About the course

Short history

The African wildlife: health, physical & chemical restraint Course was born as an idea in 2023, during a meeting between Dr. Norman Mukarati and Prof. Andrei D. Mihalca which took place in Harare, Zimbabwe. The first international edition was organized in Harare, Zimbabwe, in August 2024, with the prospect to have it as a biennial event (i.e. every two years).

This exciting practical and theoretical course is organized by the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe in collaboration with Parasitology Consultancy Group. Corușu, Cluj, Romania.

About the locations

The theoretical activities and some practical activities (gun target practice, crocodile necropsies and sampling)  will take place at the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Zimbabwe in Harare, Zimbabwe. The practical activities are divided between several game parks and reserves around Harare.

Imire Rhino & Wildlife Conservation
Imire is a privately protected conservancy in Zimbabwe's Mashonaland East (in the Marondera–Wedza corridor), developed from former farmland into a large, ecologically diverse wildlife landscape. It encompasses a mosaic of savanna grasslands, mixed woodland, and riparian/wetland habitats around permanent water—conditions that support high herbivore biomass and strong bird and reptile diversity.

From a wildlife and conservation perspective, Imire is best known for its long-term work with both black and white rhinoceros, including breeding and population recovery efforts during periods of high poaching pressure. The conservancy also supports elephant and buffalo and a wide range of plains game and antelope species (commonly reported include zebra, giraffe, sable, eland, kudu, nyala, waterbuck, blesbok, wildebeest and warthog).

Biodiversity is a defining feature: 150+ bird species, alongside numerous reptiles (including crocodile in suitable water bodies), making it a strong setting for applied field training that links wildlife handling to ecological context and disease surveillance.

Imire positions its conservation model explicitly around coexistence with, and benefits for, surrounding rural communities—an approach relevant to real-world conservation medicine and field operations in southern Africa.

• Lion and Cheetah Park, located near Harare, is a well-established wildlife facility that houses lions, cheetahs, and other native species in semi-natural enclosures. It provides a safe and controlled environment for observing and practicing wildlife immobilization procedures, allowing participants to gain valuable experience working with large carnivores under professional supervision.