The Faculty of Veterinary Science of the University of Pretoria recently hosted its 2025 VEP Wildlife Technical Week. This year 42 5th year students participated in the event. The Veterinary Elective Practice (VEP) module also forms part of the training of the students.
Organised by specialist wildlife veterinarian Dr Jacques O’Dell and the faculty’s Wildlife Section, the annual event under the auspices of the Department of Production Animal Studies (PAS) is a mix of applied lectures, case discussions and practical sessions.
Guest lecturers at the event included Dr Lufuno Netshitavhadulu from SANparks veterinary wildlife services, Dr Cobus Raath from Wildlife Pharmaceuticals SA, Dr Hendrik Hansen from Embryo Plus and Mr Craig Shepstone, owner of the Wildlife Nutrition Services company.
Sponsors of the week included Drs Michael Kock and Richard Burroughs, Wildlife Pharmaceuticals South Africa, and Motsumi Darts (a company that is manufacturing remote drug delivery systems including darts shot from a dart rifle or projector).
Wildlife Pharmaceuticals SA sponsored several prizes for the week including a gift pack for each student and the prize for the best case study presentation. Motsumi darts sponsored the darts and other items for the darting practical. As always this was good fun and the competition was fierce.
The eventual winner of the darting practical was Wilma de Beer with Ané de Kock second and Kierra Christenson in third place.
Prizes for the best shots included a robust pole syringe sponsored by Motsumi Darts and two capture books - Chemical and Physical Restraint of Wild Animals sponsored by the authors (Dr Michael Kock and Dr Richard Burroughs), and Handbook of Wildlife Chemical Immobilisation sponsored by Wildlife pharmaceuticals SA.
The winning case study was titled "Capturing and managing a Southern ground hornbill with a snare around the foot." The winning group consisted of Helen Johns, Andreka Pillay, Qaqambile Vava, Sarah Foster, Ané de Kock, Paballo Lekgate, and Kierra Christenson.
The organisers wish to thank all the sponsors, guest lecturers and faculty staff who made this week possible.
The eight finalists for the darting practicals. From left to right are Wilco Roets, Ané de Kock, Inge Kleyn, Wilma de Beer, Jordan Smith, Nattasha Magolego, Christiaan de Jager, and Kierra Christenson.
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