Veterinary Wildlife and Game Capture Course

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Project Type: Wildlife Veterinary Science, Conservation Project, Extra Mural Studies.

Location: Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Pick Up Point: Port Elizabeth/East London Airport.

Duration: 21 Days.

Price: 2018 Rates: £1,749 per person

Start Dates: Course 1: 2 July – 22 July 2018 | Course 2: 23 July – 12 August 2018 | Course 3: 13 August – 2 September 2018

Accommodation: Volunteer house situated in coastal town of Cinsta.

Meals: Three meals per day included, semi participation.

Age Range: 18 Plus.

FURTHER INFO

This course is aimed at veterinary students in either pre clinical or clinical years. The course is centred around gaining hand on experience in Game Capture via a range of methods.

The objectives of the course are:

• To gain invaluable experience through exposure to practical and hands on skills in the wildlife veterinary field
• Expose participants to behind the scenes veterinary Wildlife Ranching and  Conservation
• Wildlife ranching versus wildlife breeding projects
• Immobilisation and capture  techniques used for various wildlife species
• Wildlife ranching and conservation  challenges.
• Develop their animal handling skills across a range of African Wildlife Species
• Develop their understanding and gain further experience of medical treatment of wildlife
• Gain an understanding of logistics and translocating of wildlife
• Introduction to Pharmacology in Wildlife Immobilisation
• Game Reserve Management & Conservation Research
• Wildlife Trade in South Africa

In this area there is also a fantastic opportunity to be involved in some community outreach farm animal work. The majority of farming communities in the area have no veterinary aid and so to travel out to these remote areas and help provide veterinary care is extremely rewarding and is a strong contribution to improving animal welfare within these areas.

There will be a variety of supplementary lectures as well as a course manual so you have to hand all the information you will learn during your time with the wildlife team.

Game Capture Team

Although wildlife veterinarians try not to interfere with the every day life’s of wildlife, we have to manage the populations of animals within reserves. This means changing the ratio of species on a reserve as well as the actual population size. Each year following a game count it is decided what needs to be moved from the reserve and be translocated elsewhere. This is where the mainstay of a wildlife vets work comes into play, Anaesthetising animals for transport and releasing them to a new home.

As a volunteer you can expect to participate in different styles of capture with a specialised veterinarian and capture team, whilst working with different species of antelope and other Southern African animals.

Different styles of capture conducted, which you may participate in during the programme, include:

• Helicopter Capture
• Curtain Capture
• Net Capture
• Dart Gun Capture
• Passive Capture

You will work hands-on with these animals helping with their immediate handling as well as treating the individuals with appropriate medications and monitoring them during their anaesthetic recovery period prior to transportation. You will also visit the release sites of the animals.

Domestic Clinic

The Wild Coast Veterinary Clinic is a non-profit institution that services the animals of the Chintsa Village and surrounding area by treating various injuries and illnesses such as Mange, Biliary, Transmissible Venereal Tumors, open wounds and abscesses. Basic spay and neuter surgeries should decrease the prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, aggression, and malnourishment.

Students shadow our Program Vet through patient care, in-house lab work, and surgery. Students are involved in each case from history to diagnosis to treatment and recovery. Students observe and assist throughout each surgery and practice suturing on simulation skin pads.

The clinic functions as a normal small town private practice but there may be opportunity for students to work in the clinic if they wish.

Community Outreach

Students will have the opportunity totravel into rural communities where free roaming farm species have little to no veterinary care.

Animals in remote areas are by far the most in need of veterinary care- through our community project, we serve animals with no access to veterinary medicine throughout the Eastern Cape. Students perform clinical exams and administer treatment for parasites, tick-borne diseases, minor wounds, and infection. Students also learn about Xhosa culture and customs while working in the community.

Additionally farmers often are alerted that the team are visiting and so they bring their sick and injured animals to the team to provide any first aid they can.