Wildlife Vets International (WVI) was set up to pass on wildlife veterinary knowledge relevant to those who need it most: those on the ‘front-line’ of the conservation of wildlife and their environments. This global organization goes beyond the saving of individual animals to looking at disease on a population level. As part of the WildHub Festival 2021, our panel discussed the role viruses play in killing a significant portion of a population or how the reintroduction of a species could introduce a novel pathogen to an area. Each expert gave us what they have learned about the disease threats that face wildlife followed by a Q&A with the audience. 

Audience feedback:

"I've broadened my horizons, thank you!" (Dang Quang, Vietnam)

"Thank you all so much! Great info" (Cheryl Brown, USA)

List Panelists names and credentials/degrees and organization they work for:

Andrew Greenwood, MA, VetMB, FSB, CBiol, DipECZM, FRCVS, RCVS Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine

Wildlife vet Andrew is a founding partner of the International Zoo Veterinary Group (IZVG) and one of the founders of British charity Wildlife Vets International (WVI). While retired from IZVG, Andrew fortunately continues to be a Senior Veterinary Advisor to WVI. Andrew is an internationally recognised avian diseases specialist and has worked on and given his advice to many avian and reptile conservation projects over the years. Most notably, Andrew has been the veterinary advisor to the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation for decades and has played a part in bring several species (e.g. Mauritius pink pigeon, Mauritius echo parakeet) back from the brink of extinction. 

Jane Hopper, MA VetMB CertZooMed MRCVS, RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Zoological Medicine

Wildlife vet Jane specialises exclusively in wild animal health and conservation management and has extensive ex situ and in situ conservation experience. Jane leads and manages all the veterinary activities in both Aspinall Foundation's zoological collections - Port Lympne and Howletts - and their overseas conservation projects in West Africa, Indonesia and Madagascar. 

Jane has extensive experience in all aspects of husbandry, medicine and surgery of a wide range of wild mammal species; disease risk analysis in mammalian release projects; and in field veterinary techniques relevant to overseas programmes. Jane is also the editor to the Wild Tiger Health Centre and Senior Veterinary Advisor to WVI. Through WVI, she is working on the disease risk analysis for the reintroduction of white-naped mangabeys in Ghana, post vaccine titre levels in African painted dogs and the disease risk analysis for the reintroduction of tigers in to Khazakhstan, to name but a few projects. 

Nic Masters MA VetMB MSc DipECZM MRCVS, European Veterinary Specialist in Zoo Health Management

An experienced wildlife vet, working in species recovery programmes in the UK and abroad when working for International Zoo Veterinary Group (IZVG), Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the New Zealand Centre for Conservation Medicine at Auckland Zoo and while freelancing. A second spell at ZSL saw Nic developing wildlife health as a strategice theme running through much of the Society's work. Returning to IZVG allows Nic to continue his conservation work through Wildlife Vets International.