Postgraduate course on Wild Animal Health and Conservation Medicine in Mexico and Mesoamerica

For the first time in both Mexico and Mesoamérica a M. Sc and Ph. D level posgrad course begun at ECOSUR (El Colegio de la Frontera Sur) in Campeche, Mexico from October 3rd to 26th, 2006 (with a total of 72 hours of lectures and 20 hours of practices, 6 credits equivalency). The aims of this course are to introduce the students to the disciplines of wild animal health, conservation medicine, principles in ecological epidemiology and emerging infectious diseases (with particular enfasis in tropical environments).

Three M. Sc students (two from ECOSUR, Mexico and one from Honduras -with a UNESCO scholarship to attend the course-) and one PhD student from the University of El Carmen, Campeche are attending the course. Lectures are taking place in ECOSUR-Campeche and video-lectures with the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida will take place from October 16th to 20th with the enthusiastic participation of Dr. Elliot Jacobson and Dr. Bryan Stacy who would be lecturing on Reptile Medicine and Conservation and General Wildlife Pathology, respectively. Dr. Manuel Weber (DVM, M. Sc, PhD) is the main responsible of this course and it is expected that it would be repeated in future academic years. Plans exist to open this initiative in future years as a Diploma Course for both wildlife biologists and veterinarians in Mesoamerica (e.g. Honduras has no veterinary medicine degree offered from any of its Universities).

El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), is a leading multidisciplinary scientific research centre in southern Mexico, presentsinga M. Sc. program in Natural Resources and Rural Development, and a Ph. D. in Ecology and Sustainable Development (with orientations in Biodiversity Conservation, Agroecology and Pest Management, and Population, Environment and Rural Development). The aim is to train human resources capable of analysing, identifying and evaluating the limitations to development, and to undertake original research that will contribute to the solution of problems posed by rural development and natural resource conservation.

ECOSUR is present in five cities (San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Tapachula, Chetumal, Campeche, and Villahermosa). It,as 120 professors-researchers, and an average of 100 students in the M. Sc. program and 60 doctoral students. Students come mainly from Mexico and Central America, but also from the Caribbean, South America, Europe, and other world regions
More information at: www.ecosur.mx
http://jmweber.blogspot.com/

Contact person:
Manuel Weber, DVM, M.Sc, Ph.D
Programa de Salud de Vida Silvestre
El Colegio de la Frontera Sur - ECOSUR
Calle 10 No. 264 Centro, Campeche, México 24000
Tel/Fax: ++ 52 (981) 8164221, 8165978 (ext. 2300)