Learn how to identify when a WDRA process is necessary and how to put the IUCN Guidelines for Wildlife Disease Risk Analysis into practice.
Course Dates & Live Sessions:
The next date for this course is:
24 August - 23 October 2026
Registration closes one month before the start date.
Course Introduction:
Disease is a primary driver of wildlife population declines worldwide. As these populations shrink or fragment, the dynamics of stable ecological systems are disrupted resulting in closer contact between wildlife, domestic animals, and people. This provides novel opportunities for pathogen transmission.
Where disease is a direct threat to species conservation, or wildlife are implicated as a vector or reservoir of disease impacting domestic animals and/or people, Wildlife Disease Risk Analysis (WDRA) can help decision-makers determine how best to respond.
In 2014, CPSG led the development of the IUCN Guidelines for Wildlife Disease Risk Analysis. This online course is designed for those who wish to put these guidelines into practice.
Learning Outcomes:
This course is designed to equip participants with an understanding of how to put the IUCN Guidelines for Wildlife Disease Risk Analysis into practice.
By the end participants will be able to:
-Recognize and justify situations where a WDRA process can contribute to
a) Wildlife conservation
b) Domestic animal health care
c) Public health protection
-Explain how the principle of One Health and the science of epidemiology are applied to a WDRA
-Design a workshop to effectively engage multiple stakeholders in completing a
WDRA
Course Format:
This online course consists of pre-recorded lectures, reading materials, and problem-solving activities along with ‘live’ weekly webinars and discussions. Assessed groupwork is included in the program.
During the live webinars, you will interact with some of the world's leading experts on WDRA, communication, and multi-stakeholder planning processes.
Pre-recorded sessions can be listened to in your own time. Live webinars will be recorded and made available on the online course pages.
Costs*:
We are committed to making our courses as accessible as possible by offering a country-based fee structure based on country of residence. This approach allows us to keep our training accessible to conservation professionals around the world while sustaining course quality.
The cost for participating in this course is:
List 1: $625
List 2: $500
List 3: $310
List 4: $185
List 5: $125
Find the list of countries here.
A limited number of training grants are available for this course. If you would like to discuss this opportunity, or have other questions, please contact: [email protected]
Course Duration:
This course contains eight modules spread over nine weeks, requiring 4-6hrs of work per week, depending on how quickly you can work through course content.
Certification:
Participants successfully completing the course will receive a Certificate of Completion from CPSG.
Application:
To apply, please fill out the form found on the left (bottom on mobile) by clicking "Apply here".
For further information, contact us at [email protected]
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* Our course prices do not reflect the true cost or value of this training, as CPSG is committed to reducing financial barriers to training that will benefit threatened species worldwide. This is currently possible only due to the support received from the Global Conservation Network (GCN), a group of committed institutions and individuals who support CPSG work. If you or your organization would like to consider becoming a GCN donor, sponsoring training grants for trainees with limited resources, or otherwise supporting our training program, please contact [email protected] or Donate here. To learn more about CPSG, please contact: [email protected].