Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital

24/04/2025

Meet the tater-tots!

They may look like fat furry potatoes, but dassies are tougher and smarter than they seem!

Watch how we care for these resilient little rock hyraxes at the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital and share the stories of Crookshanks and Sticky.

We would love your help in caring for them and getting them back into the wild. Please click on one of these links to support us:

PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=SA4BETJ869EG2

SnapScan: https://pos.snapscan.io/qr/PXMP5766

PayFast: https://www.payfast.co.za/donate/go/shop.johannesburgwildlifevet.com

Or you can send an eft to:

Johannesburg Wildlife NPC
FNB Cheque account
Account: 62658400264
Branch Code: 255355
Swift code: FIRNZAJJ

17/04/2025

From Hungary to Midrand – A Journey of Over 8,200km!

An injured white stork (....) was recently rescued and brought to our hospital. Thanks to a ring on its leg and the dedication of our passionate ornithologist and bird ringer, Arjen ......, we discovered that this incredible traveller was ringed last year in the town of Mór in Hungary. That means that this brave bird flew more than 8,200km to reach us here in South Africa!

Migratory birds like this white stork face enormous challenges on their journeys – from habitat loss to injury and exhaustion. Their resilience is astonishing, but their vulnerability is real.

At the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital, we’re here to help when they need it most. But we can't do it without your support. Please consider donating so we can continue to treat and protect these magnificent globetrotters.

https://www.johannesburgwildlifevet.com/make-a-donation.html

SPCA Midrand

16/04/2025

Happy Wednesday Post:

We at the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital are incredibly grateful to Kyron Laboratories for their generous donation of over R50 000!

This gift is absolutely imperative to our work—every rand you’ve entrusted to us helps heal injured and orphaned indigenous animals, fund critical medical supplies, and support our rescue and release teams in the field.

We rely on support like this to continue our life‑saving mission, and Kyron’s leadership sets a powerful example. To other companies looking to make a difference: now is the time to step forward and join hands with us in protecting South Africa’s precious wildlife - and all of this tax deductible! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you, Kyron - you are truly helping give our heritage species a second chance.

10/04/2025

A story of the scaly and unusual kind…

Two weeks ago, we admitted a very unexpected patient — a beautiful female Southern African python with quite the wild tale!

She had been safely caught in a chicken coop by a trusted snake rescuer after helping herself to two chickens. But due to the stress of the situation, she unfortunately regurgitated her meal — which isn’t unusual for snakes in distress.

What was unusual, though, is that the chickens had rather large spurs, and as they came back up, those spurs caused a serious injury. The poor python ended up with a nearly 20cm laceration that went right through her esophagus, skin, and blood vessels!

She was rushed to us for emergency care. After being stabilized and given some top-notch pain relief, Dr. K took on the challenge of suturing the massive wound the very next day, with Dr. Jess expertly managing the anesthesia throughout the nearly 3-hour surgery. And guess what? Our tough girl pulled through like a champ!

For the next two weeks, she was monitored closely, and her wound was healing beautifully. Before long, she was back to her feisty self — a proper Southern African python once again!

We were thrilled to release her back into the wild, not too far from where she was found — though safely away from any tempting chickens.

Please note: some of the photos we’re sharing below might be a little graphic, especially the one showing her initial wound.

Help us continue to do what we do best!
Every life we save is thanks to your support. If you’d like to help more animals like this scaly survivor, please consider donating via PayPal, SnapScan, or PayFast:

PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=SA4BETJ869EG2

SnapScan: https://pos.snapscan.io/qr/PXMP5766

PayFast: https://www.payfast.co.za/donate/go/shop.johannesburgwildlifevet.com

Thank you for helping us help them!

10/04/2025

Reason #6 Why Genets Make the Best Neighbours:
They protect us from diseases!

(Meet Benji, our very photogenic baby genet we are currently raising)

Genets LOVE eating rats, mice, and other disease-spreading critters — making them nature’s own pest control! By keeping rodent numbers down, genets help protect us, our families, pets, and livestock from nasty diseases like plague and leptospirosis.

And no, genets aren’t rabies villains — cases are extremely rare, and In South-Africa feral dogs are the biggest rabies risk.

So here’s to our spotted little superheroes — keeping gardens, animals, and us healthier every night!

Please don’t forget to support us by donating to our cause:
https://www.johannesburgwildlifevet.com/make-a-donation.html

09/04/2025

Reason #5 Why Genets Make the Best Neighbours
They’re quiet, tidy, and won’t leave surprises in your yard!

Genets are solitary little creatures who keep to themselves, snooze all day in hidden spots, and come out at night to silently patrol for pests like rats and insects. You might catch a flash of spots and stripes — and that’s it!

They “chat” with each other using scent, not sound, so no noisy nights. Even their p**p is polite — neatly deposited in shared latrines up in trees or rooftops, well out of the way of shoes and curious dogs.

So if you’ve got a genet around, count yourself lucky — they’re nature’s stealthiest pest patrol with zero mess.

Want to show your love for genets? Grab some awesome JWVH gear from our online shop — and don’t forget to spread the word about these magical little neighbours!

https://shop.johannesburgwildlifevet.com/

The photos show a few of our genets in a pre-release enclosure, with the next step being released back into the wild!

08/04/2025

Reason #4 Why Genets Are the Best Neighbours: You Don’t Have to Cry Fowl!

It’s surprisingly easy for chickens and genets to coexist.
Genets are far more interested in hunting mice and other small rodents attracted to leftover chicken feed than in going after your actual chickens, ducks, or other fowl. In fact, a genet neighbour can actually help protect your poultry by reducing the number of disease-carrying rodents around.

That said, just as we might struggle to pass up a braai, genets could be tempted by an easy chicken dinner if the opportunity arises. Luckily, it’s simple (and affordable!) to keep your birds off the menu. Here are five easy steps to keep your flock safe:

1. Lock them in at night.
Genets are nocturnal hunters, so make sure your chickens are in a fully enclosed pen from dusk to dawn.

2. Use small-gauge wire fencing.
A pen enclosed with 12mm hardware cloth or similar metal mesh will keep out not just genets, but also rats, snakes, cats, and other unwanted visitors.

3. Secure the roof.
Genets are excellent climbers, so no matter how tall your enclosure is, make sure it has a secure top. Bonus: this also protects against aerial predators like owls and hawks.

4. Check for holes.
While genets don’t dig, other animals do. Get in the habit of checking for any gaps or holes around the base of your coop when you feed your birds. Even a small hole could be an open invitation.

5. Feed your flock inside.
Leftover food outside the pen will attract mice, insects, and other snackers—who, in turn, attract genets. Feeding your birds inside and cleaning up extra feed helps break that chain.

By following these simple steps, you can keep your birds safe and enjoy the perks of having a free pest control expert living nearby!
Want more tips on living alongside genets and other wildlife?
Feel free to contact us any time.

And if your chickens or ducks want to give back to the genets, we’re always grateful for donations of eggs! Drop-off details and our full wish list can be found here:

https://www.johannesburgwildlifevet.com/our-wishlist.html

07/04/2025

Reason #3 Why Genets Make the Best Neighbours: Their Sweet Tooth Sweetens Our Lives

Like many of us, genets have a weakness for sweet treats. They delight in the sugary nectar and juicy fruits of our native plants—but their cravings do more than just satisfy their appetites.

As they visit flowers like sugarbushes (Protea spp.) to slurp up nectar, genets pick up pollen on their furry muzzles and transfer it from bloom to bloom, helping complete the pollination cycle. While sunbirds and butterflies handle the day shift, genets take over as graceful nighttime pollinators, keeping our world full of sweet-smelling flowers and colourful blossoms.

But that’s not all. Genets also help spread the seeds of the fruits they eat, gifting our gardens (and many fruit-loving animals) with new life. Their nutrient-rich droppings serve as seed-starter packs, helping the next generation of fruiting trees, shrubs, and vines take root—and keep satisfying everyone’s sweet tooth, including their own.

So next time you admire a blooming Protea or enjoy a spoonful of sourplum jam, take a moment to thank a genet. Even better, share your sweet gratitude with our genet patients by making a donation to support their care. Maybe throw in a little extra for some enrichment activities—got to burn off those sugar highs somehow!

Please donate towards their care by clicking on one of these links:

SnapScan: https://pos.snapscan.io/qr/PXMP5766
Or
PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=XGgn2fwzz8SoLEsR8v4OBHRj5x11L_uAl7el34cG4oaJJi-8yH2BurMfab2cSRUTGzlIvTOXSikaXgPi

06/04/2025

Reason #2 Why Genets Are the Best Neighbours: Genet Moms Are Excellent Mamas

Genet moms are next-level devoted. For the first 4 months of their kits’ lives, mama genet does it all — alone!

After a quick meet-up with Dad Genet (he’s not sticking around), she gives birth 10–11 weeks later to 1–4 teensy kits, each about the size of a lime or plum. Born with eyes and ears closed, these fuzzy bundles are carefully tucked into a tree hollow or an old burrow that another animal abandoned.

From then on, it’s full-time motherhood. Mama and her babies murmur soft “hiccups,” purrs, and mews to each other. They groom, play-tussle, and build strong family bonds. Over the next 18 weeks, she’ll be nursing them, teaching survival skills, and foraging non-stop for snacks — from insects and rodents to whatever she can find to feed her hungry crew.

But suburban genet moms have it tough. With roaming dogs, prowling cats, and human disturbance, raising kits is a real challenge.

Here’s how you can help:
• If you’ve got a genet raising a family nearby, give her space and peace.
• Keep pets (especially at night) away from the den site.
• Ask kids and curious visitors to admire from afar and stay quiet.
• If you think a kit is orphaned — pause! Mama might just be out getting food. Keep watch from a distance and contact us before intervening. We have a 24 hour number you can call: 071 248 1514

Want to help even more?
Become a surrogate genet parent by sponsoring the orphaned genets in our care.
Choose the “Small Carnivorous Mammals” category in our Sponsor a Species program and earmark your donation for genets. Click here to find our sponsor a species page: https://www.johannesburgwildlifevet.com/sponsor-a-species.html

Let’s give these supermoms the support they deserve!

05/04/2025

Reason #1: Why Genets Are the Best Neighbours:

Genets feast on scorpions, spiders, millipedes, centipedes, and small rodents.

While all these creepy crawlies have their place in the ecosystem, genets help keep their numbers in check—merrily munching even the most venomous or noxious of them! So the next time you slip your foot into a shoe without a stinging surprise, enjoy a peaceful, zap-free night, or sip a sundowner without a swarm of unwanted guests… thank your genet neighbour.

These opportunistic little carnivores eat whatever’s most available in their area, and in urban settings, that often means rodents. Where there are people, there are usually rats and mice—and genets are excellent at keeping those populations down!

Want to show your appreciation?
1. Share the love! We’ve got six more days of “Reasons Why Genets Are the Best Neighbours” coming—perfect for sharing with friends, family, and colleagues.

2. Or go one step further and buy some bugs (https://www.johannesburgwildlifevet.com/buy-some-bugs.html) for the genets in our care. The large variety of prey items increases their chances of success once they’re back in the wild.

04/04/2025

HAPPY WORLD CIVET DAY!

Did you know that one of the African civet’s close family members—genets (Family Viverridae)—are among our most frequently admitted baby mammal patients?

Large-spotted and small-spotted genets are some of the few wild animals that manage to carve out a living in urban areas. Unfortunately, this also means they’re more likely to come into conflict with people, which often brings them into our care.

But the good news? It also means we have more chances to coexist with these gorgeous and helpful wild neighbours.

In honour of World Civet Day, we’ll be sharing our top 6 reasons why genets are the best neighbours you could ever hope for—one reason every day this week! Check back daily to learn more about genets, why they’re such marvelous creatures to have around, and how you can help them thrive.

The Civet Project

28/03/2025

Such a fantastic gift.
Thank you Diane Weiman - Wildlife & Bird Artist

As an artist I am passionate about nature and often use my art to contribute in some way to animal welfare or wildlife conservation. So because of all the compassion and dedication Karin Lourens and her team at the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital have put into saving pangolins and so much other wildlife, I offered them my oil painting of a pangolin. When we delivered the painting we met Karin and Wendy in person. What lovely people and what a privilege to see the facility and meet some of the patients. Thank you for all the good work you do ❤

27/03/2025

A Tiny Fighter’s Big Journey

Yesterday, we welcomed a very peculiar patient - a little (chonky) female common river frog who had survived a terrifying ordeal. She had been bitten by a cat, and her intestines (more accurately her o***y and oviduct) were actually herniating through a hole in her lateral abdomen. Recognizing the urgency, Dr Tassia Frosio at the Broederstroom Vet Clinic rushed her to us - almost an hour-long journey - so she could get the care she desperately needed.

Dr. Peta-Danielle Muller-Deibicht (Dr Dani) carefully anesthetized the amphibian and applied topical lignocaine around the wound. She then skillfully repaired the large tear in her abdomen, carefully placing her intestines back where they belong. With the help of morphine and other lovely pain medication, our brave little frog made it through the procedure and woke up bright, alert, and active. In one photo you can see her lying on her back, on a heating pad while Dr Dani “pumps” her front legs to encourage normal respiration and to get her heart rate up while she was recovering from anesthetic.

And the best news? She is already p**ping - proof that her gut is working just as it should!

If all continues to go well, we’ll be releasing her back to her home soon - this time, away from the cat that nearly made a meal of him.

A huge thank you to the team that made her rescue possible. Even the smallest lives matter!

15/03/2025

Celebrating 8 Years of Saving Wildlife – And 15,000 Patients Treated!

This March, we at Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital are celebrating a remarkable milestone—our 8th birthday and the treatment of our 15,000th patient! A weeny patient for a big day, a hatchling nile monitor.

From our pioneering efforts and life-saving medical interventions for pangolins to our uncompromising care for the injured, sick, and orphaned wild animals of South Africa, we remain committed to our mission: providing cutting-edge veterinary care and returning wildlife to the wild where they belong.

Over the years, we have treated everything from tiny bats to powerful raptors, delicate antelope to endangered pangolins - each case presenting unique challenges and groundbreaking medical successes. Just as our medical work in the hospital has saved individual lives and contributed to veterinary advancements in wildlife medicine, so our advocacy work in the court rooms across the country has led to better protection and greater awareness around the plights and rights of these animals, helping to shape the future of conservation-focused animal care.

This journey would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our sponsors, donors, volunteers, and the broader conservation community. Your generosity and belief in our mission allows us to continue breaking new ground in wildlife veterinary care.

As we look ahead, we invite you to be part of the next chapter—support us, collaborate with us, and help us pioneer many more life-saving, world-changing actions for South Africa’s wildlife.

Here’s to eight years of impact, 15,000 wild lives saved, and countless more to come!

08/03/2025

Tiny Bushbabies Thriving with Special Care!

Three tiny lesser bushbabies arrived at our facility when they were just a few days old, still completely dependent on special milk formula. Now, as they grow stronger, their diet has expanded to include a variety of nutritious treats—one of the most important being Emeraid Omnivore!

This specialized formula provides everything a growing little omnivore needs, helping them develop into healthy, energetic bushbabies. Watch as they eagerly enjoy a mix of yoghurt and Emeraid Omnivore—one is a little slower than the others, but all three are fully immersed in the experience!

Thank you Dr Jess for taking such food care of them.

A huge thank you to EmerAidVet for your continued sponsorship and for providing such a valuable aid to our young patients. Your support makes all the difference!

17/02/2025

Thank you Diane Weiman - Wildlife & Bird Artist for supporting us!

A portrait of a Pangolin. Oil on canvas, Unframed :800mm x 400mm. I'd like to share some good news about pangolins - Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital as well as other animal organisations have worked so hard to protect and save these beautiful creatures and because of their dedication pangolin poaching decreased in 2024! Thanks to all these heroic people ❤ fans