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The role of resident vet in the British Overseas Territories of the Falklands, St Helena, Tristan da Cunha and Ascension encompasses the complexities of caring for the world's oldest land animal – a 200-year-old giant tortoise – and MoD mascots at the Falklands airbase; pursuing mystery creatures and invasive microorganisms; and rescuing animals in extraordinarily rugged landscapes.
Hugely entertaining and affectionate, Jonathan Hollins's tales of island vetting are not only full of ingenuity and astounding fauna – they are also steeped in the unique local cultures, history and peoples of the islands, far removed from the hustle of continental life.
Originally from the south of England, Jonathan Hollins MRCVS graduated from Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and has been a working vet for four decades. Since the mid-2000s, he has spent long periods as a senior vet in the British Overseas Territories of the South Atlantic and has a home on St Helena. He has written for the UK national press and presented documentary features for BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4.
"Delightful. This warm-hearted book makes you full of admiration for Hollins's spirit of adventure, and for his commitment to the animals he cares for"
– Daily Mail
"There is much to love, with each chapter a vignette of island life [...] all against a backdrop of spectacular remoteness"
– Daily Telegraph
"An amusing account of being a vet in the most remote settlements in the world [...] The author's bonhomie makes [for] an engaging read"
– Financial Times
"A delightful, fascinating and entertaining book, ideal for anyone with a passion for the wild and natural world, and who dreams of escapism, adventure and challenge"
– Dr Hilary Jones, MBE
"Entertaining [...] [Hollins] writes with wit"
– Daily Express
"A Great Veterinary Adventure set in the wilds of the South Atlantic – highly recommended!"
– Gareth Steel, author of Never Work with Animals
"Charming descriptions of a life well led on the fringes; vividly told with compassion and humour"
– Jonathan C Slaght, author of Owls of the Eastern Ice
