Letter
from the chairman
Katja Koeppel- BIO
Dear Colleagues,
This is the first letter as president of the SAVA Wildlife Group. Who would
have dreamt that I would write this letter from home, in isolation. The novel
Coronavirus which was first isolated in the Wuhan Province in China in
December 2019 has spread across the world with more than 100 countries
affected and the number of positive cases worldwide exceeding 3 million
(29 April 2020, WHO). Covid-19 has been declared a pandemic by the WHO.
It resulted in the cessation of international and national air travel and a
national lockdown from the 27th of March 2020 in South Africa.
Dr Katja Koeppel graduate from Glasgow University in 2000. She came to South Africa in
With the lockdown being reduced to level 4 on Friday we are trying to adapt to the new reality. Most of us are
2002 and completed her MSc in wildlife in 2004 from the University of Pretoria. After
essential services, so working longer hours with less staff than usually. On top of this we have to school the kids
working in private practice, she joined the Johannesburg Zoo as veterinarian and later head
veterinarian until 2015. She received her diplomate from the European College of Zoological
from home, clean the house and cook as the restaurants and take aways are closed. For me it is the lack of KFC
Medicine in Zoo Health Management in 2015. She started as senior lecturer at the
after a 10-hour day that I am particularly missing but I guess every one of us has the one thing they really miss
University of Pretoria and is currently busy with her PhD in oral bait rabies vaccine in black-
in this new world. There is uncertainty for the future and how long this new state will last. For me I am worried
backed jackals. She is passionate about conservation and the veterinary advisor for the
about the students and their delay in clinic rotations and the impact it will have on our industry if they are not
Mabula Southern Ground-Hornbill Project.
able to complete their training this year.
On a positive note, the tiger from the Bronx Zoo which was confirmed with Covid-19 from a keeper has
recovered completely and the European Association of Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarian has adapted its conference
to these difficult times and has announced that this year’s conference, which was cancelled due to the Covid-19
situation will go online.
So, with this please stay safe and contribute your part to flattening the curve of Covid-19
Katja Koeppel
2020
ISSUE 01
3