2026 ZWVNA Conference

“Compassion, Care & Conservation: Driving Progress in Zoo and Wildlife Veterinary Nursing in 2026”

October 22 - 25, 2026 · New South Wales

The Zoo and Wildlife Veterinary Nurses Australasia (ZWVNA) in association with Australian Society of Zoo Keeping (ASZK)is proud to be presenting our 2026 conference hosted by Taronga Zoo Sydney.

Agenda

Thursday, October 22

9:00 AM

Event Start

10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Pre-conference Workshop - Improving Outcomes for Reptile Patients Through Practical Nursing, Husbandry and Conservation Focused Care

Reptile Workshop - limited to 30 places.

Friday, October 23

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Registration and Welcome

Registration Desk Taking seats Opening address Acknowledgement to Country

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Opening & Keynotes

Liz Arthur From Rescue to Release: Clinical Care and Coordination of Koalas in Southwest Sydney Michelle Campbell-Ward Veterinary Ethics and Animal Welfare in the Real and Digital Wildlife Triage Rooms

10:30 AM - 11:15 AM

MORNING TEA

11:15 AM - 12:00 PM

Clinical Foundations

From Fish to Fliers: Using Comparative Anatomy and Physiology to Explore Differences in Husbandry and Care Across Vertebrate Taxa

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Clinical Case Studies

Amy Bartlett Otterly Lucky: Envenomation of an Asian Small-Clawed Otter at Taronga Western Plains Zoo Morgan Smith Bilbie Jean: A Conservation Nursing Case Study

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

LUNCH

Provided by Gold Sponsor At The Hub — graze, mingle and check out sponsor tables

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM

Marine & Wildlife

Ongoing Taronga Conservation Society Australia and Taronga Wildlife Hospital Commitment to Sea Turtle Rescue, Treatment, Rehabilitation, Release and Long-Term Conservation Monitoring Sea Turtle Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release: Clinical Case Studies

3:15 PM - 3:45 PM

AFTERNOON TEA

3:45 PM - 4:30 PM

Conservation (Online)

Incubation and Hand-Rearing Hoiho (Yellow-Eyed Penguin) Chicks as a New Conservation Management Tool

4:30 PM - 5:00 PM

Innovation (Wrap-up)

5:00 PM - 5:45 PM

Taronga Wildlife Hospital Tour

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Optional Dinner

Minsky's - Located in Park Regis Concierge Apartments, Cremorne

Saturday, October 24

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM

Emergency Case

Chimp Happens: Adapting Under Pressure – A Zoo Nurse’s Wild Ride in a Historic First for Taronga Zoo

9:00 AM - 9:45 AM

Welfare & Cooperative Care

Health Checks with the Animal’s Consent: How Training Plays a Vital Role in Preventative Health Within a Zoo and Aquarium Setting

9:45 AM - 10:15 AM

Marine Rehab

Assessing and Rehabilitating Sea Snakes: An Aquarium-Based Approach

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM

MORNING TEA

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Primate Care

Co-operative Husbandry Care Training: Building Trust Through Needle Training and Voluntary Veterinary Care in Chimpanzees

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Clinical Session

Nursing the Avian Head Trauma Patient: Pathophysiology and Current Management Strategies A Veterinary Nurse’s Guide to the Sedation and Anaesthesia of Artiodactyls, Perissodactyls and Proboscids

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

LUNCH

Provided by Gold Sponsors At The Hub — graze, mingle and check out sponsor tables

1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Innovation

1. Optimising Nutrition in Zoo and Wildlife Patients: Nutrition Isn’t Just Support – It’s Treatment 2. Working Smarter? Exploring AI in Zoo and Wildlife Nursing Practice 3. Hands-Off Hematology: Unrestrained Blood Sampling in Australian Marsupials

3:00 PM - 3:15 PM

AFTERNOON TEA

Viewing poster presentations and meet the authors

3:15 PM - 4:00 PM

Posters

1. Nyree Chigwidden — Nursing the Avian Botulism Patient 2. Ashley Seymour — Juvenile Eastern Grey Kangaroo Forelimb Fracture Treatment 3. Christina Swierzewski — Flying-Fox Paralysis Syndrome (FFPS) Nursing Care

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM

CLOSING PANEL

Sunday, October 25

10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Optional Tour

WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo & SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium 10:00am – Meet at the entrance of WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo

5:00 PM

Event End