Educating people to understand that we share the planet with lots of other species and have a responsibility for their care is one of the most important goals of the Australian Wildlife Health Centre.
"If I can get just one person inspired to care about wildlife, then I’ve had a great day,” says Dr Rupert. “The more days I have like that, ensures that more and more people out there will connect with the work we are doing and get the messages we are trying to convey about caring for wildlife and the environment.”
Luckily, Dr Rupert likes talking to people about his passion and infecting other people with his enthusiasm. “My interest in animals was evident even when I was a three year old toddler. My parents had a friend who was an entomologist (studied insects) and he used to ramble-off their Latin names to me. So at three, I spoke Latin and could parrot off a whole lot of scientific names. I’ve been talking about animals ever since, but most of the time in English, with just a few scientific Latin names thrown in!"
Rupert Baker BVSc(Hons) MACVSc(Avian Health)
Rupert Graduated from Melbourne University in 1995 with a passion for wildlife. He spent two and half years in mixed and rural practice and as a volunteer at a regional Wildlife Park. After completing a certificate in Small Business management he spent eighteen months as a locum in the UK before returning to Australia to work at Healesville Sanctuary. After twelve months he joined a referral avian veterinary clinic and completed a Membership of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Avian Health. Following this he worked for Neil Forbes in the UK before joining a twenty-vet practice in East Sussex where he was occupied with avian and reptile patients and practice management.
At the beginning of 2006 he joined the Australia Wildlife Health Centre (AWHC) at Healesville Sanctuary run by Zoos Victoria. The AWHC provides care for over 1600 wildlife admissions annually and a veterinary services to the Healesville Sanctuary collection and endangered species breeding programmes. In 2007 he was appointed as Senior Veterinarian.