Animal management students from Kirklees College had a wild time on a field trip.
But this wasn’t the usual college trip to the Yorkshire Dales or the Lake District.
This time the 18 Extended National Diploma year two and Higher National Diploma students from the Taylor Hill Centre, Huddersfield, flew out to South Africa.
And instead of handling small mammals such as mice, rabbits and guinea pigs, they got the chance to work with an Ambassador cheetah, bottle-feed a baby giraffe and get up close to a vulture.
The students - who funded the trip themselves - also found out about handling venomous snakes and spiders and enjoyed seeing a wide range of native animals in their natural habitats including lions, leopards, elephants and white rhinos.
The project was about wildlife rehabilitation and working with endangered species.
The trip was to the area around the Three Rondavels in the Mpumalanga province and included work in the famous Kruger national park.
Animal management lecturer Ann Williams said: “All the students gain so much from this trip, from looking out at the views from the Three Rondavels, to stroking a live
cheetah.
“The experience that the students take away from this trip is life changing.
“If a student did not know what to expect from Africa, after the trip most of them have a burning desire to return.
“Africa always touches the soul of students on the trip, it seems to ignite a desire in them to return and work in conservation, an area of which we should never forget for
the future generations.”
Guide Nigel Anderson, from African Insight, said: “Kirklees College should be very proud of their students, who performed 100% throughout the whole trip.
“Everyone was punctual, eager, interested and happy throughout.”
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