Veterinary Wildlife Services South African National Parks
Description
Working with African wildlife under free-ranging extensive conditions, includes game capture, translocation and holding, research projects, disease investigation and monitoring, and clinical treatment of injured animals.
Details
Associate Veterinarians and special expertise available
- Veterinarian with specialist training in veterinary wildlife medicine Annual Veterinary Residency programme Annual experiential training of Veterinary Technology and Nature Conservation students.
- Specialist veterinary technologists to manage laboratories Operations Unit that manages resources required for the capture, translocation and holding of large mammals (elephants, lions, buffalo, rhino, giraffe, etc.)
- Collaborative work with State Veterinarians, Department of Agriculture, based in Kruger National Park in disease investigation and control.
- Diagnostic support provided by Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Department of Agriculture; Faculty of Veterinary Science and National Zoologica Gardens.
Educational Resources
- Library based in Kruger National Park.
- In house library of specialist books.
- Study room for visiting students with internet access.
Responsibilities
Most overseas students that participate in this elective have had limited theoretical training or practical experience in veterinary management of free-ranging African wildlife. The purpose of the elective is to give students some exposure to the veterinary requirements of such a job.
What we require of students is that they have a genuine interest in wildlife and are willing to participate and enquire during the time they spend with us. In return, we will endeavour to give them as much clinical exposure and responsibility as possible. This may range from observing the capture of animals, e.g. rhino, to monitoring and collecting samples from immobilized individuals, and the performing of necropsies.
The students will also participate in diagnostic work, e.g haematology and clincial pathology, and the preparation of biological samples for long-term storage.
Student Supervision
All clinical work experience will be done with a veterinarian - the time will vary depending on the work scheduled for the period they spend with us. Normal working hours are 40 hrs/wk and 8 hrs/day. During the busy periods of the year the times spent on clinical cases may exceed this.
Housing
Yes (R1000/wk)
Practice Information
Veterinary Wildlife Services South African National Parks
Kruger National Park
Skukuza 1350 Mpumalanga South Africa
Ph: +27 (0) 82 905 4665
Fax: +27 (0) 13 735 4057
Email: peterb [at] sanparks [dot] org
Web: www.sanparks.org
Updated: 11/18/09
Signature on file: Dr. Peter Buss
