Reviews for Shimongwe Wildlife Veterinary Experience
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I wouldn’t change anything from my experience at these projects because they are such a powerful thing to be a part of.
The whole experience has been incredible, so I would highly recommend people considering it, to just go for it!
Everything I experienced here, from the amazing guide who took us, to seeing the animals in their natural habitats, is something I’ll never forget!
African Conservation Experience were incredibly supportive throughout the experience, which is very helpful when it is your first time travelling alone.
I have been very content working with cats and dogs in my daily work, but I now have a new perspective on veterinary medicine.
I'm now super interested in following in their footsteps and becoming a wildlife vet. This experience has completely changed my life!
We felt like we were actually helping the animals and the team without just standing there like we were just observers.
At the Shimongwe Wildlife Veterinary Experience, I was able to compare the clinic in South Africa to the one in America where I work every day.
The most amazing thing about the whole trip is that I felt that in some small way, I made a real difference in conservation.
There was never a moment in my entire experience where I felt unsafe or unsure of what to do, I constantly had a guiding hand supporting me and helping me contribute to conservation.
I cannot recommend these projects enough to anyone in or considering the veterinary field. They provide an authentic look into wildlife medicine in South Africa while allowing you to practice animal husbandry in a hands-on way.
The whole experience with ACE has made me realise that I want to go into wildlife conservation whether it's based in the UK or internationally.
I would recommend volunteering with ACE, as it was valuable to be able to speak with the staff on the phone before booking, to hone in on which projects I would be most interested in. From this, they tailor your trip to what you're looking for and what your needs are.
I would definitely travel with ACE again, and I’d love to volunteer at the variety of projects that they work with in the future! I feel like I could return time and time again and never stop learning.
We highly recommend African Conservation Experience to travel with for wildlife volunteer projects because they offer great learning opportunities; whether it’s for someone looking to go into the vet field, or someone just interested in wildlife in general.
We got to assess all of the radiographs with the Supervet Noel Fitzpatrick for cranial cruciate ligament disease. It was so, so special, and my timing was just incredible and both the orphanage and Noel were amazing throughout.
The vet I worked with was an inspiration... He was very friendly, funny, and laidback, but also amazing at his job.
ACE gave me their full support by providing 24/7 support from the team in country and so I felt 100% safe, and this was enough to convince my parents to let me go.
ACE gave me a lot of information on the projects so I could choose a project that fit my own interests. The team were happy to speak to my parents as well to address their concerns.
During my first consultation they helped me choose a project that would fit my own personal interests and goals. ACE guided me every step of the way. It’s not common for an organisation that arranges international experiences to be so involved with the person.
Every step of the way ACE was there for me, from the first phone call to arriving back in the UK after I finished my experience.
I would discuss my thoughts and plans with the ACE team and they helped to advise me on which projects would be best for a more comprehensive understanding of wildlife industries, which will go on to help me in the future. Whilst in South Africa, I was able to contact the ACE team 24/7.
The support provided was excellent, ACE were there 24/7! If I had a question they would always answer it very quickly.
I cannot thank the wonderful people at ACE enough for the unforgettable trip I had in South Africa.
My experience in South Africa was one of the best adventures of my life and one that will stay with me forever.
Overall, this part of my life so far has been my most cherished and if you choose to take this journey for yourself, you will not regret it.
I got an enormous amount of African wildlife experiences and my knowledge of the veterinary profession has been greatly improved. I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone interested in animals, not just veterinary medicine!
I highly recommend anyone who wants to learn about wildlife conservation while getting hands on experience to go through the ACE team.
I chose to participate in the Shimongwe Wildlife Veterinary Experience because I am currently a pre-veterinary student in university and wanted to gain hands-on experience with wildlife veterinary medicine – and that is exactly what I got, so much hands-on experience!
If there’s one thing that I hope someone gets out of this, is that if you are considering going, but you are nervous, DO IT ANYWAY! This was the best experience of my life and so eye opening! I would go again in a heartbeat.
I would recommend this project to anyone who is thinking about working as a wildlife vet. You get a lot of hands on experience and also get to learn about common diseases and medications used in the field.
I would highly recommend the Shimongwe Wildlife Veterinary Experience to anyone with a veterinary background, whether that be a vet/vet student or veterinary nurse/nurse student, who has an interest in wildlife and conservation and wants to test themselves and take their veterinary skills and knowledge to the next level.
This experience was amazing, I would highly recommend it to anyone, not only to those interested in veterinary but anyone who enjoys travelling and an adventure, wants to learn or just to see South Africa’s wildlife close up with a true feeling of the country.
My days with the vet were always full and exciting, with a new unexpected challenge each day; this could be a day trip to de-horn rhinos, capturing giraffe or staying back at the clinic looking after some cheetah cubs.
The work the vets do to spread the message about conservation and the multiple chances they gave me to interact with wildlife, is beyond incredible and just being able to watch them, let alone get involved, is an absolute privilege.
I would advise anyone with a sense of adventure and willingness to work in a team to have a look at volunteering on any of the ACE programs.
I highly recommend the Shimongwe Wildlife Veterinary Experience to anyone considering applying. You will not only gain useful veterinary knowledge and skills, you will also create amazing and unique memories in an astonishingly beautiful country.
The vet I was working with was an incredible teacher and always explained what he was doing and why. He always encouraged us to get involved and even let me take a ride in the helicopter!
We decided to do the veterinary experience trip and to stay for 2 weeks. Let me tell you, 2 weeks flew by! We worked with a variety of animals, and we also got to meet and work with amazing people there. Africa is an amazing place to go and I can not wait to go back!
Huge thanks to the vet team in Hoedspruit for welcoming me and teaching me so much valuable information that will transcend into the rest of my veterinary career. Also, thank you to African Conservation Experience for setting up this wonderful experience! Counting down the days when I can return!
Some days we would be transporting buffalo to various camps, and so the vet would go up in the helicopter and dart the buffalo from the air. We would then chase down the buffalo by truck and transport them out of that camp and into another. This was truly exhilarating.
At Phinda our lives were enriched by the knowledge of our team leader in the many facets of wildlife management, whilst working with the wildlife veterinarians at Shimongwe was AWESOME. We were able to be a part of a team capturing wild animals for medical treatment, ID chip placement, and relocation.
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