Nathalia Kristal Rios Rivera

During my time with African Conservation Experience (ACE), I volunteered at the Shimongwe Wildlife Veterinary Experience for two weeks. Here I was able to observe and be involved with the care of a wide variety of different animals. I worked with smaller domesticated animals such as goats, dogs and cats, as well as some of the more iconic African species such as rhinos, wild dogs and buffalo. ACE tailor your trip to your level of experience and confidence which is amazing. I was able to help with the administration of medication and take samples which was a really great experience! 

My most memorable experience was probably working with a white rhino. I was taken aback by how big they are! We had to help this individual as they had wounds all over their body as they had been injured by a group of hyenas. We had to dart the rhino, clean the wounds, and administer antibiotics to prevent it from getting sick.

I also really enjoyed observing an arthroscopic surgery, a type of keyhole surgery, that was being carried out on a dog in the clinic. The vets had to operate to fix its broken leg. The procedure involved cutting off a small part of a bone in order to then reattach it in a way that would fix the injured leg. 

I’m really glad I was able to volunteer with ACE. I decided to volunteer at the Shimongwe Wildlife Veterinary Experience because I wanted more experience in a veterinary clinic and to work with different wildlife. I first found out about the project through my friend who had volunteered here. She recommended it to me, not just for the work, but also for the amazing people that she got to interact with.

It has given me a real insight into veterinary work and the different things that the vets have to deal with. Before this trip, I was most interested in avian veterinary work and I wanted to specialise in birds, but this has really opened my eyes. It has given me a really good idea of the work that a wildlife vet does and what you can expect day-to-day. I am now super interested in following in their footsteps and becoming a wildlife vet.