Wildlife Veterinary Medicine and Rehabilitation

Assist a team of an experienced full-time wildlife rehabilitation specialist and a wildlife veterinary doctor at this fantastic wildlife veterinary hospital treating indigenous small to medium sized South African wildlife. All the wildlife treated and rehabilitated, are wild without owners and once healthy and mature enough, will be released back into a safe natural environment to be free as nature intended.

Some of the species treated include owls, bats, raptors, mongooses, pangolins, serval, genets, bushbabies, hedgehogs, garden birds, water birds, reptiles (tortoises, snakes and monitor lizards), honey badgers and otters — to name but a few.

Often injured and compromised wildlife are taken to the nearest veterinary practice for treatment. Frequently, the veterinarian on duty does not have the expertise, the time, or the resources to treat a particular species and as a result these animals often get inadequate care (medical, dietary and husbandry). Even 24-hour veterinary facilities are not equipped to handle wildlife longterm, as this- in particular rehabilitation- is not their specialty.

So a veterinary facility that only treats indigenous wildlife on a full-time basis was established. The rehabilitation aspect of the hospital is run and overseen by a wildlife rehabilitation specialist, aided by permitted, trained team members. Regularly veterinary students and nurses are trained as well as experienced veterinarians in the approach to the treatment and rehabilitation of indigenous wildlife by the onsite qualified wildlife veterinary doctor. For those studying veterinary medicine, this project can be used as an internship as the veterinary doctor is qualified to sign off on practical credit documentation.

Volunteers allow the project to grow as a facility by taking on more patients and a greater workload. The project is busiest in the summer months, December, January and February, and baby season which is Spring, September, October and November, but requires assistance all year round.

While the project is a veterinary hospital first-and-foremost, a large portion of the work done consists of wildlife rehabilitation, cleaning and food preparation – husbandry. As wildlife is treated for free and funds are limited to employ local staff, volunteers are relied on to help with this work.

Volunteers assist with 6 days on and 1 day off a week.

Volunteers WILL be required to assist with cleaning inside cages and outside enclosures. This involves removing old food and faeces and replacing contaminated blankets and straw.
Volunteers WILL be required to assist with food preparation. This involves chopping vegetables for tortoises and other herbivores, sorting insects for our insectivores, and chopping day-old chicks, rats, mice and other ‘wild’ meat for our carnivores and omnivores.

Depending on the work load, volunteers MAY:

• assist with animal enrichments for those in undergoing rehabilitation
• have the opportunity to handle, hold, or assist with the treatment of some of the patients.
• have the opportunity to witness surgeries, examinations, x-rays and medical treatments, depending on the patients currently in care. Those studying or qualified in veterinary medicine, will be able to assist the veterinary doctor in procedures.
• have the opportunity to witness or assist with gavaging (tube-feeding) birds that are too young or too sick to feed themselves.

Volunteers need to be enthusiastic, hard-working, and eager to learn. Over the busiest seasons of summer and baby season, volunteers are required to work extra hard, often without breaks. If you have any physical limitations, please let us know beforehand, so that we can adjust the jobs assigned to you accordingly.

Daily schedule

07:00- have a fresh start, shower and enjoy a good breakfast

08:10- start the brisk 2-minute walk to the veterinary facility with other volunteers

08:15- arrive and wait for the the staff to open the gate. The hospital opens at 08:00 in the week and 09:00 on weekends and volunteers need to arrive 15 minutes after opening time.

12:00 to 12:30- have a quick break and enjoy your packed lunch

17:00- its closing time and time to walk back to the guesthouse with other volunteers. In summer when very busy, you may be asked to assist a little later. Summers are hot so a perfect time to also take a dip in the pool before dinner

18:00- time for a great hearty dinner and relaxing time with other volunteers.

Although Johannesburg is not the capital of South Africa, it is the largest business hub with a very large buzzing population. It is easy to organise an Uber to take you to local shopping malls on your days off or alternatively we can assist you with a private tour to local wildlife reserves, like the Pilansburg Wildlife reserve, on your day off to view the Big 5.  There are plenty of interesting attractions for those wanting to learn more about South Africa's history and many cultures like tours to the Apartheid Museum, the Cradle of Mankind, Gold Reef City or Vilakazi Street in Soweto, the home of three noble peace prizewinners. It is also very easy to travel from Johannesburg after your project to Cape Town, Durban, Kruger National Park or other parts of South Africa

......or even catch a short flight to Victoria Falls to catch this must-see natural wonder of the world.