Webinar

Surgery on the wild side

Veterinary professionals

Wildlife Veterinary Medicine
Wildlife Surgery

This webinar will explore a selection of complex and challenging wildlife surgical cases presented by Dr Romain Pizzi, offering unique insights into the realities of veterinary decision-making in zoo and wildlife medicine. Drawing on decades of international experience, Dr Pizzi will discuss the clinical, ethical, and conservation considerations that influence treatment choices, highlighting both successful outcomes and the lessons learned from more difficult cases.

Through a series of real-world examples, the webinar will examine the importance of balancing animal welfare, surgical risk, species-specific biology, and long-term management objectives when treating wild animals. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the critical thinking processes that underpin complex surgical interventions and the practical challenges faced by wildlife veterinarians working in diverse environments around the world.  

The session concludes with a highly engaging and thought-provoking question-and-answer discussion, encouraging participants to reflect on contemporary issues in wildlife medicine, challenge conventional approaches, and consider how evolving knowledge and experience continue to shape best practice in the field.
 English only
  Veterinary professionals (target audience), Pharmacists
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Why should I take this course?

  • Explore real-world wildlife surgical cases and the complex clinical decisions behind their management
  • Understand how animal welfare, surgical risk, species biology, and conservation goals influence treatment choices
  • Learn from challenging outcomes and practical experience to strengthen critical thinking in zoo and wildlife medicine

Course Lessons

Meet your instructor

Dr Romain Pizzi

Dr Romain Pizzi BVSc MSc PhD DZooMed DipECZM MANZCVS (Surg) FRES FRGS FRSB FRCVS is a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Recognised Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine and is widely regarded as one of the world's leading experts in wildlife surgery. Throughout his distinguished career, he has pioneered numerous groundbreaking surgical procedures on endangered wildlife, performing complex operations on species ranging from elephants to tarantulas across Africa, Asia, and beyond.

Born and raised in South Africa, Dr Pizzi qualified as a veterinary surgeon before building an internationally recognised career dedicated to wildlife health, conservation, and veterinary education. He has served as an Honorary Professor of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine at the University of Nottingham for over 15 years, where he has taught and mentored wildlife veterinarians from around the world.

Dr Pizzi was a specialist surgeon at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland for a decade and provided veterinary services to Scotland's National Wildlife Rescue for 18 years. Earlier in his career, he worked as a pathologist at the Zoological Society of London's London Zoo. His extensive international experience includes collaborations with conservation organisations, wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centres, and zoological institutions in more than 30 countries.

A respected leader in his field, Dr Pizzi's work has been featured by major international media outlets, including the BBC, Animal Planet, National Geographic, and CNN, highlighting his contributions to wildlife medicine, conservation, and veterinary innovation.