I magine being up-close and personal with Costa Rican rainforest wildlife.

Georgia College & State University senior biology major Amelia Pound of Savannah did just that. For two weeks, she worked alongside veterinarians in Costa Rica, helping its native creatures stay healthy.

Pound was selected as part of a small team of students who volunteered to care for sloths, peccaries (pigs), kinkajous (squirrel-like creatures), capuchin and spider monkeys, macaws and other colorful parrots, parakeets and more.

Pound traveled with the Loop Abroad Pre-Veterinary Wildlife Medicine program—the largest pre-veterinary study abroad program for animal rescue and release in the U.S. She worked at the Costa Rica Rescue Center. 

There, Pound helped an opossum with physiotherapy and taught baby sloths how to climb trees once they’re released.

She observed various sloth ultrasounds, monitored vital signs during a peccary surgery, restrained a macaw to receive nutritional supplements and medication, calculated sedative dosage for a horse getting dental work and performed a necropsy on a paca (like a groundhog) to determine cause of death.

Pound spent the most time with the peccaries, observing their behavior and activity.

“I sat by their enclosure logging behaviors and performing extensive research on the species to see what type of enrichment would best benefit them,” she said. “After implementing my enrichment activities including puzzle feeders, toys or grooming apparatuses—anything that mentally stimulates animals or their senses—I did more timed observations. During my free-time, I visited them for several hours just to watch them play and interact.” 

Pound enjoyed bonding with her patients, who only understood Spanish.

“As with most domesticated, non-releasable animals I work with, I found that speaking to them in a calming voice aids with bonding,” she said. “Most of the non-releasable animals within the rescue center were imprinted from hearing the voices of their prior owners, and all of them understood Spanish. I spoke to them in casual Spanish greetings by saying, ‘¡Hola! ¿como estas bebé?’” 

Since releasable animals should receive as little human contact as possible, Pound worked silently and quickly so they wouldn’t get used to human touch.

Her favorite animals to care for were the opossums and sloths.

“Our group was tasked with providing physiotherapy to rehabilitate an opossum for it to be eligible for release,” Pound said. “I witnessed remarkable improvement over the course of its treatment. I also enjoyed working with the sloths, because I witnessed an incredible medical breakthrough regarding juvenile stomach malabsorption in which a new trial for treatment was successful.”

“The veterinarians I worked closely with shared stories of their own encounters and encouraged critical thinking when faced with hypothetical emergency situations,” she said.

Her own critical thinking skills—she learned from her Georgia College professors—came in handy during her time abroad. Pound wasn’t afraid to speak up and ask questions.

She plans to use these transferrable skills in her career as a veterinarian.

“I would like to teach aspiring veterinarians and encourage curiosity,” Pound said. “My professors inspired me to ask as many questions as possible, because it helps increase knowledge and understanding. One of the most important skills in I learned in biology is being able to ask ‘why’ and then learn from the response.”

Her biology classes at Georgia College also prepared her for this wildlife-medicine study abroad program. Knowing cellular and molecular processes helped her understand the functions of various medications. Her lab work helped her during examinations of animals and deciding which underlying issues may be responsible.           

Pound especially appreciated an animal behavior class taught by Dr. Katie Stumpf, associate professor of biological science. It taught animal social hierarchy, physiology, evolution and involved a multitude of case studies.

“This information was incredibly important, because it’s applicable in any setting when working with animals everywhere,” Pound said. “As I’ve begun working hands-on with more species, I found myself applying the knowledge learned from this course in Costa Rica.”

She learned about this amazing opportunity through members of the Pre-veterinary Club at Georgia College. It provided her with experience that will stand out when applying to veterinary schools.

During her final semester at Georgia College, Pound will apply to veterinary schools within the Southeastern United States and branch out to other states and islands like St. Kitts and Nevis. If she experiences delays, she’d like to rehabilitate animals or work in conservation and gain more experience with exotic animals.

Pound grew up with a family well versed in the medical field, so medicine was always a topic of discussion. She was unaware of the variety of opportunities within the field until she became involved with animals—and they touched her soul.

“After many years of working with animals and knowing the joy I experience with them, being able to help those in need gives me an unparalleled sense of satisfaction,” Pound said. “There’s something exciting about the idea of learning and honing my skills for an entire career.”