Since 2020, we have been offering the Bear's Eye volunteer program in Slovakia, where volunteers can get involved in the direct protection of wildlife and large animals such as brown bears and wolves.
Find out moreSlovakia has enormous natural potential and could be described as the Costa Rica of Central Europe. However, the critical problem of this country is its environmental setting and the connection of the current State Nature Protection with the hunting lobby. For this reason, the Slovak wilderness is critically endangered and requires international attention and cooperation to protect biodiversity, especially large carnivores.
Discover the programMonitoring with camera traps
Patrol activity in the field for the purpose of detecting inappropriate animal feeding.
monitoring large carnivores in the field for the purpose of their protection
hunting for poisons in the countryside
detection of illegal landfills
evening educational lectures with screenings
Note: the program may change according to the current need for monitoring, it may also include work at a volunteer center or a visit to a spa (Vyhne).
We would like to inform those interested in the volunteer program that pets (dogs, cats, etc.) cannot participate in the program. Thank you for your understanding.
Fees: CZK 4,929 (€195)
Meals throughout the program
Simple accommodation
Interesting and challenging field programme
Guide - member of the Eye of the Earth team
Transportation
Insurance
Each volunteer must travel along their route to Žiar nad Hronom by train or bus, where a car will be waiting for them to take them to the base on Pitelová or they can take a bus from Žiar nad Hronom to Pitelová.
If you choose to travel by your own car, we recommend that volunteers coordinate to share transportation. In this scenario, head directly to Pitelová. After registering for the program, each group of volunteers will be connected via email to facilitate better communication and coordination.
Accommodation is provided in the simple, rustic setting of the Slovak village of Pitelová. Guests can stay either in a small house or in a large family tent equipped with two bedrooms. Facilities include a dry toilet (outhouse) and a shower with hot water.
Meals are prepared in a fully equipped kitchen, available both outdoors and indoors. The diet is primarily vegan, with occasional vegetarian options. Volunteers participate in daily tasks such as cooking and washing dishes, which are decided upon the day before. We recommend bringing your own minerals and vitamins if you feel the need for supplements. Energy bars can also be useful.
Each volunteer should understand that they are part of a monitoring program, which requires getting up early and heading out into the field after breakfast. The exact time varies; sometimes, it may be necessary to start very early. The return time from fieldwork is also not fixed.
Additionally, volunteers must be prepared for challenging weather conditions, as monitoring continues in the rain, including checking camera traps. If the weather is exceptionally poor, activities may be canceled for the day, but such decisions are made at the discretion of the group leader. Respecting the group leader's decision is essential if you wish to be part of the Bear's Eye team and contribute to the direct protection of Slovakia's wildlife.
For safety reasons, volunteers cannot target the GPS monitoring points and will not have the tracker on their mobile phone turned on. Only trained members of the monitoring team will perform this activity.
Each participant is responsible for arranging their own insurance, and it is mandatory to have coverage.
Outdoor clothing must match natural darker colors (khaki, brown, green, black, etc.).
Deposit and Payment Terms:
Cancellation Policy:
Cancellation Fees:
Special Circumstances:
1. Can we meet a bear in the field and is it not dangerous?
At the beginning, the team of volunteers will receive training on how to behave in the field, or in the event of an encounter with a bear or other wild animal. No animal is interested in confronting you unless you make a mistake and endanger the animal. It is necessary to always follow the guide and respond to his instructions. 99% of the time the bear will avoid you before you see it.
2. How challenging is the terrain?
The monitoring program is physically more demanding, it is not normally walked on roads, but freely in the terrain, where one looks for bear and wolf droppings, or bear trees. In the same way, camera traps are placed freely in the terrain off the roads, often on steep slopes. It is necessary to expect a full-day stay in nature and a considerable elevation gain. An averagely fit person should be able to do it. It should be remembered that you are not going on a trip, but for monitoring in often challenging terrain. Every volunteer should have health insurance in case of injury or accident.
3. Why is voluntary participation in monitoring important?
Thanks to the data from the camera traps and the collected DNA samples of dung or fur, it is possible to determine the approximate lowest number of bears in Slovakia and also their eating habits, as well as wolves (only food). Furthermore, a problem with parasites can be detected. All this is used for the protection of large animals in Slovakia. If we can divide ourselves into 2-3 field monitoring teams, we can handle a much larger piece of work and areas of controlled territory. So the ideal number of volunteers is 4-8, so that the whole thing can work 100%.
4. Will we monitor poaching, i.e. illegal hunting, or illegal mining?
Yes, this is also part of our activity, which we report to the guards and employees of ŠOP SR. We also search for the remains of animals, and if we find a dead animal with suspicion of poaching, we immediately report this finding. If necessary, we are also in contact with the environmental crime department from Banská Bystrica.
Date: from 16th June to 21st of June 2024
If you're interested in joining, please email us at dobrononik@pralesdetem.cz. Once your participation is confirmed, complete the electronic application and secure your spot with a non-refundable deposit of CZK 1,264 or €50 (deposit is non-refundable) to the Justice for Nature account, no.
IBAN: SK5083300000002801071588, SWIFT/BIC: FIOZSKBA, SWIFT: FIOBCZPPXXX).
Ensure to include "SK VOLUNTEER PROGRAM" and your name in the payment note.
