Wellington - Baukje Lenting, vet resident
Baukje Lenting is a veterinary resident in avian,
wildlife and zoo animal health at Massey University and Wellington
Zoo.
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Vets by clicking here.
What animals do you work with?
The full range of New Zealand wildlife (birds, reptiles, frogs,
marine mammals), zoo animals and exotic and unusual pets.
Why did you become a vet?
I always loved working and playing with all sorts of
animals as a kid and the logical next step was to do it as a job as
well! Also I want to make a difference in the world of
conservation, with so many species and environments at risk of
extinction I want to lend a helping hand.
Your funniest/most memorable animal
story?
I have some great memories from working in practice and in my
current job. Releasing wild animals such as albatrosses and seals
back into the wild is always a real buzz.
I spent some time doing field work with New Zealand sea lions in
the subantarctic which was also absolutely amazing.
Working at Wellington Zoo has meant I get to get up close and
personal doing vet work with big cats like lions and cheetahs and
working at Massey University means seeing creatures like kiwi,
takahe and kakapo. And there are always many memorable patients
that come through the clinic that you get to know very well.
What animal would you like to have in your
backyard?
We always had guinea pigs when we were young, and I think that they
are just the most adorable things in the world. Of course, a
massive piece of land and an eclectic mix of unusual animals would
be lots of fun too!
What animal would you most like to see in the
wild?
I always love seeing marine mammals in the wild, especially whales
and sealions. But any wildlife experience is amazing for me.
Where in the world have you worked and what animals did you
treat there?
I have only worked in New Zealand at this point, but I
have traveled to Africa, Europe, Japan and Australia and seen some
great little critters out in the wild.
Which animal do you relate to the most?
I've always liked carnivores, birds and marine mammals ... but
I'm not sure what that says about me! I imagine being a bear and
eating all summer so you could sleep all winter would be a pretty
good deal!
What do you love most about your job?
Most definitely the animals and making a difference for the
animals. Although closely behind that is working with an amazing
and lovely bunch of people who love working with animals as much as
I do.
What would you change about your job?
Nothing about the animals or the people really. You see some pretty
sad things sometimes though, which can be hard.
If you could make one change to help save endangered
animals what would it be?
Greatly increase the awareness of all people to the fact that
animals and the environment need our help and what they can do to
make a difference. Awareness leads to action, which is greatly
needed.
Advice for future vets?
Enthusiasm and hard work will get you most places.
Tell us an animal joke:
Two cows are in a field.
First cow: "Do you worry about getting Mad Cow Disease?"
Second cow: "Nah, I'm a penguin."
