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