Shimongwe Wildlife Veterinary Expedition

Contribute to lion welfare

Gain hands-on experience working with lions in captivity. You’ll assist in necessary veterinary procedures such as sterilisation and collaring as well as daily care such as meal preparation and cleaning.

Gain hands-on wildlife management experience

You’ll join a specialist team carrying out procedures in the field. These could include the capture and relocation of species such as giraffes to manage population numbers, or testing buffalo for disease in a field clinic to prevent an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis or corridor disease.

Learn from skilled wildlife veterinarians

You’ll receive briefings before all procedures, explaining why it’s needed and how to perform specific techniques - alongside any species-specific information relevant to the case.

Two-day game drive through the Kruger

You’ll spend two nights in the Kruger National Park exploring the various habitats that make up this vast, intact ecosystem. Guided by a highly knowledgeable conservationist, you’ll search for and learn about a wide variety of flora and fauna - not just the famous Big 5.

Keep Africa’s wildlife healthy and viable

Vets are the first line of defence in key conservation issues like maintaining genetic diversity and disease management. You’ll assist the vets with management and clinical procedures that support the long-term survival of iconic species.

No unnecessary procedures

You’ll only work on real cases that are in the animal’s best interests. Procedures like rhino horn trimming are carried out periodically but the vets don’t perform these solely for training purposes as they can cause distress to the animals.

Support rhino anti-poaching efforts

You’ll assist with vital hands-on work to protect wild rhinos from poachers. This could include procedures such as horn-trimming, fitting ankle collars, ear notching and population management.

Learn to handle a dart gun

An essential tool for tranquilising large animals in the field, you’ll learn to aim and shoot a dart gun with skill. Once you feel confident darting on the ground, you’ll be taken up in a helicopter to shoot a human-made practice target from the air.

You’ll join a real veterinarian on their day-to-day casework. What you’ll do depends on which animals are being treated at the time, what kind of care they need, and your level of experience. Because this is a real veterinary environment and not set up for tourism, the work depends on what cases arise. Your veterinary priorities will include a range of the following activities.

Anti-poaching support

You will get to observe or assist one of these procedures:

• Humane rhino horn trimming carried out by licensed wildlife veterinarians.
• Tagging, ear notching or fitting tracking collars to darted animals.

Darting and collaring

You will receive training in:

• Handling a dart gun and shooting at non-live targets, both on the ground and from a helicopter.

You could also observe or assist:

• Chemical immobilisation and sedation. The species you may observe being darted and assist with the care of include antelope, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and sometimes rhino.

Animal welfare

You will get to observe or assist:

• Immobilisation of lions to be moved.
• Day-to-day care of lions.
• Lion contraception to prevent unnecessary breeding or lion collaring.

You could also observe or assist:

• Health checks of newly rescued lions.

Real fieldwork

You will get to observe or assist:

• Aftercare of wildlife following veterinary treatment, especially lions.

You could also observe or assist:

• Wildlife capture and relocation to help manage populations across different regions.
• Disease testing and prevention - including frontline work with buffalo.
• Treatment of injuries, wounds, health conditions and diseases.
• Pregnancy testing.
• Parasite control.

Game drives

You will get to experience:

• Game drives in the famous Kruger National Park, with sightings of Africa’s species in the wild.

You’ll learn about wildlife behaviour, biology and veterinary care, as well as broader conservation issues. Depending on the animals being treated, this will include a range of the following topics.

Animal husbandry

• Individual dietary requirements for captive lion, including food preparation, water provision, and feeding routines.
• Best hygiene practices, such as enclosure cleaning, disinfection of areas and waste removal.
• How to monitor the health and behaviour of captive lions.
• The reproductive management of captive lions.

Behaviour

• Animal behaviour both in the wild and in captivity.
• How animals react to the stress of being captured.

Biology

• The physiology and anatomy of various African wildlife species.
• The natural diet of these wildlife species.
• The processes involved in wildlife care after treatment.

Ecology

• The natural environment of the Big 5 and other African species.
• The current threats facing African ecosystems.

Conservation

• Wildlife management’s role in conservation.
• The importance of genetic diversity in wildlife populations.
• Human-wildlife conflict in South Africa resulting from the spread of towns and cities.
• Rhino poaching, anti-poaching methods in the field, and relocation programmes.
• Challenges of treating wild animals, including darting.

This project contributes to a variety of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. As part of the team, so will you.

Quality Education Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

All volunteers at the Shimongwe Expedition acquire knowledge of veterinary work, how human actions can affect wildlife and how they can minimise this effect - and have access to the same standard of education regardless of sex and background.

Gender Equality Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

The project provides equal employment opportunities for local women and men and equal volunteering opportunities for women and men outside the local community.

Clean Water and Sanitation Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

The Shimongwe Expedition achieves access to safe and affordable drinking water by using boreholes to pump water from underground aquifers.

Decent Work and Economic Growth Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

The Shimongwe Expedition routinely employs young people between 15 and 24 and provides equal employment opportunities for local men and women. Volunteers provide both economic and physical support, facilitating important conservation work and education within the local community.

Sustainable Cities and Communities Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

The lion sanctuary is built sustainably and resiliently using materials that are locally sourced from within South Africa. The project also protects natural heritage through the conservation of iconic African species.

Responsible Consumption and Production Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

The project promotes responsible tourism in a variety of ways: through the creation of local jobs; by educating international visitors how to live in harmony with nature; and in their vital conservation work.

Life on Land Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

The Shimongwe Expedition takes significant action to halt the loss of biodiversity and prevent the extinction of threatened species. Through their involvement in anti-poaching strategies, wildlife disease management, and maintaining genetic diversity in wildlife populations, they play a powerful role in preventing the degradation of South Africa’s natural ecosystems.

The project also takes urgent action to prevent poaching, by trimming rhino horns - an effective deterrent when combined with other wildlife management practices.

Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

The vets at the Shimongwe Expedition carry out rhino horn trimming procedures where they remove the exposed portion of the horn. Combined with other wildlife management measures, horn trimming deters poachers and reduces the unethical practices associated with their activities.

Partnerships for the goals Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

Through the Shimongwe Expedition’s partnership with us, they draw in financial resources that are used to fund conservation and provide support to their community partners in South Africa.