Veterinary Professional Training

in Wildlife Treatment and Care

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Created as part of the NSW Koala

Strategy.
This veterinary professional development
course has been created as part of the
NSW Koala Strategy.

The course is aimed at veterinarians and

veterinary nurses and focused at
improving the knowledge and skills of
veterinary staff related to wildlife triage,
first aid, treatment and care.

Applications for Semester 2, 2023 have

now closed!

On this page

Course details 

Course contents 

Application process 

Available subsidies 

Course dates 

Interstate program partners 

Frequently asked questions 

Taronga’s Veterinary Professional Training in Wildlife

Treatment and Care is specifically designed for
veterinarians and veterinary nurses and focuses on
building the confidence, knowledge and skills required for
the triage, first aid, treatment and care of (wild)
Australian species.

This course is accredited with the Australian Veterinary

Association and the Veterinary Nurses Council of
Australia for CPD points and is delivered via a blended
learning model combining online distance education and
an optional one-day intensive practical workshop.

To be eligible for participation in the course,

participants must:
be a fully qualified veterinary professional (i.e. vet,
vet nurses and vet techs); and
work in a veterinary clinic or hospital in Australia; or
be an enrolled, final year veterinary science student
(at this time we cannot accept vet nurse or vet tech
students)

We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander people.

Course details

Applications for Semester 2, 2023 have

now closed.  Applications for Semester 1,
2024 will open in October 2023.

This course includes an online component (20 CPD

points), and an optional practical workshop delivered in
NSW, QLD or VIC (12 CPD points). 

The 20-hour, online component of the course can be

completed over three months and includes downloadable
take-home resources and links to external resources, so
that participants may refer back to important
information as needed.

The optional workshop component is a one-day, practical

with mock demonstrations on the veterinary treatment
and care of wildlife. Spaces in workshops are extremely
limited and participation is restricted to veterinary
professionals currently working in an Australian
veterinary clinic or hospital. Completion of the online
component of this course is a mandatory pre-requisite to
attend the practical component. 

Course contents
The online component encompasses 5 modules of
competency. It is estimated that this will take
approximately 20 hours to complete. However, the course
has been designed so you can complete it at your own
pace over three months.

Module 1 - Introduction to Treatment

and Care of Wildlife
Module 2 - Amphibians and Reptiles
Treatment and Care 
Module 3 - Birds Treatment and Care 
Module 4 - Mammals Treatment and
Care 
Module 5 - Koalas Treatment and Care
(developed by the Koala Health Hub)

The modules have been developed by wildlife

veterinarians of the Taronga Wildlife Hospitals and
tailored by our program partners. Module 5 - Koalas
Treatment and Care, has been developed by the Koala
Health Hub. Interstate program partners oversee the
inclusion of state specific content. For this intake,
veterinary professionals working in Queensland, New
South Wales and Victoria will engage with content
specific to their state. Veterinary professionals from other
states and territories will engage with New South Wales
content. Thank you to our program partners, Currumbin
Wildlife Sanctuary and Zoos Victoria. 

For each of these modules, the content will cover the

following topics:

Topic 1: Regulation, resources and risks

This topic will cover important facts about

animal welfare and legislation pertaining to
wildlife, what information to record in the
initial examination of a wildlife patient,
available sources of advice for assessing and
treating wildlife patients, wildlife associated
zoonotic diseases, and practices for minimising
zoonotic disease risk at your practice.

Topic 2: Handling and immediate housing

This topic will cover clinically relevant anatomy

and physiology, handling techniques, basic
housing and feeding of wildlife while
hospitalised at your practice.

Topic 3:  Assessment, triage and emergency

care

This topic will cover clinical assessment, first

aid, chemical restraint and criteria for
euthanasia. Specifically, how to conduct a
physical examination in the wildlife patient,
the steps that follow initial assessment and
triage, the principles of providing basic first aid
to wildlife patients, basic information on
providing fluids, wound care, the criteria and
preferred methods for euthanasia of wildlife.

Topic 4: Diagnosis and treatment

This topic will cover common injuries and

diseases of wildlife, therapeutics, drug
administration, pain management, antibiotics,
anti-inflammatory drugs.

The face-to-face workshop is an optional, one-day,

practical with mock demonstrations on the veterinary
treatment and care of wildlife. Spaces in workshops are
extremely limited. Registration for workshops launches
after the commencement of the online course and to be
eligible to register you must be a veterinary professional
(eg vet or vet nurse) currently working in an Australian
veterinary clinic or hospital. Completion of the online
component of this course is a mandatory pre-requisite to
attend the practical component. 

During the workshop, participants will be presented with

real case studies and will apply a mock diagnostic
investigation covering triage, assessment, examination,
diagnosis and treatment of wildlife (native reptiles, birds
and mammals), as well as participate in a tour of a
wildlife hospital’s facilities to learn about post-treatment
care of wildlife. Participants will also learn how to perform
necropsy diagnosis of wildlife.

Application process
Applications for Semester 2, 2023 have now closed.
 Applications for Semester 1, 2024 will open in
October 2023.

You will be asked to upload a signed letter written by

your employer or manager at your clinic/hospital that
confirms you meet the eligibility criteria. The letter should
be individualised to the applicant and include:

Applicant’s full name

Applicant’s job title/role at your organisation
Employment status at organisation (Full Time, Part
Time, Casual or Locum)
Name of organisation 
Must be on letterhead

Taronga staff will review these documents to confirm

your identity and eligibility for the course. If your letter is
missing any of the above information, unfortunately your
application will automatically be rejected. Your personal
data will be deleted once it is no longer required.

Participants will be notified of their enrolment outcome

the week preceding course commencement.
Please note that the application form is not designed to
be completed on a mobile device. We recommend a
laptop or desktop computer when applying.

On submission of your application, you should receive a

brief confirmation to the email address you gave us. If
you do not receive a confirmation email within 24 hours,
please contact us at tarongaprofvet@zoo.nsw.gov.au.

Available subsidies

Discounted positions

This veterinary professional development training was

created as part of the NSW Koala Strategy and is funded
by the NSW Government. Thanks to this funding we can
offer the discounted rates currently advertised.

NSW Government  

Vets Beyond Borders Membership Packages

Vets Beyond Borders will be offering a Member Benefits

Package to successful candidates. These packages vary
however in addition to a VBB membership and course
subsidy, they may include course textbooks and financial
assistance for travel fees and other associated expenses.

Visit the Vets Beyond Borders website for more

information and to apply.
 

Vets Beyond Borders

Course dates
Online course

Semester 2, 2023 of the Taronga Veterinary Professional

Training in Wildlife Treatment and Care course will begin
on the 16th of June 2023 and must be completed by the
15th of September 2023.

You can complete the online course at your own pace

over the three months. 

Workshops

Registration for the one-day, optional workshop

component will launch after the online course
commences. Workshops take place after the online
component concludes.  Workshop locations will include:

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Currumbin,

Queensland
Taronga Zoo Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales
Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo, New South
Wales
Zoos Victoria - Melbourne Zoo, Healesville
Sanctuary and Werribee Open Range Zoo

Interstate program partners

Taronga’s Veterinary Professional Development in
Wildlife Treatment and Care course is expanding first
across koala states and territories, with an aim to
continue to expand nationally. Program partners are
identified interstate experts in Australian wildlife
treatment and care, committed to ensuring state specific
legislation, policies and guidelines of the course remain
current.

Zoos Victoria 

Zoos Victoria Logo Zoos Victoria is dedicated to

conservation. Over the last
decade, we have become a
trusted voice in animal welfare
and have a long history of responding to wildlife in need.
As a support agency listed in Victoria’s State Emergency
Management Plan, we work at the interface between
government, community and non-government
organisations to drive progress in wildlife welfare. Our
focus is on setting a world-class standard that delivers
the development of skill in the veterinary assessment of
native wildlife within general practice veterinary clinics
and enhancing preparedness for response to wildlife
impacted by future emergency events.  Zoos Victoria
supports Taronga Conservation Society Australia’s
Veterinary Professional Training in Wildlife Treatment
and Care course as the Victorian program partner.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

National Trust Currumbin Wildlife

Sanctuary has been conserving
native wildlife and educating the
community and guests about our
native wildlife species and their habitats for 75 years. Our
contributions will help to save wildlife species from
further decline through vital veterinary treatment and
care, insurance populations, breeding programs and
research projects. National Trust Currumbin Wildlife
Sanctuary supports Taronga Conservation Society
Australia’s Veterinary Professional Training in Wildlife
Treatment and Care course as the Queensland program
partner. 

Frequently asked questions

Q: I am a registered veterinary
professional outside of Australia. 
Am I eligible to apply for the
course?

Applications

Applications for Semester 2, 2023 have now

closed.

Contact
Email
tarongaprofvet@zoo.nsw.gov.au

Details

WHEN

2023 Dates

Semester 2: 16 June – 15 September

 

2024 Dates

Semester 1: 15 January – 14 April

Online course: 20 hours

COST

With support from the NSW

Government, we can offer the partially
subsidised costs below:

$200 - online component 

$495 - practical component (not

including travel costs)

$695 - full course (online + practical)

We proudly Acknowledge the

Cammeraigal (Taronga Zoo, Sydney) and
Wiradjuri (Taronga Western Plains Zoo,
Dubbo) people, their Country, spirit and
traditions as customary owners of the
lands upon which our Zoos stand.

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