Leeds City College

‘An incredible experience’.

That’s how our School of Animal Care and Land Management students have summed up an adventure-packed Turing Scheme placement with Tuli Wilderness, in Botswana.

Ten Level 3 students, plus two members of staff, got to put their training into practice during the trip – by tracking and observing wild animals in their natural habitat.

The visit included night-time safaris, trips out to see ancient cave paintings, a litter pick along a dried-up riverbed and even a fun session teaching local children the Hokey Cokey.

A ‘dream’ introduction to conservation in practice

Student Scarlett Hartshorne said: “This has been an experience I will remember for the rest of my life!

“On one of the days, we hiked up Eagle Point and studied Bushmen paintings, and the guides taught us about how they lived.”

For Keavie Kelliher, the trip exceeded her expectations. She said: “It was my dream to be able to do something like this.

“It has been an incredible experience that has prepared me for a future career in conservation.”

Close encounters of the wild kind

For many of the students, the wildlife they encountered and observed, which included a pack of lions, was the highlight.

Damien Brown said: “We took part in a night game drive so we could observe some of the nocturnal animals and develop our night-time tracking skills.”

Kayleigh Bentley said: “It was really interesting to see animals in their natural habitat; watching the lionesses make their kill and observing how long it takes for them to eat the animal.”

Charlie Farr, meanwhile, was fascinated by contrast in the behaviour of the animals in the wild compared to those he has watched in British zoos.

Gaining cultural insights

Tia Battle-Lewis really valued experiencing a new culture within the context of animal conservation. She said: “One of the aspects I enjoyed the most was visiting the village and learning how the differences in money and funding can impact the way the children learn in the school.”

Maison Worral echoed those sentiments: “I loved seeing all the wildlife, experiencing the culture and learning all about the locals’ lifestyle.

“Participating in this project has inspired me to seek further social impact opportunities.”

Lucy Turnell, who was one of the accompanying staff, added: “It has been lovely to watch the group experience a wildlife safari, which is a dream for most animal care students.

“They got to use knowledge from their course in a real, wild situation.”