Marco Vecchiato, DVM

Veterinarian

Marco’s passion for animals and wildlife began at a young age, sparked by a National Geographic documentary showcasing the remarkable abilities of orcas. From that moment, he knew he wanted to pursue a career in wildlife conservation and veterinary medicine, helping to protect the natural world that had fascinated him. He earned his veterinary degree from the University of Naples and has since developed broad experience across exotic, small animal, and wildlife medicine. Early in his career, Marco took part in long-term conservation fieldwork projects for Southern Right Whale and wildcats in Argentina before moving to the UK, where he completed an internship at the RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Alongside his clinical work, he volunteered with the Disease Risk Analysis and Health Surveillance team at the Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London (ZSL), contributing to the red kite post-release health surveillance programme. He also completed a part-time postgraduate degree in Conservation Medicine at the University of Edinburgh. Marco later completed a three-year European College of Zoological Medicine (ECZM) residency in Wildlife Population Health, based at the Royal Veterinary College and ZSL. In 2026, he became an EBVS® European Veterinary Specialist in Wildlife Population Health. His work has included both clinical and research roles with a wide range of free-ranging species, collaborating with institutions and NGOs across Europe and the United States, including the Wildlife Conservation Medicine Research Group in Spain and The Marine Mammal Center in California. Particularly, he worked and conducted research with the Cetacean Stranding Investigation Programme at the Institute of Zoology, ZSL. He is passionate about mentoring and supporting the next generation of wildlife professionals and strongly believes that education and collaboration are key to creating meaningful, long-term conservation impact. He has been actively involved in student activities and holds recognition as an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Marco is also a keen traveller and has explored countries across South and North America, Oceania, and Southeast Asia. He enjoys experiencing different cultures and spending time in wild places, with a particular interest in marine environments, as he enjoys freediving in his free time.