TERESA May is leaving her job at Bournemouth's Oceanarium to meet animals in the wild in South Africa.
She will spent two months at the Centre for Dolphin Studies at Plettenberg Bay, getting to know everybody's favourite sea creature before journeying inland to the Moholoholo rehabilitation centre.
There she will learn how to care for poisoned and injured lions, elephants, buffalo and rhinos.
An animal lover since a child and passionate about conservation, Teresa, 21, who lives at West Parley, flies out in January.
"I'm just looking forward to the whole African experience," she said.
"It will be completely different from here.
"Eventually I would like to go to university to study marine biology.
"We really didn't care about pollution in the past and people haven't got the interest in our environment.
"We think it's great to see these animals in the zoo but I don't want my children to see them there. I want them to learn about them in the wild and find out why they came to be endangered."
Teresa is laying on a series of events - including a coastal litter-pick - to raise the £4,000 she needs for the trip.
And on September 28 she is throwing a major open day at her home in Barrack Road with live music, DJs, raffles, auction and a barbecue.
For more information call Teresa on 01202 582114.
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