Here at Suffolk Owl Sanctuary we work with a variety of people and organisations. We thought we’d ask some of them to share some insights into their work.
To kick us off, we’re happy to introduce Dr Elliot Simpson MRCVS, who is our specialist avian vet.
How did you get to where you are today?
Well, where to start! It probably really began, somewhere very similar to SOS. I was absolutely fascinated by seeing birds, and in particular birds of prey, within falconry centres and zoo collections. This fascination then manifested into a passion, and after studying the various sciences at Sixth Form College in North Norfolk, I took a gap year to further my volunteer experience. I worked for three months in the Falkland Islands with Falklands Conservation, volunteering with camp treks across the islands to perform the annual penguin count census. I also volunteered with their veterinary team, which was part of the Agriculture Department.
In 2009, following my gap year, I was fortunate enough to get a place at Bristol Vet School. Having qualified in 2014, I began work as a mixed large animal vet back in Norfolk, steadily building up my experience working with zoo and avian patients.
In 2019, myself and my fiancée Sophie (who is also a vet) spent some time volunteering with providing medical care to the animals on a small island in the Caribbean, where they filmed much of the infamous pirate franchise. One police officer, coconut-filled beaches, and only a weekly food delivery to everyone. A true desert island!
At the start of 2020, I then launched my own zoo and avian veterinary service. And having just celebrated our first year anniversary, here we still are!
Can you describe a normal day in the life of an avian vet?
The first thing to probably say is the best part of the job is that no day is normal, and no two days the same! But generally speaking, admin begins at 06:30; any urgent emails or accounting work, followed by walking the dog at around 07:30, then usually the first call in the morning, starting around 09:00. This will usually involve visiting a client (as most are small zoos/owners of exotics). Sometimes patients are booked in for procedures, whereby I work with a local (and very kind) small animal practice in Norfolk to facilitate surgical or diagnostic procedures.
Afternoons are usually, if there are no emergency or other calls, filled with writing up the notes from any calls in the morning, replying to more emails, and, generally, paperwork! Every patient has their own file, which, every time they are seen, has to have everything recorded.
What have been your most interesting/challenging cases?
A very good question. Avian cases can often be very challenging, due to the fact that birds are generally very bad at showing any signs of being ill. It means that often by the time you may notice something is wrong, they are very sick.
We recently had to see a barn owl that belonged to a private owner, that was cohabited with a small number of other barn owls. On this particular day, for whatever reason, this barn own had suffered a presumed attack at the hand of the others.
This was a challenge as not only did we need to treat the exhausted and hypothermic (cold body temperature) owl, but also consider changes that had to be made to avoid another attack happening in the future. This is where being a vet can be very rewarding, as not only are you treating the animal in front of you, but you often have to play detective to work out the whole story, and how to address the bigger issue. I am pleased to say that the owl made a full recovery, and is now doing well!
What one tip would you give everyone on how to look after wildlife?
Hmmm... one tip! That is a tough one. I guess, as a sneaky answer to try and cover as wide amount of wildlife as possible, my one tip would simply be this; whatever you do, be wildlife- mindful, and do not let perfect be the enemy of good.
You have a hedgerow to cut? Consider the wildlife, and when may be best to cut it, when it won’t harm nesting birds. Have space in your garden? Why not put a bird table out there? You have the option of buying three peppers loose or three in plastic? Make that conscious effort and avoid the plastic. You have an area of the garden you could seed as wildflower or just leave to overgrow and see what happens? Do it! Don’t be put off thinking “that small pile of leaves in my garden won’t make a difference,” as every little bit everyone does, really does add up.
Being wildlife-mindful doesn’t have to be at our detriment, or a chore - it is engaging, thoroughly rewarding, and to be honest, surely is our duty. Especially when we have such a beautiful array of species living on our doorstep, that are facing such uncertain times ahead. Learn to enjoy wildlife, as it is far more enthusing to involve yourself with something you enjoy.