research activities such as checking leopard camera-traps, and observing chacma baboons, vervet monkeys and samango monkeys. Your help with research activities and the data you collect will help to provide detailed information on the potential for managing human-wildlife conflict in this important region, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

The project is based in the Soutpansberg mountain range in the northern part of South Africa, an area famous for breathtaking mountain vistas and pristine wilderness. You will stay in the Wilderness Camp at the Lajuma Research Station. Twelve-day expeditions take place in May, July, August, September and December 2011, and January 2012, costing £1,795.

If you’re captivated by the magic of meerkats, then join the Earthwatch expedition Meerkats of the South African Kalahari. Helping to observe 15 habituated colonies of meerkats in South Africa’s Kuruman River Reserve in the Northern Cape, you will help scientists to investigate the reasons for co-operative breeding in meerkats, where animals help others to raise their young.

Research activities include observing individual meerkats, carrying out surveys using a Global Positioning System (GPS), and weighing meerkats.

You will stay in your own thatched-roof rondavel and 14-day expeditions take place from April to September 2011, costing £1,895. Remember — you’ll be helping critical conservation research in 2011. To find out more about our expeditions, call 01865 318831, or visit www.earthwatch.org/europe. We look forward to seeing you in the field!

Tom Berry, Senior public programme manager, Earthwatch