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VWU Student Joins Animal Conservation Efforts in Australia
BHC Scholar Katie Baker ’25 making undergraduate research a top priority
University News | September 16, 2024
This summer, Batten Honors College scholar Katie Baker ‘25 embarked on an extraordinary two-week adventure in Australia for a once-in-a-lifetime veterinary shadowing opportunity. Through the study abroad organization Loop Abroad, she joined a select team at New South Wales’s Walkabout Wildlife Park, providing care for kangaroos, koalas, and other native animals. 
The Loop Abroad Australia Pre-Veterinary Wildlife Medicine program offers students a unique opportunity to learn alongside US and Australian veterinarians and wildlife experts. During the program, Katie and the team completed a two-week course in Australian Wildlife Handling, Conservation, and Care, equipping them with essential skills to support and study the diverse wildlife at Walkabout Wildlife Park.
The program emphasized learning from leading veterinarians, conservationists, and animal experts, enhancing students’ veterinary education through cross-cultural experiences. Walkabout Wildlife Park plays a crucial role in caring for animals in need and conserving local habitats. The veterinary service program aids these efforts, providing medical care and enrichment for the animals while educating students like Katie in zoo and wildlife medicine techniques.
At Walkabout Wildlife Park, Katie and the team engaged in a variety of tasks, including feedings, health checks, enrichment activities, and routine care. The park is home to a wide range of species, including kangaroos, wallabies, wallaroos, echidnas, koalas, dingos, quolls, wombats, possums, flying foxes, pythons, turtles, and kookaburras, along with many other mammals, reptiles, and birds. Additionally, students participated in veterinary labs, practicing essential skills such as suturing, clinical assessments, and blood analysis. This practical experience not only prepares them for future veterinary careers but also deepened their understanding of wildlife conservation and rehabilitation.
“The most memorable part of the trip was handling a tawny frogmouth named Frankie,” said Katie. “Tawny frogmouths are a type of bird native to Australia that hunt primarily with their beak rather than their talons. They have exceptional camouflage and may easily blend into the branches of a tree. Frankie was rescued from a bush fire and now thrives at the Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary. I instantly fell in love with Frankie, and I am forever thankful to have had the opportunity to interact with him.”
Kate also fell in love with the aboriginal culture and the opportunity to broaden her global perspective. “Aboriginal women are responsible for passing on the knowledge of how to coexist with the land and use resources sustainably. This trip has altered my perspective on the role of veterinarians in medicine, conservation, and outreach programs.”
Majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry, Katie is preparing to apply to veterinary school which requires a great deal of academic focus, yet she’s still been able to enjoy many of the joys associated with the college experience. “During my time at VWU, I have had the privilege of completing several research projects, joining campus organizations, and studying abroad. Last year, I completed undergraduate research on the effects of artificial light at night on bat species composition and activity in an old-growth urban forest with Dr. Postava Davignon. I collected data on the bat species present on the Virginia Wesleyan University campus and presented my research at the Spring Academic Symposium.”
Katie is also President of the Marlins Fishing Club, Composting Coordinator of Marlins Go Green, and President of the Sigma Zeta Math and Science Honor Society, and says she is deeply grateful to have had the privilege to earn a liberal arts education in the Batten Honors College of Virginia Wesleyan University.
Photos: © 2024 Loop Abroad