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College of Veterinary Medicine
Three scenes from wildlife veterinary care: a young animal being fed, wildlife handling in the field, and clinical treatment in a veterinary setting.

Online Wildlife Veterinary Medicine and Conservation Certificate

This 15 week online certificate introduces participants to wildlife veterinary medicine and conservation through pre recorded lectures, live online discussions, and live online labs. The program includes 30 hours of course content focused on wildlife rehabilitation, capture and handling techniques, anatomy and physiology, and conservation practice.

This introductory online certificate is designed for students and professionals interested in wildlife veterinary medicine, wildlife rehabilitation, conservation practice, and related animal care fields.

Participants can expect to spend about 2 to 3 hours per week on the course. Live discussions and labs take place on Sundays at 6:00 p.m. EST, and recordings are made available to enrolled participants.

Participants will:

  • gain an understanding of the intricacies of wildlife conservation efforts
  • understand the process of wildlife rehabilitation
  • learn the capture and handling techniques required for the medical care and management of wildlife
  • gain insight into the anatomy and physiology of various species
  • and develop an understanding for the habits of wildlife and the environmental conditions in which they live.

The program is taught by practicing wildlife veterinarians whose work includes rehabilitation, conservation, and clinical care in Belize and Guatemala.

Certificate Details

Location: Online

Dates: September 6 – December 13, 2026

Duration: 15 weeks, 30 hours total

Weekly Time Commitment: About 2 to 3 hours per week

Live Session Time: Sundays at 6:00 p.m. EST

Cost: $750 per person

Who Can Register: Open to students and professionals interested in wildlife veterinary medicine and conservation

Register Now

Benefits

  • Learn from practicing wildlife veterinarians working in Belize and Guatemala
  • Complete 30 hours of online instruction through pre recorded lectures, live discussions, and live labs
  • Study wildlife rehabilitation, capture and handling techniques, anatomy and physiology, and conservation practice
  • Access field based video content, including wildlife rehabilitation cases and clinical updates
  • Earn a certificate from Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine upon completion of the course

Meet the Instructors

Wildlife veterinarian examining an animal during hands on care.

Dr. Alejandro Morales

The ARCAS Wildlife Rescue Center

Dr. Alejandro Morales, adjunct faculty at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, is the wildlife veterinarian and assistant director of ARCAS in Petén, Guatemala. ARCAS is a non-profit Guatemalan NGO that aims to improve the chances of survival and conservation of endangered species and their habitat, as well as to assist in the national management of natural resources.

Dr. Alejandro Morales received his DVM from San Carlos University in Guatemala and an MSc in One Health from Ross University. He started in conservation and education with the Natural History Museum and was the volunteer program coordinator for the largest non-government zoo in Guatemala City. He is field veterinarian for Jaguar home range research program and developed a mangrove ecosystem-monitoring handbook for a protected area in south Guatemala.

Dr. Morales has been a keynote speaker in national and international wildlife medicine and rehabilitation events, and has been a lecturer at six international workshops for rescue and rehabilitation centers.

Wildlife veterinarian standing outdoors at a rehabilitation facility.

Dr. Isabelle Paquet-Durand

The Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic

Dr. Isabelle Paquet-Durand is the co-founder, director and wildlife veterinarian at the Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic (BWRC) and has worked in international wildlife medicine for over 25 years. Dr. Isabelle received her DVM and PhD from Hanover, Germany with doctoral research at Heredia Vet School, Costa Rica. Dr. Isabelle is also a certified Wildlife Rehabilitator.

Since 2005 she has been an educator teaching veterinary courses for several US and international universities and study abroad companies. She is a wildlife consultant for government and NGOs nationally and internationally. Dr. Isabelle is the field veterinarian for the Scarlet Macaw Protection program, and the veterinarian for the national breeding program for Hickatee (Dermatemmys mawii). Her research foci start with parasitology and public health and span species ranging from crocodiles to tamanduas and she is passionate about conservation and coexistence.

Aside volunteer positions on the Belize Surgeon's Board, Veterinary Association of Belize and the Commonwealth Veterinary Association, she was a director on the Board for Friends for Conservation and Development for 7 years and remains an avid supporter. Dr. Isabelle has given invited lectures at several universities and conferences, and hosted workshops and conferences as well as annual Continuing Education for Belizean veterinarians and wildlife partners since 2007. She was recognized for her efforts by Inspiration in Action award, Femme de Terre, Marlys Bulander award as well as the Colin S Burrows award as the Latin American Scholar at the 2019 VMX.

About the Facilities

Close up of a tamandua at the Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic.

The Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic, Belize

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).

Parrot perched beside a sign at the ARCAS Wildlife Rescue facility in Guatemala.

The ARCAS Wildlife Rescue, Guatemala

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.

Program Structure

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.

Pre-Recorded Lectures (12 hours)

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.

Live Online Discussion (5 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).

Live Online Labs (10 hours)

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).

Exclusive Video Footage of Wildlife Rehabilitation Process (3+ hours)

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.

Common Questions

The certificate runs for 15 weeks and includes 30 hours of course content. Participants can expect to spend about 2 to 3 hours per week on lectures, live sessions, and assignments.

The cost is $750 per person.

Group Rates

  • Groups of 10-20: 20% discount per participant
  • Groups of 20+: 25% discount per participant

Yes. Groups of 10 to 20 receive a 20 percent discount per participant. Groups of more than 20 receive a 25 percent discount per participant. To register as a group, please contact pvmglobal@purdue.edu with your headcount and the names and email addresses of participants.

 

This introductory course is open to anyone with an interest in wildlife veterinary medicine and conservation.

This introductory course is open to anyone with an interest in wildlife veterinary medicine and conservation.

The program includes pre-recorded online lectures, live online discussions, live online labs, and additional video content from wildlife rehabilitation settings. Participants also complete a short final video presentation on an internationally relevant wildlife topic.

  • Pre-Recorded Lectures (12 hours)
    • 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.
  • Live Online Discussion (5 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). 
  • Live Online Labs (10 hours)
    • 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). 
  • Exclusive Video Footage of Wildlife Rehabilitation Process (3+ hours)
    • 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.

Live discussions and labs take place on Sundays at 6:00 p.m. EST.

 

Live discussions and labs take place on Sundays at 6:00 p.m. EST.

 

Yes. Live sessions are recorded and made available to everyone enrolled in the course.

 

Participants can expect to spend about 2 to 3 hours per week on the course.

 

Yes. Participants research an internationally relevant wildlife topic and present their findings in a 5-minute video at the end of the program.

 

Yes. The course is open to international participants and is taught entirely in English.

 

Participants need access to a computer with internet. Live lectures are hosted on Zoom, recorded lectures are provided on YouTube, and course materials are delivered through Purdue's Brightspace platform.

 

No. This course has not been officially approved by a continuing education credit institution.

 

This is a non-credit certificate that recognizes completion of the course. It is intended to document participation and learning in wildlife veterinary medicine and conservation, but it does not by itself provide professional licensure or formal continuing education credit.

 

Registration closes on the course start date. The first live lecture takes place one week after the course start date.

 

No. There is no registration cap.

 

A full refund is available before the first day of class. After the first day of class, refunds are generally not issued for dropped enrollment. In cases of extenuating circumstances, exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis under Purdue University’s Online noncredit policies.

 

  • Bolster your resume with an official certificate in Wildlife Conservation and Medicine from Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Over 30 hours of instruction from two of the top wildlife and conservation veterinarians in the world
  • Develop your knowledge on the latest trends in conservation and techniques in wildlife rehabilitation   
  • Place yourself in a better position to further your career in wildlife conservation and medicine

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact the Global Engagement Office.

Email:   pvmglobal@purdue.edu
Phone:   765-494-5780