Since I have been home from Zimbabwe the number one question people ask me is what my favorite part was. I have found this question to be extremely difficult to answer. There were so many wonderful and amazing things that we were a part of. One thing that really stuck with me was the amazing people we met. Everyone from the bed and breakfast to Chobe were the most genuine and kind people I have every met in my life. They all truly cared about what they were doing and what they were trying to convey to us.
One thing I was not prepared for was the somewhat moral dilemma I faced when learning more about the poaching and hired hunting issues. While on one hand poaching is illegal, but what if it’s an 80 year old man trying to feed his family. Zimbabwe in the past has tried to allow paid sport hunting to take place to help the animal populations as well as the local communities, but we learned that while may help with populations, the local communities do not see any of that money. None of us will forget interacting with the lions and elephants at Antelope Park or working with hyenas at Fuller Forest. Seeing those animals also in the wild is something we will always treasure. Hopefully with the conservation efforts of so many people the animals and the country will be around for a while for others to enjoy. – Jennifer, SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022
During my study abroad program in Zimbabwe, I was able to experience and learn new things. One eye opener was seeing that this was a third world country and learning about the poverty and unemployment rate. The electricity here is also unpredictable, power will go out multiple times a day for different periods of time. Many people are trying to sell various things along the roadways. We were able to stay at several different accommodations which all had different experiences. First we stayed at a BNB for two nights. Here, we spent a day at the university of Zimbabwe and toured the veterinary program. Seeing how minimalistic things where there, really showed how advanced we are in the USA. They were still using Halothane due to costs. In every room there were spiders along the walls, including the OR. The students we interacted with were very nice, but we learned that a lot of these students originally wanted to become a human doctor but could not get into the program.
The second place we stayed at was Antelope Park, where they had a large reserved for various animals including zebras, giraffes, monkeys, Sable, impala, elephants, and lions of course but they were in an enclosure. We had an elephant encounter where we fed and touched the elephants. We got to vaccinate and deworm the horses on the property. Injected meat with dewormer and give it to the lions. The sunsets were amazing, the sky was red and a Halloween orange for hours. The housing held about 10 people with 4 rooms total. The next place was in Hwange National forest where the was a more abundant amount of wildlife. Baboons swing from the tents, you could hear hyenas howling near by. There was a watering pool next to the housing where elephants would herd to at night and drink from the swimming pool as well. Various other animals came by as well. Our tents were on a concrete ground with thick walls and real beds. We had many game drives during our stay as well.
The next place was called fuller forest and this was more of a camping experience. The tents were sturdy and well made but thinner. The beds were a little harsh. The showers and bathrooms were in the same building, like a locker room. Here we got to work on hyenas that were new to the park. They were darted and soon after we monitored them and I even got to pull blood from one as well. This was an amazing experience once in a life time experience for me. Wild lions were roaming the camp at night a couple times and you could hear them roaring and walking around. We could tell when the lions that actually belong to the camp were agitated due to their roar as well. Every night and morning we were greeted by the sounds of the lions.
The next accommodation was in Victoria Falls. Here we spent a few hours at one of the seven wonders of the world. It looked almost fake from where we were viewing it. There were also wild warthogs playing in the mud at the top of one of the loom outs. During our stay, we had the chance to spend a day in Chobe in the next country over and have a game cruise and also game drive. We saw an abundance of elephants, impala, and a hippos. Crocodiles and monitor type lizards were also seen. The different variety of bird were so beautiful. Our accommodation here was one of the most upscale places we had been. We also went to a restaurant called the boma and there we had a wonderful dinner with traditional African dances as well. Overall, I would say this trip was worth the wait due to Covid -19 and would love to visit other African countries as well. – Alicia, SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022
The first few days coming into Africa I was utterly amazed at the differences compared to back home. The most enjoyable difference had to be the scenery, and of course wildlife. The vast open lands of trees and vegetation are anything unlike what we see in America, let alone in the city. It was so refreshing to look out of my window wherever we were and see acres and acres of open land. I was so stunned to witness how common it was for wildlife to roam the streets within the cities. Watching wild monkeys and baboons take over the city streets was a surreal experience. The most surreal experience of the entire trip must be listening to the lions’ roar to each other every single night. That’s a sound that I will cherish forever.
When visiting a place as amazing as Zimbabwe, there were a plethora of experiences and adventures that stood out to me. Getting the opportunity to deep dive into the culture and wildlife of Africa was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. Although I enjoyed every moment of the trip, there were two experiences that will always be closest to my heart. The most rewarding experience of the trip was getting the chance to come face to face with elephants! It had been a dream of mine to get up close and personal with these gentle giants, and now I have the ability to brag about hugging their leathery trunks! I will cherish the moment of touching the elephants for the rest of my life.
The other, and most exhilarating, experience I had was coming within feet of a wild lion pride while on a safari drive. At this point we had already seen dozens of lions within captivity, and I was dying to see them in their natural habitat. Our safari guide just happened to decide to check out a nearby watering hole, and there we spotted him…a sleeping male lion in the distance. We quickly (and quietly) drove closer, and to our surprise we found three lionesses close by. We settled the safari van within 20-30 feet of the lionesses, when suddenly they roared their intimidating growls and partially lunged forward! I was terrified…but excited at the same time. I couldn’t believe that had just happened to me- I was experiencing pure adrenaline and joy. If it wasn’t for the experience and confidence of our safari guide, I would have been way more terrified, but thanks to him I was able to experience something that no one can say they had before. – Christi , SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022
Africa was quite a trip that I won’t forget and will appreciate for the rest of my life. Personally for me a highlight experience of the trip occurred in Antelope Park as well as Iguanya Camp. At antelope park I interacted with elephants roaming the land and it was so amazing it brought tears to my eyes. While they were in the wild they were very tame. At Iguanya we were sitting for dinner near the pool when a herd of elephants approached and drank from the pool. Once that herd left another would appear and it was mesmerizing, this was also the first time I’ve seen a baby elephant so that was very cool! It’s very cool to see how animal behavior differs from wild animals to zoo or domesticated animals and how you approach and react given each situation. It was also very cool to see how much the local people respected these animals and the measures they are taking to protect them. I can’t wait for another adventure like this! – Jaida, SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022
Zimbabwe. What an amazing study abroad experience. From lions to elephants to hyenas and all the other animal interactions in between; it was the trip of a lifetime. First, we started with disembarking the tiny plane in the Harare airport to then travel to our first destination: Mt. Pleasant BnB. Here, we met our wonderful and informative EDU Africa facilitators: Yami, Taps, and Ted, who would conduct our orientation and guide us for the duration of the trip. While in Harare, we visited the University of Zimbabwe veterinary department and completed a tour of their facilities. We learned so much about how the veterinary program works and how they conduct veterinary medicine which really opened our eyes up to how our culture and access to supplies and equipment differs from theirs. From there, we met our EDU program coordinator: Barry, who worked with Taps to create a traditional African dinner for us at his home. We then moved on from Harare towards Gweru but on the way, we stopped at the Makera Cattle Company and learned about the importance of cattle farming to the Zimbabwean people’s way of life and their economy.
With a warm welcome to Antelope Park, we began our main adventure. After multiple presentations by Iri and staff, we learned how to do game counts and snare sweeps in the field and why they are so important to conservation and anti-poaching tactics. While there, we gave parasite dewormers and applied tick prevention to lions, learned about and worked with the elephants and snakes they have on site, did some horseback riding with the plains game, and were able to see the pride dynamics of lions during feeding time. We even had a presentation by Dr. Gemma Campling with Worldwide Vets on how she does medical procedures in the bush and her recent experience moving lions from enclosures in the danger zones in Ukraine.
On our way out of Gweru, we stopped at the Free to be Wild conservation where they rehabilitate injured wildlife for release back into the wild and were able to get very close to multiple primates, zebras, bushbucks, and giraffes. We then made our way to Hwange and found ourselves at the Iganyana Tented Camp which was completely open to the African Bush. Here, Terry was a great guide on teaching us more about animal tracks and animal behavior and we also had a great presentation by Paul De Montille of D.A.R.T. (Dete Animal Rescue Trust) who explained how it is to sedate wild animals for medical and relocation purposes as a licensed D.A.R.T. conservationist. The rest of our time there was spent going on game drives into Hwange National Park or watching wild elephants and other plains game like sables, impala, and baboons visit the on-site pool and watering hole.
After leaving Iganyana, we stopped by the Painted Dog Conservation and learned about how they are trying to keep this critically endangered species protected from the dangers of human-wildlife conflict. Then, we arrived in Fuller Forest Volunteer Village near Victoria Falls and we conducted some nighttime game drives and game counts, listened to a presentation by Dr. Norman Monks of ALERT (African Lion & Environment Research Trust), and some of us went white water rafting on the Zambezi River. While there, we even had the opportunity to really use our veterinary technician skills as we helped with three hyenas in the conservation that needed to be darted, monitored under sedation, sexed, have blood drawn, given rabies vaccines, and relocated to another enclosure.
After a few days there, we moved into Lokuthula Lodges in Victoria Falls and were able to visit the city to do some shopping, see the wonder of Victoria Falls itself, and enjoy a cultural BOMA dinner and drum show. With some extra time added on, I even went over the border to Chobe National Forest in Botswana and had even more memorable wildlife encounters before taking the long flights back home to Florida.
None of the wildlife encounters I had during this trip would’ve been possible without the hard work of all those doing veterinary care, conservation and anti-poaching efforts in Zimbabwe.
Would I go back to Zimbabwe for another study abroad trip? Absolutely.
– Kimberly , SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022
My decision to leave friends and family behind to study abroad is not an easy one. However, it grants students who are ready to take on the challenge the opportunity to explore what it means to be an individual in the world at large. Take the chance to find yourself, make new friends, learn a new language, explore a new city, and immerse yourself in a new culture! The benefits of studying abroad in Spain are unlimited!
Salamanca is known for being one of the top locations in the world to learn the Spanish language. As a student here, you will benefit from living in a gorgeous medieval city small enough to navigate by foot, allowing you to gain an intimate understanding of the local landscape, architecture, and culture.
Spain study abroad students will be surprised that a country that dedicates so much time to living the good life is home to famous artists, and entertaining unique festivals! Cities and small villages alike all have their own special celebrations, some of which have become world famous. Whether it’s traditional Spanish opera music or modern music, the variety of styles and genres to be found in Spain will entertain music lovers throughout their Spanish study abroad experience. Flamenco Dance lesson is a fun one to learn. We also got to see a few free incredible, amazing Spanish concerts at the Plaza Mayor in celebration of San Juan Festival in Salamanca.
Studying abroad enables you to soak up the culture and the history dating back several hundred years. The museums, castles, and cathedrals that we visited are only a few of the rewards from living with the people and learning what happens on a day-to-day basis, oh and don’t forget the Spain traditional dishes that we get to enjoy every day while studying in Spain.
Although fascinating, Spain’s history is nothing compared to the people who have made the country what it is, a place to live life to the fullest. Passionate, creative, and dedicated to making every experience count, Spaniards are a lively bunch. As an international student studying abroad in Spain, you will have no problem finding new friends ,the host family treat us like their own family and the Professors in schools are incredibly welcoming and friendly . Other than Salamanca we also visited the aqueduct and castle in Segovia. The medieval city wall of Avila. The amazing resort town of San Sebastián in Basque Country of Spain and Biarritz, the elegant seaside town on southwestern France’s Basque coast.
Through the study abroad scholarship program offered by SPC, I have been able to gain so many different experiences and skills that will give me the abilities to relate with people from different backgrounds .I learned how to adapt to living in a foreign country and adapting to another culture. This will be extremely important when I finish school and enter the workplace.
You can only discover what’s inside you by jumping out of your comfort zone and putting yourself in challenging situations. In short, study abroad means becoming more mature and self-confident. As an international student, you meet a wide variety of people and make friends from different cultures and backgrounds. This will help you to see the world with new eyes and understand it from a different point of view.
The full immersion experience of living in a different country gives you the opportunity to learn or master that country’s language at social, academic, and professional levels. Especially in today’s increasingly global society, obtaining international skills and knowledge can make you more marketable in getting a job and more productive once you’re in the job. Studying abroad and learning expertise in cross-country and interpersonal communications may become an asset when working in any multi-cultural team in the professional world after finishing school. Employers can see that you are able to adapt to new settings and are not afraid of change.
Going to Spain was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I learned so much! Being in Spain was an eye-opening experience. It made me much more aware of how much cultures differ and gave me a new perspective on the world. Thank you, St., Petersburg College for giving me this unbelievable opportunity to grow and become aware of this big, beautiful world we live in! – Sanober , SPC Spain Study Abroad Program, June 2022
How do I put into words my experience in Zimbabwe? Simply put… it was a once in a lifetime experience. From the time we landed until the time we departed; it was nothing but great memories. The first couple of days were laid back and eased us into what we would be getting into. We visited the University of Zimbabwe Veterinary Science department. It amazed me just how much these students had to learn from what little they had in comparison to what we have in the states. Every student was warm and inviting, not hesitating to answer any questions we had, or showing us around the facilities. The sense of community we felt the entire trip was very humbling and inviting.
Antelope Park was the first experience we had up close and personal to the wildlife. We went on game drive, snare sweeps, lion feeding, and elephant encounters. You can see the love the employees and volunteers have for the animals they look after and care for. They were very knowledgeable, knew the different animal species, as well as the many different plant species, and they had a passion for what they did. While we were there to learn about conservation, it was about learning so much more. Being able to get up close to the wild animals was the best part. Being 25ft away from a wild giraffe or being able to interact with trained elephants (that were still wild), to the lion feedings and care. This was as good as I thought it got.
We then went to Iganyana Tented Camp and the trip got even better. We had elephants coming up to our pool to drink while eating dinner each night. We met a couple of amazing bush guides we were incredibly informative about animal tracks and behavior. We could hear some wild animals while sleeping at night, and even got spoiled with “Bush Babies” (hot water bottle) in our beds at night to help keep warm. Yes, the weather was gorgeous, low 40’s at night and low 70’s during the day with no humidity. They are making the experience so great; you don’t even feel like you are glorified camping and still out in the middle of nowhere. Then the nail-biting part of the trip for most. We stayed at Fuller Forest, and this was about the closest we got to camping. We didn’t have much, but we did have the wild animals, especially the lions, “singing” us to sleep every night. They continued calls through the night. This was an awesome experience, but they were so loud it sounded like they were right outside of our tents. Scary!
While we were in Zimbabwe for wildlife conservation, the second-best part of the trip was visiting Victoria Falls. I have heard of this in passing a couple of times before the trip but had never done any research or knew what to expect. Well, it was beyond my wildest dreams. There are no words great enough to describe just how beautiful and breathtaking the falls actually are. I could hear what sounded like waterfalls as we entered the park, but it wasn’t until we got to the first lookout, that I saw what was on the other side. There were several lookout points throughout the park, all leading to the farther most part of the falls, and where the lookouts get the closest. As I passed each one, I was just blown away more and more at how this stunning creation existed. I could have easily sat on a bench and listened to the water for hours. By the time we reached the end of the path, I was soaked from head to toe. But it is not an experience I would trade for anything. We then experience their traditional BOMA dinner. This was one of the best ways we could have finished off the trip. Everyone was involved and laughs were had all around. This is a trip that I will cherish forever and am so grateful that I had the chance to go! – Megan , SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022
I’ve wanted to go to the continent of Africa since I was little, and this trip far exceeded any of my expectations. Zimbabwe was a very beautiful place to visit in terms of its wildlife, nature, and national parks. The overall atmosphere in Zimbabwe was like nothing I have ever experienced before. The people were very friendly from the start of our trip like Antelope Park greeting us with a large welcome sign for the college to the very end of our trip with the Boma dinner that concluded with traditional dancing and drums, colorful sarongs, drum lessons, painted faces, and amazing African food dishes.
We started off our journey with a visit to the veterinary school in Zimbabwe which gave me a new sense of appreciation for the supplies and procedures we have back in America. Our next stop to visit Antelope Park was absolutely amazing and I learned so much about wildlife conservation there. It was exciting to work with the horses and captive lions on the property. We had the opportunity to dip and deworm the lionesses, which was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. The people at Antelope Park were very knowledgeable and eager to share their information. Our last big adventure at Antelope Park was interacting and feeding the elephants; it was truly amazing to see these large magical creatures up close and be able to touch and feed them. Our next stop was Inganyana Tented Camp which was a magical place with wildlife just roaming all around us. There we went for game drives through the area and Hwange National Park where we saw wildlife that was out of this world. The tented camps were impressive, and the man-made watering hole attracted many different animals, and it was magical to see elephants come directly up to the pool during dinner time to drink the pool water.
Next, we headed to the Painted Dog Conservation and rehabilitation facility which was one of my favorites. I fell in love with the painted dogs and wanted to learn more about this endangered species. I learned that they are very social animals and dedicated to their pack. The facility is dedicated to helping them not only survive but thrive in their environment through conservation, education, and outreach programs. My favorite part of the trip occurred when we were staying in Fuller Forrest at the ALERT volunteer camp. We had the amazing opportunity to work hands on with 3 hyenas that were under immobilization (sedation). I had the responsibility in my group to monitor our hyenas heart rate. We also had the chance to gender sex the hyenas and then reverse one of them with an intramuscular injection after we were all done. It was a once in a lifetime experience and has really opened my eyes to getting a job back in the states working with wildlife. Afterwards we headed to Victoria Falls, one of the 7 natural wonders of the world with its beautiful waterfall. This was probably the largest and most spectacular waterfall I have ever seen in my life. When we finally made it to the end, we saw two wild boars rummaging through the grass and it was incredible!
Another highlight of the trip was Chobe National Park in Botswana. This was one of our free days and we got the chance to take a boat ride and game safari drive through the park. The wildlife there was absolutely amazing, and I finally got the opportunity to get within like a foot or two from wild lions and cubs. One of the cubs started to nurse on the female lioness which was very interesting to see up close. There was so much incredible wildlife just roaming around and I truly loved it! This entire trip was a dream come true. It was an experience of a lifetime being able to have hands on access working and helping wildlife. I learned so much valuable information about wildlife medicine and conservation that will stay with me for the rest of my life. This trip really made me realize how much I love working with animals and made me want to try and pursue a career in wildlife veterinary medicine. – Christine, SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022
“The African Dream is exactly what we lived. We hiked, we slept in canvas tents, we were immersed into the literal wilderness, exposed to the most dangerous predators, and I have never been happier in my entire life. I never anticipated to have every single thought and belief uprooted and smashed going on this trip. I always had this idea of conservation and how it should be done in my head, but after speaking with countless knowledgeable individuals, I have found that it is truly grey. In most circumstances, the poacher setting snares is trying to feed his family by catching antelope. They accidentally trap other animals. The hunter coming to kill an elephant is paying thousands of dollars to cull an animal that has been deemed a problem, sick, injured, or in an overpopulated area. That money goes into hiring more guards to protect the species. This is not to say that there aren’t people doing either of these things unethically, but I had this black and white ideology that all poachers and hunters participating in these actions were scum. While I still do not necessarily agree with or like the situation, I have a more open understanding of these individuals. I also see the damage that unethical or uneducated people create. We had the opportunity to dart hyenas for medical care while staying at Fuller Forest in Victoria Falls. This experience was a dream. As a Registered Veterinary Technologist, myself and eight other students were able to draw blood, administer rabies vaccinations, sex check, and monitor anesthesia through TPRs on three hyenas. The spotted hyena is considered endangered due to habitat loss and human persecution. Furthermore, procedures are not often done on hyenas, so this was a supremely unique circumstance to be able to put my hands on such a dangerous and endangered species. This trip was humbling. Everything I ever knew was challenged and has ignited a new passion for wildlife conservation. I am now looking into pursuing further career opportunities in the field through veterinary forensics and chemical immobilization training. I hope to eventually change this African Dream I experienced into my new reality. “ – Bailey , SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022
Participating in a wildlife veterinary technician program such as the one in Zimbabwe was an absolute dream come true. The game drives, snare sweeps, deworming, vaccination, feeding, counting, hours spent travelling, monitoring, touring, interacting with the locals, and taking in every moment was more than I had thought was possible during the two weeks spent in Zimbabwe and would absolutely love to go back to help more wildlife. Having the opportunity to speak with local veterinarians to compare medical protocols in Zimbabwe versus America was such an enlightening experience. While this helped me realize how far ahead American veterinary medicine is in comparison, I learned to be grateful for what we have access to in order to help the patients. The difference that access leads to how medicine is performed was a fascinating comparison to be made across multiple conversations. There is one area for improvement that I can think of. Other than the trip being entirely too short, having more access to the two main languages to learn some local language before going would have been helpful. Though we did not need to know the local languages to do administer medicine to the animals, this may have heled with the language barrier between us and the locals. – Arienne , SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022
One experience that will always stick with me while on our trip was being able to work on hyenas. The conservation we were staying at had three hyena residents. We were able to help move them to a new enclosure, vaccinate, draw blood and reverse them. Even though not everyone got to do something like pull blood, just being there and working hands on was amazing. We were able to learn things along the way as these are not normal animals we work with in clinics. Learning what their heart rate and respiratory rate parameters should be at and weirdly the female genitalia was interesting to say the least (not something I will forget). Working hands on along side wild animals like that pushed me to realize that going that route in my career is an option and how happy it made me to be a part of that experience. It was a one and a lifetime chance for us to be able to do that and I’m so glad we had the opportunity. Our trip in general and not just the hyenas really changed my mindset and career path options. If anyone gets the chance to do a program like this they definitely should. – Katelyn , SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022
After my two weeks in Zimbabwe I feel like I learned a lot about that animals there and how they are cared for. For this post I will be discussing how they medicate and feed the lions at one of the conservation parks I was at along with some fun facts about them. For the lions, if they need medications they will lace the meat that they are giving them with the desired medication. I got to witness and assist in a deworming feeding where the dewormer was injected into the meat and then fed to the lions with a fence in between. The lioness’ were very aggressive with their feedings and one in particular which was the alpha of the set of lioness’ was very interested in all of the meat and actually ended up with two doses of dewormer rather than the one since she took the one from another lioness. But this was not a concern since the amount that was given was not harmful if they received an extra. Ivermectin was also applied as a drench, to the lioness’ to aid in the control of ticks and extoparasites. This was pulled up in a syringe and the sprayed onto their backs when the opportunity arised. This was difficult since they were suspicious of what we were doing and were not turning around to allow us to spray they backs with the medication. It took multiple tries but eventually we got them all drenched. I also experienced a feeding of male lions which was quite the sight. The me lions when feeding together are very aggressive and will race to the carcass to feed. The alpha male will almost always make it there first and guard the food. The others will get to feed to but most of the time they will run elsewhere to feed. They will even challenge us watching them while they feed since they believe that maybe we will take their food away. The carcass that the conservation park receives is from local farmers that had cattle culled for whatever reason and need it discarded. So the park will go and grab it so that it is used. A fun fact I learned while in Zimbabwe was that male lions do not grow their manes immediately. It takes them 4-5 years to have a full mane of hair. I thought this was interesting since in the movies that was never really explained. As I had mentioned in another post “shumba” is lion in the native language in Zimbabwe. – Amber , SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022
Participating in a wildlife veterinary technician program such as the one in Zimbabwe was an absolute dream come true. The game drives, snare sweeps, deworming, vaccination, feeding, counting, hours spent travelling, monitoring, touring, interacting with the locals, and taking in every moment was more than I had thought was possible during the two weeks spent in Zimbabwe and would absolutely love to go back to help more wildlife. Having the opportunity to speak with local veterinarians to compare medical protocols in Zimbabwe versus America was such an enlightening experience. While this helped me realize how far ahead American veterinary medicine is in comparison, I learned to be grateful for what we have access to in order to help the patients. The difference that access leads to how medicine is performed was a fascinating comparison to be made across multiple conversations. There is one area for improvement that I can think of. Other than the trip being entirely too short, having more access to the two main languages to learn some local language before going would have been helpful. Though we did not need to know the local languages to do administer medicine to the animals, this may have heled with the language barrier between us and the locals. – Arienne , SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022
One of the most impactful places we visited during our time in Zimbabwe was a small rehabilitation sanctuary called Free To Be Wild. One of my educational goals is to be a veterinary technician at a zoo or a wildlife sanctuary such as the one we visited. We were given a tour of the place and were able to interact with some of the animals there. Being able to feed zebras, interact with the vulture, listen to their rehabilitation stories was highly inspiring to continue with school to achieve the education required to work in a place such as this one. One of the animals that was particularly fun to interact with was a one-month-old baboon named Bodie whose mother was killed resulting in him being orphaned. One a bit older the sanctuary staff will attempt to introduce Bodie to the troop and hopefully release the troop back into the wild. All of the animals were very well cared for and the passion the employees have for these animals is extremely obvious as evidenced by the enclosures, animal excitement, and gross health exhibited by all of the animals. – Arienne , SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022
