The “Introduction to Wildlife Medicine” Course is presented to veterinary students. It touches on all aspects of conservation medicine, and comprises of about 20 hours of lectures, 20 hours of conservation orientated excursions and 40 hours of practical hands on experience, on our research farm, Ngongoni, and with many of our clients.
Since 1997, we have had over 2500 students from 22 different countries attending our courses. Hands on experience will always remain important to students, and we go out of our way to ensure that our students get enough, under the supervision of our resident practice veterinarians. Call-outs obviously receive priority. Irrespective of the procedure, and guided safety aspects, students will participate in procedures like animal restraint, catheter placement, monitoring, administration of drugs, small surgery etc.
Course Schedule:
- Sunday:
- Group arrives;
- Initial briefing for the course
- Students are given a set of comprehensive notes and are orientated at the lodge
- Welcome dinner
- Monday:
- Introductory lectures by resident veterinarians: Dr Silke Pfitzer, Wildlife Specialist and Surgeon, and Dr Ben Muller dealing with:
- Basic principles of immobilisation;
- Species specific information;
- Accidental human injection;
- Discussion on Game Industry in South Africa;
- Role of Hunting and Sustainable Utilisation;
- Kruger National Park management strategies regarding elephants;
- Human/animal conflict areas and management thereof (Siyatutuka Farmers Community Project);
- Rhino management introductory lecture.
- Afternoon remote drug delivery lectures on 7 platforms;
- Darting competition amongst participants;
- After dinner students are briefed for capture following day.
- Tuesday:
- Students will accompany veterinarians to a capture:
- Species and nature of the capture will depend on work scheduled for practise;
- They will have hands on experiences and NOT merely observe;
- Possible captures includes all African species; not possible to pre-empt
- Students will accompany veterinarians to a capture:
- Wednesday:
- Siyatutuka Farmers Community Project - early start at dip tanks in one of the local communities;
- Informal lecture on site regarding diseases of the greater Kruger/Mpumalanga areas;
- Students will assist State Veterinary Services with Lumpy Skin vaccinations/Foot and Mouth vaccinations;
- Students get a glimpse of the rural communities in South Africa;
- Afternoon students will further assist State Veterinary Services with rabies vaccinations;
- They can expect to work with approximately 200+ cattle and 150+ dogs/cats in a day;
- This is a GREAT skills development opportunity for students.
- Thursday:
- Pathology lectures with Professor Leon Prozesky BVSc (Hons) MMedVet PhD – Paraclinical Sciences University of Pretoria – Section head Pathology;
- After lunch they will perform a post mortem – hands on.
- Friday:
- Students will again accompany veterinarians to a capture
- Saturday:
- Open vehicle safari through Kruger National Park
- Sunday:
- Panoramic tour of Mpumalanga visiting God’s Window, Mac Mac Falls;
- Shopping at local markets;
- Afternoon Elephant Interaction at Elephant Whispers
- Monday:
- Pharmacology lectures:
- Pharmacological principles from injection to recovery;
- Current and new pharmacological preparations;
- Afternoon practical immobilisation with various pharmacological preparations for comparative results.
- Pharmacology lectures:
- Tuesday:
- Crocodile expert and biologist - State Veterinary Services Mr Louis Le Grange will lecture on Nile Crocodile;
- After lunch students will capture and handle crocodiles under his supervision:
- Blood draw
- Sexing
- If weather permits they will immobilise with drugs
- Wednesday:
- Students will again accompany veterinarians to a capture
- Thursday:
- Visits to rehabilitation centres:
- Maholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
- Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre
- Jessica Hippo
- On their return we will discuss the day and the Centres visited
- Visits to rehabilitation centres:
- Friday:
- Early morning at diptanks again;
- Visit to the Venom Centre where students will have lectures on South African snakes and have the opportunity to handle black mamba and puff-adder;
- Evening farewell party at the lodge
- Saturday: departure
We are a Wildlife Veterinary practise with 2 specilaized vets, a laboratory, research facility and wildlife encampments.
Head vet Curriculum Vitae: Dr Silke Pfitzer
Educational History
February 2015
Award of the degree Master of wildlife medicine (M. med. vet. (Fer)) with distinction by the University of Pretoria and registration as specialist wildlife veterinarian with the SAVC: S15/4331.
November 2009
Award of the degree MSc in Veterinary Tropical Diseases (wildlife and livestock) by the University of Pretoria. The MSc was awarded with distinction.
February 2000
October 1999
Award of the academic degree doctor medicinae veterinariae with “cum laude” by the Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
SAVC council exam, registration No D 99/4331
1991 - 1997
Studies of Veterinary Science at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) in Munich, Germany
Students will follow the course schedule as siptulated above, assisting our veterinarians in wildlife captures and immobilisations. They will touch on all aspects of conservations medicine with approximately 20 hours of lectures and 20 hours of conservation orientated excursions, as well as 40 hours on practical hands on experiences.
Please note:
- We take 14 students pax per course to ensure everyone is guaranteed hands on during captures and wildlife work;
- Please note the schedule will not be exactly as above, days will shift in order to accommodate captures as our client service is paramount;
- Capture days may also include mass captures;
- During the 13 day course there are a few “fun” days in order to give our team a break and also to ensure that the course is “all work and no play”;
- We do not accept vegans, as catering in our remote area is extremely difficult in that respect;
- We charge a R800 per person fee for persons who adhere to strict dietary needs e.g.: vegetarian/no lactose/gluten free;
- Student accommodation is sharing;
- The course total cost of $3300 US per participant includes accommodation, 3 x meals per day, notes, captures and all outings, all specialist facilitators. This is our special “20 years in operation rate”, in the year 2019 the fees will increase to accommodate inflation;
- Externship is charged at a rate of $105 per day including meals, as long as the externship falls over course dates, it will otherwise be self catering;
- Students need to bring clothing for 8 days. Laundry is done on the first Saturday at a rate of R150 per 5 kgs;
- Free Wifi is available at our main lodge and restaurant;
- We have an exceptional restaurant which serves high quality meals and fresh produce only;
- We also have a fully equipped bar with a pool table where students can relax in the evenings. We run a bar tab per person for the duration of the course, and this can be settled via card/cash on the day of departure.
- Flights are not included in the course cost.
All accommodation, meals and outings are included in the course fees. The students will be housed at our lodge on our research facility and farm, and all linen and bedding is provided for the duration of the course. We provide 3 x meals per person per day. All beverages, apart from tea, coffee and juices, are for the participants personal account, and can be settled on the day of departure.