Page 30 - World of Animals - Issue #28 Magazine

Interview with a…

Wildlife vet

Emma Lloret from Wildlife Aid lifts the lid on life as a wildlife vet, from

treating British wildlife to taking part in vital conservation projects

What made you want volunteers that make the centre run. All of Any kind of wildlife – both
to become a vet – and this makes my job very exciting and I enjoy domestic and foreign –

specifically one that it every day, without fail. could arrive for veterinary
attention, including
works with wildlife? vulnerable babies that
Since I was a little girl Have you been involved in any need caring for
I have always been conservation work? How does it differ
passionate about animals from your other experiences as a vet?
and caring for the ones I came across. Last summer, before I came to the UK,
Since then I knew I wanted to become I spent one month living in the Amazon
a vet. It is a really long path (five years rainforest (Yasuni National Park) in

of studies, lots of practical work, exams, Ecuador. This was part of an expedition, in
etc), but when you have this passion for which a group of biologists and vets were

something it’s definitely worth it. When working together to study the biodiversity
I went to university it really opened my of this area of the Amazon rainforest. We
eyes to the wildlife aspect of being a vet spent one month ringing birds, marking
surgeon, from that point I have never bats and looking for mammal footprints
looked back and have been working with (including jaguars), to collect as much data
wildlife ever since. as possible.
What’s the best part of your role as a
wildlife vet? “You are there to
The best part of this job is being face
to face with these amazing animals and help them, to be
knowing that you are there to help them,
to be their voice, and to give them a their voice, and to
second chance to be out there in the wild. Want to learn
Also, in this job you learn something new give them a second more about the
every single day, and it is very exciting to great work Emma
be growing professionally as a vet and as a chance to be out and the rest of the
team are doing at
human being. Wildlife Aid?
there in the wild” www.wildlifeaid.org.uk
Head over to
And what’s the worst part? to get involved.
Working in such a role can be pretty
overwhelming sometimes, especially if So you want to be
you want to give your patients the best
possible care. The worst part of my job is a wildlife vet?
the quick decisions that you have to take
every day about the life of another living As Emma mentions, the road to
being that is literally in your hands. In every becoming a vet of any kind is a long
case you have to think what is best for that one. If you’re looking to follow the

particular animal, uninfluenced by your academic route, you’ll probably
own personal feelings. need ten or more GCSEs grades
A and above and three or more
A-Levels of a similar standard.
Could you tell us about some of the
biggest challenges you have faced in the You’ll then need to take a veterinary
job so far? science degree at university, which
Each day is a new challenge, and includes placements and lasts

completely different from the one before. for five years. “The best advice
You never know what is going to be I could give to any colleague is
coming in through the reception door. keep following your dreams,” adds
The most peaceful day can turn into a Emma. “Keep working very hard,
crazy day in a matter of minutes and vice and keep learning, you can always
versa. The range of species that we treat learn something new. Sometimes Veterinary surgeons
is enormous; from a frog or a slow-worm it’s easy to give up but stick in there operate across the © Alamy; Dreamstime; Wildlife Aid
world, performing
to a deer or a badger, the list goes on and as there is nothing better than the procedures in
on. You have all of this plus managing a satisfaction of seeing those animals animal centres and

hospital and dealing with the amazing going back in the wild and being out in the field
free again.”
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