Wellington - Lisa Argilla, vet
Lisa Argilla is a resident in avian, zoo animal and wildlife
health.
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What animals do you work with?
Wild and companion birds and reptiles at the NZ Wildlife Health
Centre and all the wild (and some not so wild :) animals at
Wellington Zoo.
Why did you become a vet? I love animals and even
as a child I was always trying to help sick and injured wild
animals. I became a vet because I wanted to make a difference and
help as many wild animals as possible, basically be a voice for
those who can't speak for themselves.
Your funniest/most memorable animal story?
Alexis, one of the chimpanzees at Wellington Zoo, broke his thumb
in 2008. It was too badly damaged to fix so I had to amputate it.
He was not very impressed with me for anaesthetizing him and never
let me forget it.
About 10 months later I had to anaesthetize the entire troop of
chimps for health checks. Well, Alexis was having none of this. His
keeper was trying to give him a hand injection and he was not
co-operating so I went in with the jabstick ready to give him the
drug. He took one look at me and screamed and then offered is arm
to the keeper to rather give the injection.
When he woke up from the anaesthetic and noticed I was standing
there he immediately looked at both of his hands to make sure I
hadn't removed another digit ... VERY funny.
Any memorable stories from the vet clinic?
There are too many to write down, but one special experience I've
had was to spend 1 month looking after 26 Kakapo chicks after the
bumper breeding season of 2009.
I was down in Invercargill as the veterinarian responsible for
their health which was one of the most amazing experiences. To be
charged with the health and wellbeing of 1/5 of an entire species
is an indescribable experience packed full of responsibility, but
it was an experience I will treasure for the rest of my life.
What animal would you like to have in your
backyard?
I have a soft spot for NZ parrots, so Kakas, Keas, Kakarikis,
Kakapo. It would be great to have their numbers increase so much
that we see these amazing birds frequenting our yards and eating
from native trees.
What animal would you most like to see in the wild?
I want to travel to Antarctica to see Emperor, King,
Adelie, Gentoo and Rockhopper penguins in the wild.
Where in the world have you worked and what animals did you
treat there?
I worked in South Africa as a zookeeper/vet nurse before I
qualified as a vet. Here I treated a huge variety of birds from
parrots, lorikeets, hornbills, owls, eagles, storks, cranes,
cassowarys, ostriches etc ... the list is huge!
In Australia I worked as a vet in a small animal veterinary clinic
and mainly treated dogs and cats. I also treated native wildlife
such as koalas, dingoes, cockatoos, magpies, possums, pigeons
etc.
In New Zealand I've been privileged to work with a large number of
amazing wild animals, from lions, tigers, bears, giraffes, zebras,
chimpanzees, spider monkeys, pelicans, Keas, Kakas etc. at
Wellington Zoo to the amazing native wildlife we see at the NZ
Wildlife Health Centre such as kiwis, Kereru, moreporks, NZ
falcons, harriers, Keas, kakas, kingfishers, tuis, tuataras,
yellow-eyed penguins, little blue penguins, fiordland crested
penguins, Takahe, Kakapo to name but a few.
What do you love most about your job?
The diversity of the patients, the challenges wildlife cases can
throw your way, and of course being able to get up close and
personal to some of the most amazing animal species in the
world.
Mostly, it is making even a small contribution to wildlife
conservation, especially endangered species. Nothing beats the
feeling of looking after a sick or injured animal and then
releasing it back into the wild once it is well enough. That has to
be one of the best parts of my job!
What would you change about your job?
I'd prefer to see fewer animals that sustain injuries that can be
blamed on humans eg. Possum trap injuries, flying into windows,
attacked by dogs, hit by car ... the list goes on. Hopefully, as
public awareness increases these types of avoidable injuries will
decrease as well.
If you could make one change to help save endangered
animals what would it be?
I don't think people are aware how much damage cats do to our
native wildlife. Pet cats should be desexed and preferably not
allowed to roam around, especially at night.
There is a huge feral cat population in New Zealand which has
devastating effects on native wildlife. Increasing public awareness
about these issues will hopefully help.
Advice for future vets?
Don't give up on your dream. If you believe you can achieve your
goal than go for it, don't let anyone put you down. "If you can
dream it, you can achieve it".
On a more practical note, make yourself known at your local vet
clinic, do lots of work experience, volunteer at zoos and wildlife
rehabilitation facilities.
