The Introduction to Wildlife Veterinary Medicine and Conservation Online Certificate provides a comprehensive overview of the latest trends and issues in the field of wildlife medicine and rehabilitation.
Participants of this program through Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine will:
Taught by two of the top active wildlife veterinarians within the field, this 15-week online certificate program provides an inside look at the day-to-day operations of those who are on the front lines of wildlife conservation within their communities.
Location: Online
Course Dates: February 9 – May 4, 2025
Duration: 30 hours over the duration
Cost: $750 per person
Who Can Register: Open to all students and professionals
The Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic (BWRC) is a Belizean non-profit organization founded in 2011.
BWRC’s founder, Dr. Isabelle Paquet-Durand, had for many years provided free medical care to wildlife centers and in the field without a clinic facility and only basic medical equipment. That was before a severely injured monkey named Spartacus provided the impetus to seek funding to establish BWRC. Fortunately Spartacus survived and returned to the wild and BWRC is now a fully staffed veterinary teaching clinic with x-ray, gas anesthesia and ultrasound; for both wildlife and domestics with attached rehabilitation facilities.
BWRC provides veterinary care, rescue assistance, relocation and rehabilitation as well as education and training in support of the governmental wildlife program and around 10 different partner per year.
As of 2018, BWRC has provided free veterinary care to over 2,000 animals with growing numbers annually and between 100-120 students participate in courses or internships per year.
The core mission of the BWRC remains to support wildlife conservation with veterinary care, research and education with an increasing focus on education increased due to the fact that 80% of wildlife intakes originate because of preventable human intervention (traffic and conflict).
ARCAS was founded in 1989 in order to help combat the illegal wildlife trade in the Petén region. Its first act was to establish the Wild Animal Rescue Center, a direct response to the fact that although the Guatemalan government was beginning to comply with the CITES treaty by confiscating trafficked wildlife, there was no adequate facility to treat and rehabilitate these animals.
Under a cooperative agreement with the Guatemalan government, ARCAS is recognized as the official destination for all confiscated wildlife taken from smugglers in the Mayan Biosphere Reserve.
Since 1990, ARCAS has rescued between 300 to 600 endangered species per year of more than 40 different species.
The program will consist of a series of pre-recorded online lectures, live online labs, and live online discussions on various aspects of wildlife conservation and rehabilitation veterinary medicine totaling 30 hours. Participants will also have the opportunity to access video footage of wildlife releases, surgery recovery updates, and enclosure transitions. Participants in this certificate will be required to choose an internationally relevant wildlife topic of interest to research and present the information in a 5-minute video at the end of the program.
The pre-recorded lectures provide the opportunity for participants to work at their own pace throughout the certificate program. It is expected that participants write down any questions they might have and ask instructors over email. There are 12 pre-recorded lectures totaling 12 hours.
There are a total of 5 hours of live online discussions during which instructors present on relevant topics within wildlife conservation and rehabilitation medicine. These online discussions allow participants to ask questions and engage with instructors via live discussion. These take place on Sundays at 6:00 p.m. (EST).
The live online labs provide an opportunity for participants to gain exposure to cases that our instructors see in the field. There are a total of 6 hours of live online labs, with another 4 hours of pre-recorded surgeries or wildlife releases; totaling 10 hours. These labs consist of necropsies, bone puzzles, as well as an inside look into the rehabilitation process. These take place on Sundays at 6:00 p.m. (EST).
Since our instructors are practitioners within the field, they are continually encountering new cases and finding innovative ways to solve them. You have the opportunity to see of them in action, as they upload content on their day-to-day operations as well as updates on recoveries for some of their patients in their respective clinics.
30 hours over the duration of the course.
$750 per person
Group Rates
This introductory course is open to any and all individuals who are interested in this program.
The program will consist of a series of pre-recorded online lectures, live online labs, and live online discussions on various aspects of wildlife conservation and rehabilitation veterinary medicine totaling 30 hours. Participants will also have the opportunity to access video footage of wildlife releases, surgery recovery updates, and enclosure transitions. Participants in this certificate will be required to choose an internationally relevant wildlife topic of interest to research and present the information in a 5-minute video at the end of the program.
If you have any questions, please contact the Global Engagement Office.
Email: pvmglobal@purdue.edu
Phone: 765-494-5780
