African Conservation Experience

I loved the unpredictability of this project. The day could start at 8 am (which was the usual) or it could be in the middle of the night, at 3 am, depending on what the vet is doing. Obviously you don’t have to get up in the middle of the night if you don’t want to, but for me, that was all part of the experience. I didn’t want to miss out on anything. You can ask the vet as many questions as you like which means you can gain as much knowledge as possible. I even asked the receptionists and...

I recently had the privilege of spending two unforgettable weeks volunteering in Africa, all thanks to African Conservation Experience (ACE). I visited the Okavango Wilderness Project in Botswana, where I truly connected with the wilderness in a way I never imagined possible. Each day was filled with awe as I contributed to an array of different conservation efforts. Whether it was tracking wildlife through the bush or learning about the delicate balance of their habitats, the raw beauty of t...

My favourite thing about the veterinary experience was getting involved in the fieldwork. We got to take part in so many different procedures like drawing blood from a buffalo to test it for notifiable diseases, and we monitored the vital signs of a rhino whilst its microchip was checked and its horn was trimmed. It was just amazing to be out there experiencing things you usually only see on TV! Also, the vet experience is fully tailored to your level of confidence and ability. If you wan...