Claire Hibbett - Namibia

This summer I spent about 7 weeks as a veterinary intern at the Cheetah Conservation Fund located near the town of Otjiwarongo in North-Central Namibia. For me, this experience was surreal as I remember coming across a previous student’s summer experience at CCF as I was applying for vet school and learning more about UC Davis. I thought this opportunity looked incredible, but I was unable to imagine myself in their shoes. Now, I am so glad I decided to apply and was able to spend my break in such a unique and beautiful country and with such an important organization. 

For my veterinary internship, I, as is always the case in veterinary medicine, did not quite know what to expect. I really hoped for the opportunity to work closely with the cheetahs but knew it wasn’t a guarantee, as the cheetah workup schedules do not always overlap with internships. In my case, I was fortunate enough to be a part of several cheetah workups and found those experiences to be incredibly valuable. During these workups, I had the opportunity to monitor respiration, heartrate, and temperature while the cats were under anesthesia and assist in the taking and recording of measurements. It was amazing to see and appreciate these cats up close and see some of the differences between individual cats. Along with these workups, I also got to witness a cheetah release on CCF’s property. We released a wild female and her two older cubs. To be a part of both their workups and release was a really cool and rewarding experience.  

In addition to the cheetah workups, I was also incorporated into the day-to-day workings of the clinic. I got to spend a lot of time with the goats and sheep of CCF during our daily checks of the small stock in both the morning and afternoon. I learned about identifying lameness in these animals and about some of their common ailments. We also worked on the livestock guardian dogs and I got to be a part of several small surgeries during the course of my stay.  

Another amazing experience that I didn’t expect and will never forget was working with two pangolins through collaboration with the Pangolin Conservation and Research Foundation. One of these pangolins had wounds that required almost daily care and getting to work with and watch his progression was such a gift. I also got to observe him outside the clinic as I was able to watch him forage for termites and get some exercise. To see their natural behavior and unique way of walking in action was something I will never forget. I got to learn so much about these incredible and illusive creatures and about the amazing people working to protect them.

Beyond CCF, I had the opportunity to visit Otjiwarongo and explore the town a bit. I even went to the crocodile farm and learned about the care and husbandry of crocodiles. Additionally, several other interns and I spent a weekend at Etosha National Park located in Northern Namibia. There, I got to see lions, elephants, rhinos, hyenas, and many other amazing creatures in the wild for the first time. 

I am so grateful I got the opportunity to spend my break at the Cheetah Conservation Fund and that I was able to be a part of their mission of conservation and education. I met so many inspiring people and made some lifelong friends. I loved being able to see so many different animals both within and outside the clinic. Through this internship, I was able to get a better idea of the challenges and problem-solving required for wildlife medicine and experience first hand a holistic approach to conservation. I would like to thank everyone at CCF, the Global Programs Office, and the generous donors who made this one-of-a-kind experience possible.