A close-up view of a leopard sleeping peacefully, its head resting on its front paws. The leopard's golden fur is covered in dark rosettes, with its face partially visible, eyes closed, and whiskers resting softly. The overall scene conveys a sense of calm and tranquility.

Summer Internships in South Africa - On Site

Animal and Zoological Management

Accommodations  

Lory Park

Housing is in dorm-style rooms, and you will share rooms with other students of the same gender. Bathrooms are shared. Students are not permitted to leave the grounds of the zoo except when we travel off-site as a group. Free wi-fi is available throughout the zoo grounds.

Cango Wildlife Ranch

Students are housed in a nearby lodge. Each rooms contains 2 or 3 beds, with ensuite bathrooms. Laundry facilities are available for you to use (with laundry soap available for purchase). Bedding and bath towels are provided. 

UC Davis reserves the right to change the accommodation location(s). Should this be necessary, we will arrange alternative lodging. Please note that elevators, air conditioners, hot water, and other modern conveniences will not be available in all locations.

Meals

Lory

Meals are included and will be eaten at the zoo, including a simple buffet-style breakfast (coffee, cereal, milk, toast, jam, fruit, and eggs, for example) and set meals for lunch and dinner. Vegan and vegetarian diets, as well as food allergies, can be accommodated with advanced notice. There are also refrigerators and a kitchen to store and cook your own snacks.

On the mid-program weekend (2 days), students will be housed at a hotel and only breakfasts are provided. Other activities and meals will be at students’ own budget. Students may not travel in Johannesburg alone during this free time,

Cango

All your meals are included. Basic self-serve breakfast is provided in the lodge. Lunch is provided for you at the Ranch restaurant from the menu selection. Each day, dinner is prepared and delivered by your “lodge mother”, Helen.

Excursions & Activities

At Lory Park Zoo, you will work with primates, big cats, birds of prey and reptiles. You will participate in animal handling and physical examination laboratories, necropsies, microscope and other diagnostic laboratories, and learn from veterinary lectures. 

During your time at Cango, you will primarily work with big cats (mainly cheetahs). You will feed and help provide medical care to cheetahs and other big cats. You will help maintain and care for cheetah facilities and enclosures while learning about all aspects of care and management of captive wildlife. There will be at least one day for the cheetah veterinarian to come in and do annual physical examinations, during which the animal is anesthetized so students can observe the procedure but also perform procedures such as checking the heart rate, obtaining vitals, and learn other baseline assessments.

You will take part in safari weekends on both the mid-program weekends (in the middle of the 2 weeks at each location). Students get to go to three locations (Pilanesberg, Kruger, and Maholoholo) and learn about all the conservation there and go on safari drives to see all the wildlife. They often see all of the "big 5" as well as seeing lots of birds and other mammals. You will also take part in a Johannesburg township tour, where you will learn about the history and culture of South Africa. There will be other low-cost activities students can opt-in to with Loop Abroad while on-site.

Get to Know Your Destination

Lory Park Zoo is situated between Johannesburg and Pretoria. It started as a bird park but over the years became a sanctuary for many species and is a safe haven for animals to live their lives in peace. Lory Park is now an internationally acclaimed zoo! Lory Park is involved in researching and breeding black-footed cats, and students will get to observe and participate in this research. Black-footed cats are difficult to breed in captivity, so their successful breeding pair is an important contribution to the survival of this vulnerable animal whose population is decreasing in the wild. Lory Park is one of only six institutions in Africa to be accredited by the Pan African Association of Zoos and Aquaria, and one of four African institutions granted membership to the International Zoological Educators. 

Cango Wildlife Ranch in the town of Oudtshoorn, famous for its Cango Caves and Ostrich farms (it is the Ostrich Capital of the World!). Here you will have breathtaking views of the Karoo area from high up in the Swartberg mountains. Oudtshoorn is a nature lovers dream as it is surrounded by a vast wilderness area including the 121,000 hectare Swartberg nature reserve and adjoining 8,000 hectare Gamkaskloof reserve. 

Cango wildlife Ranch is an accredited facility with PAAZA (One of only handful Africa) WAZA member and a member of the Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group.

Cango is home to big cat species including lions, leopards, tigers, and cheetahs. It is also home to plenty of other animals including two-toed sloths, pygmy hippo, ring-tailed and brown lemurs, and several reptile and bird species including the cape vulture.

Cango Wildlife Ranch supports breeding and educational programs for cheetahs, Pygmy hippos & Radiated Tortoises.

Study Abroad Advisory of Student Risk

Participation in this UC Davis Study Abroad program requires travel to and extended living in a foreign location(s) abroad. UC Davis Study Abroad endeavors to reduce and mitigate risk wherever possible.  However, the environments and risks associated with living in these locations are substantially different than those found during a regular course of study at UC Davis. All participants must download and review the following information prior to departure. Any questions should be directed to the program coordinator.

Due to the nature of the program activities—which includes working with live animals—you may be at risk of contracting rabies if exposed to an infected animal. UC Davis Student Health and Counseling Services recommends that you receive the rabies vaccination prior to departure. Consult with UC Davis Student Health and Counseling Services or your private healthcare physician about this further.

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Summer Internships Animal and Veterinary Science Study Abroad Internships South Africa