Short Term Volunteer Vets Required

The Vacancy: Ape Action Africa has an exciting opportunity for a volunteer veterinarian to work with the resident Cameroon veterinary assistant. All our volunteers live and work at our forest site, Mefou, which is home to 110 chimps, 20 gorillas and a whole variety of monkeys, taking the number of animals in our care to over 320. The accommodation is very basic, it is very hot and humid so it's not easy! However, the rewards are fantastic and our volunteers have a once in a lifetime experience with the amazing animals in our care.

The Role: The role of the vet team includes overall observation and management of primate health following established procedures. Responsibilities include dispensing of medication, immobilizing as necessary for treatment, implementation of disease prevention measures (including parasite checks and treatments) and attending to any medical emergencies. Health checks and close monitoring of newly rescued chimps may also be needed. A key requirement is maintenance of daily data records.

The Volunteer: We are looking for an enthusiastic team player who possesses a recognised university degree in Veterinary Medicine.

Ideally you will:

have a minimum of 3 years experience as a qualified veterinary practitioner
have previous experience working with primates
have travelled / lived overseas
be willing to live in basic conditions
enjoy working with others to develop their knowledge and skills
have a good working knowledge of English, French speaking is an additional advantage

The timescale: Three month blocks, extendable to 6 months

The Reward: An amazing experience working with gorillas and chimpanzees and living in a beautiful, developing country. We will provide you with on-site accommodation. A daily meal is prepared for all staff and we will cover basic living expenses.

To Apply: Please send your CV, covering letter and two references by email to volunteer@apeactionafrica.org.

For further information or to discuss your application contact Sharon Redrobe, Clinical Associate Professor of Zoo,Wild and Exotic Animal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham. Email: sharon.redrobe@nottingham.ac.uk