• “An Introduction to the wildlife of Southern Africa – the basics”
• “The role of the Wildlife Veterinarian in South Africa”
• “Capture and immobilisation methods – the big picture”

• “Zoo medicine practice – the general principals”
• "Avian Anaesthesia”
• “Reptile Anaesthesia”
• “Fish Anaesthesia

Dinner and overnight at De Wildt Cheetah Lodge.

Day 7 - Thursday

After breakfast at 7.00 am we check out of the De Wildt Cheetah Lodge at 8.15am and transfer to the far north west of the country to Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve and Mapungubwe National Park - approximately a 6 hour drive through some remote areas of South Africa.

Enjoy packed lunch en route.

Check in mid afternoon and enjoy a short game drive (time and mood dependent after the day’s drive) and sundowners before returning to camp for an evening at leisure with dinner and overnight at Little Muck Lodge.

During our stay at VLNR we will assist with any Veterinary work / immobilisations that may need doing for management / disease / research reasons. This is subject to confirmation nearer the time and the species we are most likely to work on are African Wild Dog and/or lion, or some of the other predators such as brown hyena.

Little Muck Lodge is situated on a sandstone ridge offering guests breathtaking views of the Limpopo River floodplain below, and Botswana’s Tuli block area in the distance. The lodge is situated within the South African National Park’s newest reserve, the Mapungubwe National Park, which in the future will form part of a new transfrontier peace-park with Botswana and Zimbabwe.
The lodge is built of stone and thatch and offers simple luxury. All rooms are en-suite, air conditioned, and are set a short distance away from the main lodge area. While staying here we have exclusive use of the lodge.
Our stay here is on a full board basis and a reasonable amount of local drinks - soft and alcoholic - are included.

Day 8 - Friday

Early morning light breakfast/tea/coffee followed by a transfer into the nearby De Beers’ Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve (VLNR).
(At this stage the Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve is separated from the lodge/Mapungubwe by a road, although the future plans are to merge these two reserves.)

VLNR is 34 000 hectares in size, and home to many species of antelope, giraffe, lion, African Wild dogs, leopard, elephant, white and black rhino, and many more. The vegetation consists mostly of Mopane scrub, which presents a harsh landscape and does not favour all species, or only carries low numbers of grazers.
You have to work hard at your game viewing here, but this offers a true sense of Africa and its wildlife!

Various research projects are planned/in progress, and mostly focus on monitoring and data collection on various species such as the African Wild Dog, elephant and lion. The Reserve’s best-known programme is the African Wild Dog programme, which has already been running for 6 years and is set to continue. The project focuses on the resident wild dogs and their role in sustainable Eco-Tourism.
We will join researchers this morning and learn more about their work and the skills of tracking wildlife using telemetry, as well as the conservation issues surrounding this endangered species, and the veterinary aspects and involvement of veterinarians.
If there is any veterinary work that needs doing with the dogs, we may do this at the same time.

Return to the lodge later in the morning for brunch (and some leisure/study time).

If there is any veterinary work to be done with lion or other nocturnal species, we will set out to do this tonight, and possibly tomorrow night too, depending on the situation/time needed. Should there be no veterinary work we will enjoy a traditional game drive in either VLNR or Mapungubwe National Park.

Return to Little Muck after sunset for dinner and to overnight.

Day 9, Saturday

Early morning light breakfast/tea/coffee followed by an extended bush walk today where we learn some of the finer skills of bush survival and tracking and view some Bushman rock art found in the area.

Return to the lodge later in the morning for brunch.

Mid afternoon snacks are followed by a traditional game drive in neighbouring Mapungubwe National Park. Enjoy sundowners at the point where three countries meet... (dependent on National Park gate closing times at various times of the year)

The Mapungubwe National Park was previously known as Vhembe Dongola National Park and is situated 60 km west of Musina, in the Limpopo Province. The park comprises the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape and the Mapungubwe World Heritage Site, and is located at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers.
Declared a National Heritage Site in December 2001, the park was listed as a World Heritage Site in July 2003 and covers an area that is well over 28 000 hectares.
The name Mapungubwe means “a place of the stone of wisdom”.

Enjoy a night drive on route back to Little Muck for dinner and to overnight.

Day 10, Sunday

Check out after breakfast at 7.00am and transfer to Pilanesberg National Park, approximately 5 hours drive.

Check in to our tented camp at Manyane and enjoy some leisure time – lunch on arrival or en route for your own expense.

We will endeavour to do some veterinary work / and immobilisation while staying at Pilanesberg, but this cannot be guaranteed this far in advance and is subject to confirmation with the park and its staff at the time. The most likely work would be lion immobilisation for management reasons.

If an immobilisation is not possible, we will participate in a late afternoon game drive (game viewing) in an open game drive vehicle with a local guide and Dr Peter Brothers.

Return to Manyane Camp for dinner and to overnight.

Pilanesberg National Park is situated in the North West Province in an eroded volcano that is more than 100 million years old, and is one of the largest of its kind in the world. There is a varying and fascinating combination of geology, landscape and rainfall which gives rise to different patterns of vegetation. There are over 132 species of trees and at least 68 species of grass. As a result of the range of habitats and vegetation, there is a wide diversity of animal species, from the ‘Big Five’ (Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Buffalo and Rhino) to 50 other species of large mammals, 354 bird species, 65 reptile species and 18 amphibian species.

The tented camp consists of canvas tents with twin beds and electricity. They are basic, but comfortable and adequate for the short periods we will spend in them. There are good communal ablution facilities close to the tents. The tents are in a fenced camp, with some “non-dangerous” wildlife roaming freely in the area. Meals will be served in the camp restaurant.

Day 11, Monday

Early morning guided walk in the Park with a local guide, or another game drive depending on what the group choose to do as a whole. Learning about the bush and wildlife in general, and their behaviour, are all integral skills in being successful as a wildlife vet, just as you study the husbandry and ethology of domestic species.

Return to camp for buffet breakfast at 9.30am and check out at 10.30 am. Transfer to Mattanu Game Ranch in the Northern Cape – approximately a 6 hour drive.
Lunch en route for your own expense.

Check in late afternoon and enjoy leisure time in camp.
Tonight we’ll review camp rules and our plans for the stay here with the Kriek family – father Dr Johann Kriek is a Wildlife Veterinarian and helicopter pilot, oldest son Johann is a helicopter pilot and youngest son is the marketing manager and heads up the ground crew on capture operations.

Enjoy dinner and overnight at Mattanu.

Mattanu Game Ranch is a unique Kalahari savannah Bushveld farm about 60km outside Kimberley on the Barkley-West road. This 2300ha Game Ranch, owned by the Kriek family, started in 1991 when the owner, Dr JC Kriek, imported 95 endangered roan antelope and 65 rare sable antelope species into South-Africa from Malawi. This is regarded as the most successful game capturing and importing operation ever. Hence the name Mattanu meaning, gift from above. The ranch boasts over 36 species, including rare species like roan and sable antelope. Mattanu also operates a disease free buffalo breeding project.

The thatched and tented accommodation nestles between Camel thorn trees and is a combination of shared accommodation – some en-suite, some with shared bathroom facilities. The water hole at the front of the lodge attracts wildlife for their daily drinks and provides some great game viewing on your doorstep!

Day 12, Tuesday

Early morning light breakfast/continental style breakfast before setting out for the day’s activities.

Our time spent here will involve as much practical work as possible, mostly in the mornings. Routine management procedures on the ranch as well as work for clients in the area will be undertaken, subject to suitability for our group. Typically this work will include numerous immobilisations for various reasons, and of various species, mostly antelope. Subject to progress on the course, students will be allowed to be involved hands on in monitoring and handling the patients.
Work will only be decided/finalised nearer the time and students need to be flexible in this regard since this is the nature of wildlife practice which is solely what Dr Kriek practises.

Lunch will be back at the lodge, or a packed lunch if we are out in the field.

This afternoon will be dedicated to dart gun systems and darts – a theory presentation followed by a practical session of loading darts and firing them at a target – Dr Peter Brothers.

Time dependent we’ll do a game drive on the ranch to show you the lay of the land and the various species on the ranch.

Dinner and overnight at Mattanu.

Day 13, Wednesday

Early morning breakfast before setting out for the day’s veterinary work.

Lunch back at the lodge, or a packed lunch, pending the day’s work.

This afternoon Dr Kriek will lecture you on the breeding and management of rare species, based on years of personal experience. After the lecture we’ll head out onto the ranch to show you the practical aspects of the lecture.

Enjoy sundowners in the bush and return to the lodge after sunset.

Dinner and overnight at Mattanu.

Day 14, Thursday

Early morning breakfast before setting out for the day’s veterinary work.

Lunch back at the lodge, or a packed lunch, pending the day’s work.

This afternoon we’ll have a theoretical presentation on helicopter safety and darting by Johann Kriek Jnr, followed by a practical helicopter session darting a target with a paintball gun. This will give you an excellent idea of what is required when darting from the air!

After ridding yourself of some of the adrenalin, we’ll enjoy dinner at the lodge before another night at Mattanu.

Day 15, Friday

Early morning breakfast before setting out for the day’s veterinary work.

Lunch back at the lodge, or a packed lunch, pending the day’s work.

This afternoon you will be given a written exam on the course material as a means of self evaluation – the exam is typically out of 150 marks and written over a maximum of 2 hours, and covers both theory and practical aspects covered on the course. While all activities on the course are obviously optional, course delegates are encouraged to participate in all of them, including the exam.

Enjoy a game drive and sundowners in the bush for the last time before returning to the lodge for dinner and to overnight.

Day 16, Saturday

After breakfast we check out at 9.00 am and transfer back to Johannesburg International Airport in time for connecting flights home/to your next destination – approximately 6 hours drive. Arrive in Johannesburg at about 3.30pm.
Please do not book flights departing before 6.30pm tonight.

Lunch en-route for your own expense.

***END OF SERVICES***

Cost per person sharing:
ZAR 25 000-00 per delegate sharing
Single supplements apply where/if available.
This cost is based on a minimum of 10 students and a maximum of 14 participating.

The course cost includes meals and accommodation as indicated above, a reasonable amount of local drinks during our stay at VLNR (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), all land transfers in a comfortable air-conditioned mini-bus, guides and lecturers as above (Dr Peter Brothers throughout and local guides where indicated), all practicals and lectures as above, all tours and activities as above, Park entry fees, VAT and Government Tourism levies.

Not included are flights, drinks (except at VLNR), meals as indicated for your own expense above, optional additional activities, items of a personal nature, gratuities (budget on approximately R200-R250 over the duration of the course), travel/medical insurance (compulsory and we have details of a good policy which covers you here in SA, should you need assistance with this) and pre- and post-course activities (we have a leisure department that can assist with these activities).

Departure dates:

1 - 16 February 2008
30 May - 14 June 2008
15 - 30 August 2008	SPACES LEFT

Course dates 2009 - itinerary still to be finalised:

23 January - 7 February 2009	SPACES LEFT
28 May - 12 June 2009	SPACES LEFT
18 June - 3 July 2009	SPACES LEFT
9 July - 24 July 2009

Please Note:

• This course is accredited by the South African Veterinary Council for Continuing Education/Continuing Professional Development purposes for Veterinarians. Each formal contact hour equates to one CPD point in the SAVC system.
• Due to the nature of wildlife and the situations in which we work, as well as the working conditions for people involved with wildlife, it may be necessary to amend the itinerary and plans as we go along. There is also never a 100% guarantee of what work will be successfully completed, although we obviously select work and situations that have a very likely chance of being completed/successful. Ultimately course delegates will be expected to be flexible and understanding, and will also have to share duties during immobilisation and hands-on work throughout the course, in order to give everyone maximum exposure and practical experience since there will obviously not always be multiple animals at each immobilisation. Your understanding in this regard is much appreciated.
• While we do have an enormous amount of fun, this is a course intended to educate you in many of the veterinary aspects related to wildlife and you should be aware that many of the days are long, and work filled. Safety of course delegates and patients is an obvious priority and delegates will be expected to co-operate with, and adhere to, instructions issued in this regard. We reserve the right to refuse access to situations if it is deemed that a student is not satisfactorily adhering to such instructions.
• By staying at the De Wildt Cheetah Lodge and participating in their various tours and work, we contribute financially towards the ongoing conservation work they are doing since they are a non-profit, non-government organisation. Hence your participation helps fund wildlife conservation efforts! Our time at Venetia also helps fund their research projects, several of which are linked with the Endangered Wildlife Trust of South Africa.