The team at Rangiora Vet Centre have provided veterinary care to the animals at Orana Wildlife Park for over 30 years. With over 20 large cats, several species of African hoofed stock and our own precious native species, as well as many other animals from around the globe our Orana Wildlife Park vet has plenty to do.
Over the years we have had many wild animals arrive at the clinic for life saving surgeries. These include dentals on lions, stitching up African wild dogs, gut surgery on cheetahs and removing infected yolk sacs from kiwi chicks. Procedures on the bigger animals such as rhino and giraffe are carried out at the park.
Our vet Ben Davidson completed his masters in veterinary conservation medicine in 2019 and visits the park every week. In addition to treating the sick animals he is involved in setting up preventative care programmes as well as the importation of new animals to the park. This involves travel to different zoos both locally and internationally, to check the animals before they come to New Zealand.
Orana Wildlife Park is involved in the exciting breeding programmes of several endangered species and our vet contributes to these with advice and expertise and is ready and waiting to deliver any precious babies that need help coming into the world.
Baby Giraffe, Kevin, needed special attention from our team.
He enjoyed 24-hour care over the Christmas period, leading to the affectionate nickname of ‘Grinch’.
Quake the Cheeta gets a root canal
Not even speedy cats can cheat their way out of a visit to the dentist!
WORLD-FIRST HIP REPLACEMENT surgery
Talei the Tasmanian Devil has a new lease of life after a world-first hip replacement at Rangiora Vet Centre. Thanks to the surgery, Talei had a skip in his step as he trotted around his enclosure and showed off his pain-free walk to Orana Wildlife Park visitors.
TAMA GETS A VISIT FROM THE DENTIST
With an exposed pulp and nerve there was no option but to remove one of Tama’s teeth under a general anaesthetic. RVC dentistry Vet Marcella Cassiani Lowe, who has post-graduate qualifications in veterinary dentistry was called in to remove the tooth.
Nia, a cheetah has cruciate surgery
Nia, who was one of four Cheetah Cubs hand raised by Orana Wildlife Park, returned to RVC at around 6 months of age for cruciate surgery. Vet nurse Katie Duncan (pictured) monitored her anaesthesia, while RVC Surgeon and Zoo Vet Ben conducted the surgery. The cubs had previously been to the clinic at just days old, when the team put nasogastric feeding tubes down their noses so they could feed them until they were able to take the bottle.
TAWHITI has his ears examined
Tawhiti, 10 year old male Lion, had shown signs of ear irritation and discomfort. He was sedated and anaesthetised by Zoo Vet, Ben Davidson to have his ears examined by Animal Dermatology Canterbury.
NZ’s first community of gorillas
RVC Zoo Vet, Ben Davidson traveled to Taronga Zoo, Sydney and assisted with the anaesthesia and pre-quarantine health checks of Fataki and Fuzu where they were Tb tested, x-rayed, vaccinated and had a full physical examination before being moved to a quarantine facility to recover. Ben was also present when they arrived at Orana Wildlife Park 30 days later, and were released into their new digs, and then a week later when they were able to go outside after their quarantine period.
mass removed from a tiny gecko
An RVC Veterinary Surgeon removed a mass from this Orana Wildlife Park Gecko, Zoo Vet Ben assisted by conducting the original biopsies.