Caroline Berger

Qualifications

Degree in Veterinary Science

Position

Internship in Wildlife Population Health 2022-23

Overview

Nowadays the concept of One health is becoming more and more important. I studied vet medicine to work in animal welfare and conservation medicine. The WildCoM Research Group deals with global environmental changes and aims to put a stop to the dramatic consequences such as biodiversity loss or the emerge of infectious diseases. I am also very passionate about the conservation of our environment and want to make a difference for wildlife and wild places. Improving my expertise in wildlife health, conservation biology, disease ecology and epidemiology will help me to protect nature and create a more sustainable environment. In the future I would like to keep working in conservation medicine as a PhD student or Resident in Wildlife Population Health.

Background

Participating in a Marine Conservation Project in Fiji and volunteering in a Wildlife Rescue Center in Ecuador gave me first insights of the wide field of wildlife related work options.

Conservation Medicine was one of my priorities during my studies at the Veterinary University of Vienna. Practical and theoretical courses at the Institute for Wildlife and Ecology (FIWI) gave me a good insight of scientific research work and the education on wildlife population health. I also earned basic skills in capture, wildlife anesthesia and pathology of zoological animals.

During a semester abroad in South Africa I was able to work with wildlife vets. I spent several weeks in community clinics and different National Parks where we took part in capture and relocation projects of nyalas and elephants. I completed my degree in Veterinary Science in 2020.

In the last 2 years I was working in small animal clinics to gain practical skills in internal and surgical medicine. I was also working for an animal welfare association that organizes spaying and neutering projects in Greece, Romania and Cape Verde.