We were delighted to be able to help two Edinburgh University Conservation Medicine Masters students, Dr Edel Odhiambo from Kenya and Dr Jessica Kamatenesi from Rwanda, by making it possible for them to travel to this year’s one-of-a-kind Interventions in Wild Animal Health field course, which ran in India in February.

Edel is currently the wildlife veterinarian at Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy (MKWC), where she is responsible for the health and welfare of both captive and free-ranging animals, including the critically endangered mountain bongo and white rhinoceros. In this role, she conducts routine health monitoring, clinical care, reproductive management, neonatal care, and preventive medicine, while also supporting genetic management, maintaining detailed medical and reproductive records, ensuring biosecurity measures, and developing SOPs that ensure high standards of animal welfare. In addition, Edel facilitates training and capacity building for field staff to enhance their skills in wildlife care and conservation management. 

Edel told us: “By applying the knowledge I’ve gained from the IWAH course, I will be able to support conservation initiatives at both national and regional levels through the Kenya Veterinary Association, the East Africa Veterinary Network, and other professional platforms. This will contribute to long-term conservation outcomes for critically endangered species, including ongoing efforts to rebuild the Eastern Mountain bongo population to 750 individuals by 2050, and will help safeguard Kenya’s unique biodiversity for future generations.” 

Jessica is a wildlife veterinarian working with the Rwanda Wildlife ConservationAssociation (RWCA), where she focuses on the protection of threatened species, particularly the endangered grey crowned crane. Her role includes rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing cranes that are confiscated from illegal trade or injured in the wild.

She also responds to wildlife veterinary emergencies in and outside Rwanda’s national parks, including interventions for the Big Five and other herbivores. This involves resolving human–wildlife conflict cases, conducting treatments, removing snares, supporting translocations, performing necropsies,and leading wildlife disease investigations. In addition, she participates in routine wildlife disease surveillance by collecting and processing samples to support early detection and monitoring of health threats.

Jessica told us: “The knowledge and practical skills I got from the IWAH course will directly benefit Rwanda’s wildlife, ongoing conservation programmes, and the communities living around protected areas. Strengthening my capacity in wildlife health, field disease investigation, human–wildlife interface management, and wildlife crime response is goin to enable me to carry out safer, more effective veterinary interventions across the country. This will improve outcomes for endangered species and support national biodiversity conservation efforts.”

The three week IWAH course is a ten-year collaboration between Edinburgh University’s Masters in Conservation Medicine programme, the Wildlife Institute of India, the Zoological Society of London, the Royal Veterinary College, the University of Melbourne, the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Kenyan Wildlife and Training Institute. It is the only short field course we know of which introduces multiple areas of conservation that are intertwined with wildlife health, including disease ecology, outbreak investigations, human-wildlife conflict and community engagement, and wildlife trafficking and crime scene forensics, as well as introducing capture and immobilisation of a range of species, including reptiles and amphibians.  

Sincere thanks are due to the Metamorphosis Foundation for providing funds.

‍