Wildlife ACT

What Wildlife ACT does

Wildlife ACT is a South African non-profit conservation organization founded in 2008 by three individuals — two conservationists from KwaZulu-Natal and one advertising professional from Cape Town. Headquartered in Melkbosstrand (Cape Town) with primary field operations across KwaZulu-Natal reserves (including Somkhanda, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, uMkhuze), it runs professional monitoring and protection programs for nine priority species: African Wild Dog, Black and White Rhino, Cheetah, African Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Hawksbill Turtle, Southern Ground Hornbill, and select vulture species. The organization has completed 209,508 monitoring and field hours, deployed 815 tracking devices, fitted 410+ African Wild Dog collars and 158 vulture tracking units, and physically relocated over 800 animals. A 2021 joint venture with AWE Telemetry Systems created Wildlife ACT Innovations Pty Ltd to commercialize tracking hardware, including LoRa WAN and VHF collars, solar-powered GPS units, and rhino horn pods.

The organization's revenue model blends paid participation (volunteer programs with minimum two-week stays priced on a duration-discounted basis; conservation safaris; structured training courses), donations (including monthly recurring giving), and operational grants/partnerships. Volunteers (over 3,500 cumulative since 2008) and protected-area management authorities are the primary revenue-driving segments, while rural communities surrounding protected areas form a non-paying but mission-critical stakeholder group served via school bush camps, environmental education, and outreach. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the wildlifeact.com website and contact centers in South Africa and the Seychelles; reach extends into the Indian Ocean island operations through North Island, Seychelles.

Wildlife ACT's competitive position is anchored by deep institutional partnerships (WWF South Africa, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Panthera, WildTrust, TRAFFIC, Project Rhino KZN), intangibles including IUCN membership and Fair Trade Tourism certification, and recognized industry credibility (first-place finishes at the WTM World Responsible Tourism Awards and African Responsible Tourism Awards). The organization deliberately monetizes its conservation work through nature-positive tourism and productized training, distinguishing itself from advocacy-only peers.

Name

Wildlife ACT

Legal name

Wildlife ACT

Website

https://wildlifeact.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wildlife ACT is a South African non-profit founded in 2008 that monitors and protects endangered wildlife across KwaZulu-Natal and Seychelles using GPS/VHF tracking technology, supporting nine priority species and serving conservation volunteers, reserve management authorities, and surrounding rural communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAGAB

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAIAI

Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Animal Welfare & Wildlife Rescue

SECONDARYBPAGAIAC

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Animal Welfare & Wildlife Rescue

SECONDARYBPAIAMAG

Wildlife, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation services
• Endangered species monitoring
• Wildlife tracking technology
• Conservation volunteer programs
• Habitat protection programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Volunteer Program Fees: Conservation volunteers pay to participate in wildlife monitoring programs. Pricing varies by length of stay with discounts for longer commitments. Minimum two-week stay required.
2. Conservation Safaris: Paid safari experiences allowing participants to engage with conservation work while supporting the organization financially.
3. Donations: Direct donations to support conservation programs, species monitoring, tracking equipment, and community outreach initiatives.
4. Conservation Training Courses: African Wildlife Conservation and Habitat Management Course offering educational programs for participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Wildlife ACT is a non-profit conservation organization that monitors and protects endangered wildlife species (African Wild Dog, Rhino, Vultures, Cheetah, Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Hyena) across Southern Africa and the Seychelles using GPS tracking technology (LoRa WAN, VHF, camera traps). It runs paid volunteer programs in which individuals participate directly in field conservation work, alongside conservation training courses, conservation safaris, and community outreach and environmental education programs. Its subsidiary Wildlife ACT Innovations develops and sells wildlife telemetry products (GPS collars, horn pods, tracking units) for conservation organizations and researchers.

Product overview

Wildlife ACT is a conservation organisation operating since 2008 that offers a portfolio of interconnected programmes centred on endangered wildlife monitoring, community outreach, and conservation education. Its core products are Volunteer Programs and Endangered Species Monitoring, through which participants join daily field operations across multiple South African reserves and the Seychelles. These are complemented by the African Wildlife Conservation and Habitat Management Course (structured training), Endangered Wildlife Safari (nature-positive tourism), and Wildlife Virtual Tours (remote engagement). A separate subsidiary, Wildlife ACT Innovations, develops and sells telemetry products including GPS collars, horn implants, and LoRa WAN tracking units for use by conservation organisations. The suite is held together by a Community Conservation and Coexistence Programme that links field operations to local community engagement and education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Volunteer Programs Award-winning wildlife volunteering placements enabling participants to join real conservation field work alongside professional monitors, supporting endangered species monitoring and protection across South African and Seychelles reserves. Minimum two-week stay; international and local South African participants.
• Endangered Species Monitoring Daily field-based monitoring and protection of endangered and priority wildlife species using GPS tracking, camera traps, and rapid emergency response to poaching, poisoning, and human-wildlife conflict incidents. Delivered for protected area authorities and conservation partners.
• Community Conservation and Coexistence Programme Education, capacity-building, and outreach initiatives that engage local communities surrounding protected areas to promote human-wildlife coexistence, including school bush camps, environmental lessons, ambassador programmes, and community game drives.
• African Wildlife Conservation and Habitat Management Course A structured training course providing participants with knowledge of African wildlife conservation and habitat management, offered as a formal educational complement to field volunteering.
• Endangered Wildlife Safari Conservation-focused safari experience offering participants immersive exposure to endangered wildlife and conservation operations in Zululand nature reserves, available through a dedicated application process.
• Wildlife Virtual Tours Remote digital access to wildlife reserves through curated virtual tours and photo galleries, extending engagement with conservation work beyond physical visits.
• Wildlife ACT Innovations Telemetry Products A separate subsidiary entity designing and selling wildlife tracking collars, GPS units, horn implants, and LoRa WAN telemetry solutions for conservation organisations and researchers, combining 32+ years of field-proven technology from Wildlife ACT and AWE Telemetry Systems.
• Rhino Tracking and Monitoring Post-release monitoring service for translocated rhinos using VHF and LoRa WAN tracking technologies, including GPS ankle bracelets and horn pods fitted at the back horn base after dehorning for real-time location data accessible to monitoring and management teams.

Quantifiable outcome

• 410+ African Wild Dog collars deployed since 2008
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WWF South AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Wildlife ACT is the only African wildlife volunteer organization supported by WWF. Partnership includes collaboration on Black Rhino Range Expansion Project and broader conservation initiatives.
• Ezemvelo KZN WildlifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment wildlife conservation authority in KwaZulu-Natal. Wildlife ACT works in partnership on leopard monitoring, vulture conservation, rhino protection, and species translocation programs across provincial reserves.
• PantheracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal wild cat conservation organization. Partnership on KwaZulu-Natal Leopard Monitoring Project established in 2013, implementing standardized camera trap surveys for population estimation.
• Project Rhino KZNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWildlife ACT is a founding member of Project Rhino KZN, an association facilitating rhino conservation interventions aimed at eliminating poaching and securing rhino populations in KwaZulu-Natal.
• TRAFFICminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWildlife ACT works with TRAFFIC on demand reduction policies and initiatives to stop wildlife exploitation, including rhino horn-related campaigns.
• AWE Telemetry SystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationWildlife ACT Innovations is a joint venture between Wildlife ACT and AWE Telemetry Systems (founded 2003). Combined 32+ years of field-proven technology for wildlife tracking collars, harnesses, and monitoring equipment.
• Raptor Rescue Rehabilitation CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKwaZulu-Natal raptor rehabilitation center providing professional treatment for poisoned, injured, or compromised vultures until ready for release back to the wild.
• WWF Black Rhino Range Expansion ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and WWF. Wildlife ACT provides post-release monitoring, tracking equipment fitting, and training support for black rhino conservation.
• WildTrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation organization partner supporting community conservation and coexistence programs.
• People Nature ConnectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in WWF Nedbank Green Trust Project in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park for conservation initiatives.
• Wild dog Advisory Group of South AfricaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory group membership for African Wild Dog conservation strategy and coordination.
• KZN Vulture GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial advisory group for vulture conservation in KwaZulu-Natal.
• SA Lion Management ForumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory group for lion conservation and management strategy in South Africa.
• African Lion Working GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContinental advisory group for African lion conservation coordination.
• Conservation OutcomesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in black rhino translocation and conservation initiatives.
• Babanango Game ReserveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrivate game reserve (20,056 hectares) recipient of orphaned black rhinos, part of black rhino range expansion efforts.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wilderness Foundation: South African non-profit focused on wilderness conservation, species protection (including rhino and vulture), and environmental education. Direct peer: same geography, similar species portfolio, similar non-profit + volunteer/donor model, comparable scale.
• Save the Elephants: Kenya-based non-profit using GPS tracking collars, ecological research, and community programs to protect elephants across Africa. Strong direct comparable on the technology-driven wildlife monitoring model and the link between telemetry data and ranger response.
• Panthera: Global wild cat conservation NGO running the KZN Leopard Monitoring Project jointly with Wildlife ACT. Direct comparable on camera-trap surveys, monitoring methodology, and partnership-based field operations, but specialized to wild cats rather than multi-species.
• Conservation Lower Zambezi: A Zambia-based non-profit running volunteer programs for wildlife monitoring, anti-poaching, and community engagement. Direct comparable: same volunteer-pay-to-conserve model, same conservation mandate, similar scale and operational structure to Wildlife ACT.
• Giraffe Conservation Foundation: Africa-wide non-profit coordinating giraffe conservation, including translocations, monitoring, and community engagement across multiple range states. Comparable on the multi-country NGO model, species-focused monitoring, and partnership-based fieldwork.

Broad incumbents

• Peace Parks Foundation: Transfrontier conservation NGO coordinating cross-border protected areas in Southern Africa, with a strong focus on wildlife monitoring, ranger support, and community programs. Comparable mission in Southern African wildlife conservation but operates at a regional scale beyond Wildlife ACT's reserve-level work.
• &Beyond: Luxury safari and conservation tourism operator running high-end wildlife experiences in Southern Africa with strong conservation and community programs. Comparable on responsible tourism and conservation-linked guest experiences, but operates as a commercial hospitality brand rather than a non-profit.
• African Wildlife Foundation: Pan-African conservation NGO with a much larger footprint, focusing on species protection, habitat conservation, and enterprise development across multiple countries. Comparable mission and species focus, but operates at significantly greater scale and geographic breadth than Wildlife ACT.
• African Parks: Large non-profit that manages national parks across Africa under long-term public-private partnerships, employing rangers, anti-poaching units, and ecological monitoring teams. Comparable on protected area management and species monitoring, but at a much larger park-level scale.

Others

• Wildlife ACT competitor via telemetry: VECTRONIC Aerospace (now part of Teledyne FLIR): Global manufacturer of GPS and VHF wildlife tracking collars used in African conservation projects, including those managed by Wildlife ACT. Relevant as a peer to Wildlife ACT Innovations on the technology side, not on the field-services side.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wildlifeact
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@wildlifeACT
• Facebookfacebook.com/WildlifeACT
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wildlife-act
• Instagraminstagram.com/wildlife_act

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wildlife ACT