LWC runs a volunteer veterinarian program to provide assistance to our Cameroonian veterinary team. We are looking for qualified veterinary surgeons, preferably with the experience of a post-graduate qualification in working with wildlife species. This rotating position is for a minimum duration of 6 months.

Our veterinary team consists of two veterinary surgeons and a nurse/laboratory technician. The clinic currently has a basic field laboratory with parasitological, haematological, and microbiological capacity. Volunteer veterinarians work in the clinic and become part of our veterinary team for the duration of their stay.

This is an excellent opportunity to work in the field of conservation medicine whilst gaining invaluable practical experience working with endangered Central African wildlife species.

Duties

Under the supervision of the management and vet team, the volunteer veterinarian is:

• In charge for planning and executing prophylactic procedures (such as health checks, dewormings, transfers, contraceptive implants)
• In charge for keeping the Inventory updated (see “keeping the inventory updated”)
• In charge for correctly registering and filing all essential data about the animals in the records.
• In charge for instructing, managing and teaching short term volunteer/students vets and vet-techs.
• Doing the morning and afternoon medication rounds.
• In charge for special diets being prepared and given (together with the keepers)
• Doing emergency procedures and managing animals that have symptoms of illness following the chain of command
• Keeping the clinic clean and organized
• Monitoring animal health and behaviour everyday (training will be made by Assistant Manager)
• Running the clinic on Sundays when the other Vet-team is off. In case of emergency (including escapes) you will have the phone number of the vet-staff and management. DO NOT TRY TO MANAGE AN ESCAPE ON YOUR OWN AND GO TO THE SAFE PLACE
• Taking care of the medical needs of the volunteer house pets (2 dogs and 2 cats).

Training and experience

Examples of what you may do and learn (depending on interest and previous experience):

• General health checks including blood samples, intra dermal TB-testing, tracheal wash, fecal samples and more.
• Contraceptive control (Implants)
• Darting (LWC has a blow dart, a dart pistol and a dart gun
• Anaesthesia monitoring
• Wound repairs
• Medical treatment and investigation of sick animals
• Treating local pets on occasions
• Transfers of animals
• Learning more about the different species behaviour and ecology in the wild
• Training to behavioural, socio-ecological and environmental rehabilitation procedures

Accommodation is provided in the volunteer house and lunch is provided on working days.