Course summary

Conservation Medicine is an established field that continues to evolve as we develop our ability to study the complex relationships and interactions between animal health, human health and ecosystem health. It emerged in the 1990s as a response to the need for a more holistic and interdisciplinary approach to the conservation of biodiversity. In particular, the importance of health in many conservation issues was widely recognised. With its foundation in the principles of conservation biology, Conservation Medicine incorporates contributions from:

• the health sciences

• ecology

• the social sciences

• conservation

• wildlife health

• ecological health

• academia

• non-governmental organisations

• government veterinary positions

• captive or free-ranging wildlife conservation projects