Field education and personal growth were on the itinerary as 14 SUNY Cobleskill students traveled to South Africa in May 2024 as part of the College’s “Vets in the Wild” program. The 15-day study abroad trip gives upper-level Animal Science and Wildlife Management majors the opportunity to explore career paths in veterinary medicine through real-world scenarios.
The journey through South Africa included several stops in Johannesburg, Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, Hoedspruit, Kruger National Park, and Ubhetyan. At the guidance of local veterinarians, our students assisted with the hands-on treatment of wildlife and domestic animals such as nyalas, buffalo, African reptiles, and companion animals in remote rural villages.
It wouldn’t be a trip to Africa without a safari. Visiting Kruger National Park, students got to see the “Big 5” in the wild with their young. Africa’s Big 5 are the lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo, which were named by hunters in the 1800s as these animals were the most difficult to spot and track on foot. Other sightings in the wild included hippos, hyenas, giraffes, chameleons, crocodiles, warthogs, ostriches, steenboks, wildebeest, zebras, sable antelope, kudu, impala, and a variety of monkeys from vervets to baboons. Students were even able to see Bengal and Siberian tigers with cubs at one of the rehabilitation centers.
The trip concluded with a helicopter ride and students learning how to use a tranquilizer dart gun for veterinary care. Visiting Instructor of Animal Science Assistant Professor Dana Weir and Instructional Support Technician of Wildlife Management Eric Struening accompanied students on the journey.
“Through study abroad experiences, students are opening themselves to opportunities unique to other countries and cultures and learning different skills that will help influence their career choices and better prepare them for the future,” said Struening. “We were fully immersed, not only in the veterinary aspect but also the cultural aspect in one of the greatest places in the world. Students were able to see first-hand the impacts that human populations can have on wildlife conservation and applying their hands-on skills directly in the field during this once and a lifetime experience.”
“It was a privilege observing our students while we traveled and learned together throughout the course of this trip,” said Weir. “We assisted in providing veterinary care to dogs, cows, and an orphaned golden wildebeest; we completed a reptile course that included observing a puff adder, boomslang, and a snouted cobra; we learned about the constant, imminent threat rhinoceros face from poachers; we observed and identified countless wildlife that included many avian species and learned about the endemic zoonotic diseases most prevalent in the villages which also affect wildlife. I’m proud of our students; their leadership skills and knowledge shined brightly!”
Students shared their own personal reflections of the trip, described a particular stop that was most memorable for many of them.
“We visited the local communities for a pop-up vet clinic. Over the course of three hours, the team helped 200 dogs by administering dewormer and tick preventative medication and preparing rabies vaccines to be administered by the veterinarian on the team. It was eye-opening to observe the daily lifestyles of the local South African people, who never stopped smiling.”
“Some of the dogs at the vet clinic were in very poor condition, with most of the pet owners being young children, five to ten years old. Some of the children didn’t speak English, but with the help of an 8-year-old boy named Peter who helped translate, our team was able to communicate with the locals. Peter told us how he aspires to become a veterinarian himself, and I hope he can pursue his dream.”
Students who attended the 2024 trip included Ann Canavan, Abigail Chase, Courtnie Chase, Alice Cole, Kathryn D’Amato-Neff, Angelina Fazzini, Maggie Greene, Leean Harris, Marissa Hirrel, Rosie Kotlowicz, Kathrine Lederman, Youshan Li, Daniel Moore, and Gwen Wronoski.
