Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital

Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital NPC is a dedicated wildlife ONLY veterinary hospital and rehabilitation center in Johannesburg

Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital (JWVH) is a registered non-profit organisation and dedicated to the rescue, treatment, rehabilitation, and release of indigenous South African wildlife. Founded by Dr Karin Lourens in 2017, JWVH was established to fill a crucial gap in wildlife care - providing a fully equipped, specialist veterinary facility that exists solely for wild animals, not domest

ic pets or livestock. Every patient that comes through our doors - from pangolins, eagles, and owls to genets, bushbabies, and tortoises - receives advanced veterinary care and compassionate treatment tailored to its species-specific needs. Our ultimate goal is always the same: to return each animal to its natural habitat, healthy and free. Our hospital works closely with law enforcement, conservation authorities, and partner organisations to combat the illegal wildlife trade, one of the most urgent conservation crises facing South Africa. Through expert veterinary reports, evidence documentation, and court testimony, JWVH plays an essential role in the enforcement of South Africa’s NEMBA and TOPS regulations, protecting threatened and protected species. Beyond the clinical work, we are deeply committed to education, collaboration, and research. JWVH provides training and mentorship to students and professionals, participates in ongoing scientific research (including pangolin health and post-release monitoring), and actively promotes awareness about the importance of wildlife welfare and conservation ethics. As a non-profit hospital, JWVH receives no government funding and depends entirely on donations, grants, sponsorships, and volunteer support to continue our work. Every contribution helps us save lives, rehabilitate wildlife, and preserve South Africa’s natural heritage. At the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital, true conservation is hands-on, relentless, and guided by compassion, science, and teamwork.
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All donations are tax deductible as we are a public benefit organisation. Please email us for more information. Contact us:
071 248 1514 - 24 hours
[email protected]
101 MacGillivray Road, Midrand, Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA

Banking Details
Johannesburg Wildlife NPC
FNB Cheque account
Account: 62658400264
Branch Code: 255355

10/06/2026

Womble has spoken.

The football pundits have studied the statistics.
The analysts have debated the tactics.
The fans have made their predictions.

But JWVH’s resident oracle, Womble the rock hyrax, has relied on something far more powerful… dassie intuition.

Ahead of South Africa’s opening FIFA World Cup match, Womble was presented with two choices and asked to make her prediction.

Did she back Bafana Bafana or their opponents?

Watch the video to find out, and let us know in the comments whether you think Nostradassie will outperform the experts this tournament.

A huge thank you to HOT 102.7 FM for helping launch the career of our furry football analyst.



08/06/2026

Meet Nostradassie.

Football analysts spend years studying statistics, tactics and team performance.

Womble the dassie simply follows her instincts. 😆

Thank you to HOT 102.7 FM for featuring our furry little oracle. Watch the video below to see what awaits the football enthusiasts…

Meet Kito.His name means "precious jewel" - and today he became the newest pangolin patient at the Johannesburg Wildlife...
04/06/2026

Meet Kito.

His name means "precious jewel" - and today he became the newest pangolin patient at the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital.
Kito is a male pangolin who was intercepted during a sting operation by law enforcement officials in the Free State. By the time he reached us, he was thin, dehydrated, and covered in wounds and bruises.

As always, our team immediately began providing the specialist veterinary care that pangolins require. Following his initial assessment and treatment, Kito has now been settled into a heated room at a secure off-site location, where he is finally able to rest safely.

The next few days will be critical for his recovery, but we are cautiously optimistic that with intensive care and monitoring he will make a full recovery.
Since opening our doors, Kito has become the 214th pangolin patient to be treated by the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital - a sobering reminder that the illegal wildlife trade continues to threaten these remarkable animals.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in bringing Kito to safety, and especially to Virginia SPCA , Free State, South Africa for rushing him to us so that treatment could begin as quickly as possible.

Every rescued pangolin requires intensive specialist care, with treatment costs averaging approximately R2,500 per day.

If you would like to help us care for Kito during this critical stage of his recovery, please consider making a donation:

🔗 https://www.johannesburgwildlifevet.com/make-a-donation.html

Thank you for helping us give pangolins like Kito a second chance.

South Africa’s wildlife needs a hospital. Please help us keep ours running. Every rescue, surgery, and release depends o...
31/05/2026

South Africa’s wildlife needs a hospital.
Please help us keep ours running.

Every rescue, surgery, and release depends on donations.

Thank you for standing with wildlife when they need it most.

It costs you nothing, but it helps us save wildlife every day.Every Woolworths shop could help save wildlife.Did you kno...
30/05/2026

It costs you nothing, but it helps us save wildlife every day.

Every Woolworths shop could help save wildlife.

Did you know that simply choosing Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital as your Woolworths MyDifference beneficiary helps support the treatment and care of injured, orphaned and confiscated wildlife patients?

Every swipe of your MyDifference card helps us continue providing life-saving veterinary care to wildlife in need - and it won’t cost you a cent.

If you already have the Woolworths app, please take a moment to check that Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital NPC is selected as your beneficiary.

If you’re not yet a MyDifference member, joining is completely free.

Here is a step-by-step guide to update/download the Woolworths app:

1. Update or download the Woolworths app: Make sure you have the latest version of the app installed on your smartphone from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Log in to your account: Sign in to your Woolworths account within the app.
3. Navigate to the loyalty section: Tap on the Loyalty tab.
4. Find "My Causes": Select "My Causes" or a similar option to see and manage your beneficiary list.
5. Search for a beneficiary: Use the search function to look for the specific organization, school, or cause you want to support.
6. Select your cause: Choose the correct beneficiary from the search results to add it as your cause.
7. Start shopping: Your purchases will now support your selected cause whenever you scan your virtual MyDifference card at checkout.

That’s it!

A few minutes of your time can help support the treatment of patients like this tiny pangolin and thousands of other wildlife patients that come through our hospital doors every year.

Thank you for helping us give wildlife a second chance.



WOOLWORTHS

Many of our tortoise and other outdoor wildlife shelters have deteriorated and broken over time, and with winter arrivin...
28/05/2026

Many of our tortoise and other outdoor wildlife shelters have deteriorated and broken over time, and with winter arriving we urgently need better insulated housing to help protect recovering wildlife patients from the cold.

If you have an XL or XXL plastic dog igloo in good condition that is no longer being used, please consider donating it to the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital for a second life.

In 2023, we lost Naledi and her unborn baby to the illegal wildlife trade. Today, justice was finally served.In June 202...
26/05/2026

In 2023, we lost Naledi and her unborn baby to the illegal wildlife trade. Today, justice was finally served.

In June 2023, a sub-adult female Temminck’s pangolin named Naledi was admitted to Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital after being confiscated during a SAPS operation linked to the illegal wildlife trade. She arrived in one of the worst conditions we have ever seen in a pangolin.

Naledi was severely dehydrated, starving, emaciated, and already in kidney failure. Her body condition score was 1/5. During her examination we discovered something even more devastating - Naledi was pregnant.

Her unborn baby was already compromised from prolonged starvation and stress.

Despite intensive treatment, fluid therapy, monitoring, and around-the-clock care, Naledi succumbed to her condition just 5 days later. We did not only lose Naledi. We lost her unborn baby too. An entire future generation, gone forever because of greed and the illegal wildlife trade.

But today, there was justice.

Today, in the North West Molopo Regional Court, Naledi’s poacher was sentenced to 8 years direct imprisonment in what is being described as a precedent-setting case for the North West Province. In addition, his vehicle - valued at approximately R800 000 - was forfeited to the State.

This sentence sends a powerful message:
Wildlife crime is not a harmless offence. It causes immense suffering, destruction, and loss.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the North West Province Nature Conservation officials for their dedication to this case, and a very special thank you to State Advocate Bennie Kalakgosi for his tireless efforts - not only in Naledi’s case, but in the many wildlife crime cases he oversees. These convictions do not happen without passionate people fighting behind the scenes for animals that cannot speak for themselves.

Cases like Naledi’s are emotionally devastating for our team, but today reminds us why this work matters. Every rescue, every affidavit, every court appearance, every late night fighting for these animals matters.

If you would like to support our work treating, rehabilitating, and fighting for South Africa’s wildlife victims, please consider donating to Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital.
https://www.johannesburgwildlifevet.com/make-a-donation.html

These animals need a voice.
And they need people willing to stand beside them.

Every wildlife surgery, X-ray, anesthetic and day of rehabilitation at Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital is fund...
24/05/2026

Every wildlife surgery, X-ray, anesthetic and day of rehabilitation at Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital is funded entirely by public donations.

As a registered non-profit wildlife hospital, we receive no government funding. If you would like to help this tiny serval kitten heal, please use the Facebook donate button or visit our donation page:
https://www.johannesburgwildlifevet.com/make-a-donation.html

⸻

This tiny serval kitten was found injured on the side of the road near Volksrust by some incredibly kind and caring people, who immediately sought help for him.

X-rays revealed multiple injuries. The most significant was a severe femur fractures, although he also had pelvic fractures which had already started healing and fortunately did not require surgical intervention.

After several days of stabilisation on fluids, pain medication and calcium-rich milk feeds, he was finally strong enough for surgery.

Dr Jess expertly anesthetized this feisty little 2kg whirlwind, while Dr K repaired the fractured humerus using an external skeletal fixator (ex-fix). It was a challenging surgery, as the fracture had multiple fragments and some small pieces of bone had to be removed.

There are many ways specialist orthopaedic surgeons can repair fractures like this, including plates and screws, which can work extremely well. In wildlife medicine however, we often specifically choose external skeletal fixators because they allow the patient to immediately begin using the limb after surgery, while still allowing normal joint movement and requiring minimal physiotherapy afterwards.

This is especially important in wild animals who do not appreciate prolonged handling. Another advantage is that once healing is complete, the fixator can be removed entirely before release, leaving no artificial implants behind in an animal destined for life back in the wild.

His surgery went beautifully, and the first and last photos are of him waking up from anesthesia.

He may be tiny, but he is absolutely full of personality. He drinks his milk with great enthusiasm… while simultaneously complaining about the entire process. Every single time.

Please help us care for this tiny hissy-spitty while he grows, heals and hopefully one day returns to the wild where he belongs.

And finally, a thank you to Zoetis for their support of wildlife medicine and conservation work. We may not yet have had time to host the tortoise workshop (watch this space) they so generously helped fund, but their support continues to help wildlife patients like this little serval every day.

Every donation helps us give indigenous wildlife a second chance.

From fragile… to fightingThis little old man - a Lobatse hinged tortoise - came to us following a SAPS confiscation in a...
06/05/2026

From fragile… to fighting

This little old man - a Lobatse hinged tortoise - came to us following a SAPS confiscation in a truly heartbreaking state.

Severely dehydrated.
Extremely emaciated.
Weak, and barely responsive.

As with so many of our patients, the first step was stabilisation - careful fluid therapy, warmth, and supportive care to give his body a chance to recover.

And slowly… he has started to turn the corner

He’s brighter. Stronger. More responsive.
But he’s not eating enough on his own yet - and that’s where the next phase begins.

To help him regain strength safely, we’re providing assisted nutritional support using EmerAid Herbivore Critical Care. For a tortoise in this condition, slow and steady weight gain is absolutely key - too much, too fast can do more harm than good.

Thankfully, Lobatse hinged tortoises are small and manageable patients (even if convincing them to cooperate is another story entirely…). Tube feeding is always done gently and carefully, ensuring as little stress as possible.

For now, it’s a waiting game of patience, consistency, and quiet progress.

One step at a time.
One gram at a time.

We’re hopeful for this special little survivor!

A big thank you to EmerAid/EmerAidVet for helping us give patients like this a second chance.

⸻

💛 Help us help them:
If you’d like to support cases like this, you can donate here: https://www.johannesburgwildlifevet.com/make-a-donation.html

03/05/2026

She hissed at me this morning…
And I couldn’t have been happier.

Sound on loud for this one!

When Ounooi (affectionately named so by her rescuers) arrived, she was barely responsive.
No movement. No strength. No fight.

For a Southern African python, that’s deeply worrying - these are powerful, defensive animals that do not quietly accept handling.

But today?
She had opinions.

Sound on for this video - that hiss is exactly what we’ve been hoping to hear.

It means she’s stronger.
It means she’s reacting.
It means she’s starting to feel like herself again.

We are still taking this one day at a time, but her “attitude” is a very good sign.

If you’d like to help us continue her treatment and recovery, please consider donating towards her care.

So far… so good

Address

101 MacGillivray Road, Midrand
Johannesburg

Opening Hours

Monday 08:00 - 16:00
Tuesday 08:00 - 16:00
Wednesday 08:00 - 16:00
Thursday 08:00 - 16:00
Friday 08:00 - 16:00
Saturday 09:00 - 16:00
Sunday 09:00 - 16:00

Telephone

+27712481514

Website

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