The two-week South Africa Zoo Medicine program is based at Lory Park Animal and Owl Sanctuary in South Africa. Lory Park is one of only six zoos in Africa accredited by the Pan African Association of Zoos and Aquaria, with a focus on education and conservation. Your program will focus on understanding the anatomy, handling, medical needs in captivity, behavior, and conservation of five main groups of animals at the park: birds of prey, reptiles, big cats, small cats, and primates. Your work with and coursework about these animals will be supplemented by veterinary labs such as necropsies and lectures from veterinarians and expert guests. In addition, we will spend a weekend on safari in the Kruger Game Reserve, one of the largest in South Africa and home to elephants, rhinos, leopards, buffalo, lions, zebras, giraffes, cheetahs, hippos, crocodiles, and hundreds of other species.


The program course, “South Africa Zoo Husbandry and Management”, is a 3-credit course that includes observing and learning about the animals at the zoo and learning from your veterinary (DVM) trip leader and zoo staff in the classroom, in the lab, and throughout the zoo.

Who It’s For

This South Africa Zoo Medicine program is designed for university-aged students who are interested in becoming veterinarians or working professionally with animals. Participants must be at least 18 years old. Most are 18 to 25, but we also accept full-time undergraduates over 25.

There are no pre-requisites for this program. You do not need to be in school currently to apply. Individuals of any nationality may apply.

Each group of up to 8-12 students will have its own veterinarian and the groups will share site staff.

Highlights for South Africa Zoo Medicine

• Two-day safari in Kruger reserve to spot elephants, giraffes, and more!
• Study big cats such as white and tawny lions, Siberian tigers, pumas, and leopards
• Assist the zoo vet team in providing care such as vaccinations and deworming
• Visit community schools as part of zoo education and outreach program (when available)
• Support enrichment and training for primates, including gibbons and lemurs
• Learn about research on black-footed cats

Dates open for application

Summer 2023

May 13 – May 28, 2023

May 27 – June 11, 2023

*June 10 – June 25, 2023

*June 24 – July 9, 2023

July 8 – July 23, 2023July 22 – Aug 6, 2023