10 Totally Wild Things A Wildlife Vet Actually Does

In parts of Africa, farmers paint giant eyes on the backs of cows. Lions see those and think, "Uh-oh, I’ve been spotted!" So they back off. Genius, right? This low-tech trick saves lots of cows and keeps angry lions out of trouble.

Fancy heart monitors can be hard to drag into the wild, but vets have a secret weapon: their Apple Watches. We strap one on a chimp’s arm, press it to a croc’s chest, or hold it near a sleeping lion’s tongue. It’s surprising how well they pick up heartbeats and oxygen levels. High-tech meets wildlife wizardry!

Chimps don’t forget who gave them darts last time. And they’re sneaky enough to throw those darts right back if they spot you. So, vets sometimes dress up in disguises or use medicine that wipes memory during treatments. It’s part science, part spy movie!

Imagine a toucan with a 3D-printed beak or an elephant rocking a prosthetic leg after an injury. These wildlife prosthetics are total game changers. They turn "can’t" into "can" and help animals get back to doing their wild thing.

A butterfly with a ripped wing looks doomed, right? Nope! With patience, a magnifying glass, and some gentle glue, we fix those delicate wings. It’s tiny surgery that helps these little pollinators keep on fluttering. Pretty sweet gig for a vet!

Fish skin bandages might sound weird, but they’re packed with collagen, which is amazing for healing burns and nasty wounds. I’ve used them on everything from slow-moving sloths to fuzzy koalas. Nature’s own band-aid!

Echidnas basically vacuum up ants like pros... so imagine finding out one was allergic to them! Crazy, right? After a bunch of allergy shots, sweet Matilda the echidna got back to munching ants allergy-free.

When a rhino needs moving but the terrain’s rough, the answer is a helicopter ride! We sedate it, sling it under the chopper, and fly it to safety or a new home. It looks like a crazy movie stunt, but it’s actually a lifesaver for rhinos escaping poachers and staying healthy.

Believe it or not, big cats like jaguars and leopards go nuts for Calvin Klein’s Obsession for Men cologne. We spray it on bushes to lure them close to cameras or safe traps. Sure, it’s quirky, but it helps us track and protect these cool cats. (If you’re on safari, maybe don’t wear it yourself.)

Roping in a giraffe is totally controlled chaos. After knocking it out, a team runs beside it with ropes to gently bring it down. Someone carefully holds its neck so it stays calm. But if you don’t jump away fast when it stands... well, you might fly through the air like one of my unlucky coworkers. (He’s fine, but still gets teased.)