Several weeks ago I got an opportunity of a lifetime to go over 9,000 miles away from home to experience something that some people will never get the opportunity to experience. As part of the Work Experience class at the St. Petersburg College Veterinary Technology program we were able to go to Thailand and work … Continue reading St. Petersburg College Study Abroad: Opportunity of a Lifetime
At WFFT they made enrichments for the elephants that went out into the enclosures at the end of the day so that they would have something to do for fun when no one was interacting with them. The definition of enrichment is an animal husbandry principle that seeks to enhance the quality of captive animal … Continue reading Learning about Elephant Enrichments on SPC’s Vet Tech Study Abroad Program!
Studying abroad in Bonaire was the most memorable experience! Not only do you get to meet new people, try foreign foods and experience a new culture, you also receive college credit. During the course of my Study Abroad program to Bonaire our class was given the chance to scuba dive two to three times a … Continue reading Studying abroad in Bonaire with SPC: I would do it again in a heartbeat!
One of the fun activities we did during our trip to Thailand was feeding the elephants. As you can imagine, they eat a lot of food every day. In the morning we rinse off all the fruit that they will eat during the day. They eat a lot of bananas, watermelons, and pineapples. We fed … Continue reading Feeding the elephants in Thailand | SPC Study Abroad
In the afternoons when it was really hot (which was most of the time!) we experience bathing the elephants. After we fed them and walked them the mahoots would guide the elephants out of the enclosure for a bath. We had a tub filled with water and dumped chunks of fruit into it. The elephants … Continue reading Bathing the Elephants in Thailand
Different volunteers are assigned to different elephants every day. Different elephants reside in four different areas (e.g. Centre, Midlands, Newlands, and Elephant Hospital). Elephant husbandry is hard work so we are usually split into several groups of a team leader and a few volunteers. Husbandry tasks for each area differ a little, and the schedule … Continue reading Learning about Elephants on the SPC Thailand Study Abroad Program
We took a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to embark on a sightseeing wildlife tour in this place called Kaeng Krachan National Park. According to the WFFT website, this place is the largest national park in Thailand, providing home to over 400 species of birds, 57 mammals, including elephants, and some fauna and flora. This huge size is … Continue reading Observing Wild Elephants in Kaeng Krachan National Park
Jarred up awake by an international jet landing firmly, I scoped the window and was greeted by the dark sky lightened up by the bright lights of Bangkok. I checked my digital watch, reading that it was around 2am. Instantly excited and nervous, I wondered how to navigate around in the airport and retrieve my … Continue reading Arriving in Bangkok for my SPC Study Abroad Program
An important job we did while volunteering for WFFT in Thailand is creating enrichments for the elephants who live there. Enrichments provide entertainment for the elephants and help them satisfy their need to forage for food as they would in the wild. We made a couple different types of enrichments. One was called a “chandelier” … Continue reading SPC Students Creating Enrichments for the Elephants in Thailand