A month with kangaroos, koalas, and more!

On this program, you’ll split your time between a wildlife sanctuary and a busy veterinary hospital, letting you see two very different sides of caring for wildlife. You’ll also have time to explore Terrigal, Sydney, and the Gold Coast.First: A two-week adventure “down under” to volunteer at the Walkabout Wildlife Park in Calga Springs outside Sydney, Australia. Study zoology, wildlife care, and zoo veterinary medicine with koalas, kangaroos, echidnas, wallabies, and all kinds of other Australian wildlife.

Enjoy a fun tourist day in Sydney, a day trip to a nearby beach town, aboriginal sites in the bush, and the world-renowned Taronga Zoo in Sydney Harbor. All the while you’ll be studying “Australian Wildlife Handling, Conservation, and Care” with your veterinarian program leader in the classroom and with the animals.

Then, travel to the iconic Gold Coast of Australia. You will have the opportunity to shadow and learn from veterinary professionals in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of Australian wildlife at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary outside of Gold Coast, Australia.

On the weekend, we will have a chance to explore Moreton Island with a full-day boat and island tour including  snorkeling around the Tangalooma Wrecks and the possibility to spot the “big three”: dolphins, dugongs and sea turtles, and explore the island including sand boarding and kayaking. In the evenings and on one weekend free day, you’ll be able to explore the Gold Coast and enjoy the area.

Who It’s For

This 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.

Groups will have a maximum of 12 students each, and there may be up to 3 groups at a project at a time. Your group will have its own veterinarian and you may learn from other Loop veterinarians during lectures, labs, or activities as well. Much of your time in the field will be led by the conservation rangers.

Highlights

• Assist in treatment rounds with Australian wildlife
• Health check kangaroos and koalas
• Examine pythons and echidnas
• Learn to handle and assess possums and bandicoots
• Discover the anatomy, behavior, and care needs of Australian animals from a zoo vet perspective
• Create enrichments for everyone from dingos to cockatoos
• Perform veterinary labs such as marsupial necropsies
• Enjoy two days exploring Sydney
• Assist in the treatment and care of native Australian wildlife at a state-of-the-art, high-volume hospital
• Attend clinical hours as veterinarians perform rounds, treatments and surgeries
• Participate in veterinary labs and necropsies
• Learn about animal rehabilitation for oiled bird washing, turtle shell repair, and treating koalas injured in bushfires  through labs
• Attend an endoscopy workshop for avian species and practice feather imping
• Practice darting and learn about breeding and tracking of endangered species
• Get an in-depth perspective on animal husbandry by shadowing keepers and participating in keeper talks and ethograms
• Work with echidnas, koalas, black flying foxes, Eastern water dragons, lorikeets and kookaburras!