Happy World Veterinary Day: Celebrating our women-led vet team

At the Two Oceans Aquarium and its Foundation, our staff and the animals in our care are privileged to work with and be cared for by two incredible veterinarians: Dr Ilse Jenkinson and Dr Bernice van Huyssteen.

Each of our two vets is highly skilled, passionate about their work, and well-regarded in their fields. While we appreciate their work every day, World Veterinary Day provides a special platform to truly acknowledge our awesome vets’ contributions.

Dr Ilse is the official vet for the Two Oceans Aquarium – she works with all the animals housed in our exhibits. This means she works with an impressive array of marine animals: She can go from X-raying spotted gully sharks to giving African penguins antibiotics on the same day! Dr Bernice is our specialised turtle vet – she works exclusively with the turtles in rehabilitation at the Turtle Conservation Centre. In her typical day, she may tube-feed a loggerhead turtle hatchling that isn’t eating and construct a treatment plan for a green turtle with a lung infection. In many cases, our vets work closely together as, sometimes, two sets of hands are better than one!

At the Two Oceans Aquarium and its Foundation, animal health is our top priority. Our veterinary team’s support ensures that our marine ambassadors are looked after with an exceptionally high standard of care. During the course of the day, Drs Ilse and Bernice may accomplish a range of tasks, from clinical health checks and X-rays to blood tests and surgeries. Not only do they approach each case with an expert eye, but they also care deeply for the well-being of each of their patients.

Let’s look at some snapshots of our vets' work...

Routine clinical health checks

Drs Ilse and Bernice regularly conduct health checks for the animals in their care to ensure they are in the best health possible. These are basic yet essential examinations of the external parts of the animal. The vet looks at the general body condition and assesses the range of movement in their limbs (or fins!). Our vets frequently disinfect their hands or gloves while working to ensure hygiene. Body checks are a fundamental step in assessing what treatment, if any, the animal needs.

Internal examinations

Our vets occasionally need to conduct internal examinations to reveal certain patients' issues, whether penguins or turtles. Below (left), Dr Bernice performs a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) on a juvenile turtle to collect a sample from its lungs. This is so Dr Bernice can test the sample for infections or other lung issues. Similarly (right), Dr Ilse performs an endoscopy on an African penguin to visually assess the health of his organs.

X-rays

X-rays are a crucial tool in monitoring the animals’ internal health status. X-rays depict the skeletal system and any infection or damage to the bones. They can also monitor infection in the lungs and the gastrointestinal tract and detect any build-up of gas.

Marine mammal rescue

As well as being World Veterinary Day, today is Marine Mammal Rescue Day! This means an extra-special celebration for Dr Ilse, as she works closely with our Marine Wildlife Management Programme. This involves helping the team during dry dock rescues, sedating and treating severely entangled seals, and assisting with other marine mammal rescues such as sunfish.

Ultrasounds

During routine health checks and in the lead-up to release, Dr Ilse may conduct an ultrasound on one of our animals. This is a useful tool for evaluating blood flow and heart health, assessing general organ health, and checking glands.

Adult turtle rehabilitation

Dr Bernice treats adult turtles at the Turtle Conservation Centre with extensive external physical injuries, from boat strikes or entanglement in ghost fishing gear, as well as those with trauma-induced infections and other issues. These turtles require much more intensive care, involving MRIs, surgeries, antibiotics, and more.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of Drs Ilse and Bernice's work at the Aquarium and its Foundation. Their excellent standard of work, dedication, and compassion for their patients inspire us every day. We are very grateful to have the support of such incredible veterinarians!