Not many South Africans can claim to have worked with late Australian wildlife expert Steve Irwin of The Crocodile Hunter TV fame, but Grahamstonian Dr Peter Brothers can.
Not many South Africans can claim to have worked with late Australian wildlife expert Steve Irwin of The Crocodile Hunter TV fame, but Grahamstonian Dr Peter Brothers can.
Besides this, Brothers is also a pioneer in merging wildlife veterinary practices with tourism in southern Africa.
Combining the leisure of wildlife safaris with veterinary practice and education, his international company Brothers Safaris offers a variety of tailor-made packages including one that allows visitors to take part in veterinary procedures.
As a vet Brothers goes out on calls to game farms around the country to treat animals, help capture those that have escaped, or help with relocation.
“We offer the opportunity for anyone, vets or non-vets, to get involved with wildlife work where we select very specific procedures that need to be done,” Brothers said.
“And we do them obviously in a very professional and ethical manner as we usually would, but we allow tourists to be part of that in exchange for them funding those procedures.”
The company also runs technical courses for veterinary professionals and students.
Brothers explained that “much like a golfer who goes on holiday and always wants to play a bit golf, the vets get to experience wildlife and also practise some veterinary work, so for them it’s like the cherry on top”.
Brothers obtained his veterinary science degree from Onderstepoort at the University of Pretoria and started his company in 2001.
Founded in Pretoria, Brothers Safaris gave their first tour in 2002 and moved to Grahamstown four years ago.
Although most of his clients are foreigners, Brothers said he'd love more South Africans to get involved, although he understands that it is pricey.
Through educating people about wildlife conservation and simultaneously generating funds to treat the animals, Brothers feels this is an excellent way to include people in the merge tourism and conservation.
“My passion for wildlife drives me forward on a daily basis to share with and educate people and, hopefully, make a significant contribution to wildlife conservation in the process.”
