Rachel Qiao - South Africa
This past summer, I had the exciting opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream of mine and spend 16 days in the Eastern Cape of South Africa learning about wildlife medicine through the Vets Go Wild course with 14 other students from around the world. Vets Go Wild is taught by Dr. William Fowlds, an experienced wildlife veterinarian and co-owner of the Amakhala Game Reserve where the course is held. Throughout my time there, I also learned from the wonderful technicians and interns from Ikhala Veterinary Clinic and the knowledgeable safari guides at Amakhala.
The didactic aspect of the course involved lectures on anesthesia, pharmacology, ecology, and conservation. Dr. Fowlds is especially passionate about rhino conservation and talked extensively about the rhino poaching crisis that has devastated rhino populations in South Africa over the past decade. We also had guest lectures from Dr. Roy Bengis, who previously served as the Chief State Veterinarian at Kruger National Park for 34 years. Dr. Bengis spoke about disease monitoring and population control measures employed at Kruger. He discussed the challenge of rapidly growing numbers of elephants at Kruger and other reserves in South Africa, which causes degradation to the native vegetation due to an inability of elephant herds to roam freely to new areas. This is one of the reasons why Dr. Fowlds is working towards creating partnerships and land corridors to connect Amakhala to the other major game reserves in the Eastern Cape. By replacing fences with corridors, Dr. Fowlds hopes to expand the ranges of wildlife and consequently increase biodiversity.
Outside of the classroom, we gained extensive hands-on experience doing procedures on various species. Some of the magnificent species we worked with included: nyala, sable, roan, eland, cape buffalo, cheetah, giraffe, white rhino, and lion. We were able to practice formulating anesthetic plans, anesthetic monitoring and reversal, blood draws and catheter placements, and administering treatments. I even got to witness Dr. Fowlds perform field surgery and suture deep facial wounds that a male rhino sustained from fighting with another male rhino. On the last day, the “final examination” consisted of planning an eland relocation procedure by ourselves in small groups and deciding the specific concentrations of anesthetic drugs to be used in the dart. Afterwards, we practiced darting a moving target from a helicopter.
Despite the busy schedule, we also had time to participate in other activities that increased our appreciation for the beauty of South Africa. We went on plenty of game drives where we learned more about different species and saw them up close in their natural habitat. We also went on a whale watching boat tour of Algoa Bay and witnessed southern right whales breaching. I am particularly fond of the interactions we had with the surrounding community; we were able to volunteer in a community spay and vaccine day for dogs and cats as well as visit a local orphanage to play with the children there. Back on the reserve, I formed special bonds with the other students and the amazing staff that helped make Amakhala feel like home. My friends and I stargazed almost every night after a candlelit dinner, exhausted yet exhilarated after a long day.
I am beyond grateful for my experience at Vets Go Wild and will forever cherish the memories and friendships I made on this trip. The course has inspired me to keep pursuing my dreams of one day becoming a wildlife veterinarian and being involved in conservation. Thank you so much to Global Programs for helping me access this once-in-a-lifetime experience.