Mark Straw: Meet the Doncaster vet who helps treat Yorkshire Wildlife Park animals
As a vet, Mark Straw might expect to encounter cats and dogs on a regular basis. But leopards and baboons keep him pretty busy too.
He is the man to call when you want to scan a primate or a wild cat, and Yorkshire Wildlife Park has been keeping him busy for almost a decade now.
The Doncaster-based vet, who runs the successful Beechwood Veterinary Hospital, is a go-to expert for the award-winning park that is home to more than 400 animals from rare and endangered species.
“There is rarely a dull moment and when I first graduated, I never expected to be X-raying lions or trying to keep a sea turtle calm while we scanned it,” says Mr Straw, who was invited to be part of the park’s ethics committee before taking on a wider role.
“It is a privilege to be able to get up close to and touch amazing animals and help them. It’s also an honour to be involved and we give our services free because the park is at the forefront of wildlife conservation and preserving species, ensuring we don't lose these animals from the world.
“Their staff dedicate their lives to the animals, so it is great to be playing a part. If we did not offer the CT scans for free this imaging technique would not be feasible for these animals. We help because we care”. Mr Straw, who is Vet with advanced qualifications in orthopaedics , is often called into the 175-acre park, at Auckley, near Doncaster, but also has a hospital-grade CT scanner at his practice where most creatures great and small can be assessed.
“The last patient we had was a leopard who was anaesthetised at the park and, as we are close, driven here so we could scan and find the best treatment,” adds Mr Straw, whose services stretch from diagnostic to dentistry and orthopaedics to cardiology.
“In addition to assisting with animal from the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Mark and his team offer their services free of charge to the International Zoo veterinary Group (IZVG). We have previously scanned a sea turtle who wasn’t initially anaesthetised, and we were warned not to let our fingers get close as she could easily amputate them with her powerful jaw.
"It was a delicate procedure but with patience it all went well, and we discovered she was carrying eggs, so arrangements were made to take her to a facility with a beach to lay the eggs.
“All I wanted to do when I finished training was dogs and cats and bones, I never dreamed I would get to treat such incredible animals. Our staff get a boost when one of the park’s animals come in and it is great to be able to see them and know they are being cared for well.”
Cheryl Williams, CEO of the Yorkshire Wildlife Park’s WildLife Foundation, added: “Mark has been a vital help for almost ten years, and we really value what he does for us and the animals here..”