My name is Dr Johan Marais, and I am a wildlife veterinarian. I founded Saving the Survivors (STS) to help injured and endangered animals across Africa. Many of these animals are hurt by poachers, snares, road accidents, or even natural dangers. My team and I travel wherever we are needed to save wildlife—because every life matters.
Here is what a typical week in my life might look like:
Monday – Helping a Rhino Survivor
My week often begins at sunrise. On Monday, I drove 280 miles to a game reserve in Limpopo to help a white rhino that survived a poaching attack. She had terrible wounds on her face where poachers tried to remove her horn. I used a helicopter to locate her and then darted her safely so she could sleep while I treated her. I cleaned her wounds, gave her antibiotics and painkillers and protected them with a special bandage. She will need several treatments to fully heal, but she is strong.
Tuesday – Freeing an Elephant from a Snare
On Tuesday, I received a call about a bull elephant caught in a wire snare. The wire had cut deeply into his leg. My team and I carefully removed the snare and treated the infection.
