Rate My Professor Rebecca Vaughan-Higgins

Rebecca Vaughan-Higgins serves as Senior Lecturer in Wildlife and Conservation Medicine within the School of Veterinary Medicine at Murdoch University, where she is also affiliated with the Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability. Her academic qualifications include a BSc, BVMS, Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine (CertAVP(ZM)), PhD, and Diplomate of the European College of Zoological Medicine specializing in Wildlife Population Health (Dip ECZM (WPH)). These credentials underpin her expertise in veterinary epidemiology and conservation medicine. Her career trajectory encompasses current lecturing and research at Murdoch University, a joint residency program as a veterinarian at Perth Zoo, and earlier research positions including at the Institute of Zoology in London, as indicated by her early publications and professional email affiliations.

Vaughan-Higgins' research interests focus on disease risks in wildlife translocations, pathogen surveillance in endangered species, hematological and biochemical reference intervals for native Australian fauna, and the physiological impacts of chemical immobilization on wildlife. She has supervised multiple PhD theses, including studies on the epidemiology of lumpy jaw in captive macropods (2019), health and disease status of sea turtles in Western Australia (2022), prevalence of bornavirus, nidovirus, and sunshinevirus in animals (2022), and ongoing investigations into seasonal hindlimb paresis in Carnaby's cockatoos (2024). Notable publications include 'Analyzing disease risks associated with translocations' (2012, 141 citations), 'Long-term health effects of harness-mounted radio transmitters in red kites (Milvus milvus) in England' (2011, 55 citations), 'Two New Eimeria Species Parasitic in Corncrakes (Crex crex) in the United Kingdom' (2013, 22 citations), 'Streptococcus iniae associated mass marine fish kill off Western Australia' (2020, 20 citations), 'Development of reference ranges for plasma total protein concentrations in clinically healthy numbats (Myrmecobius fasciatus)' (2016, 8 citations), 'Hindlimb paralysis syndrome in wild Carnaby's cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus latirostris)' (2020, 12 citations), and recent contributions such as 'Management of endotracheal tube breakage during intubation of a koala' (2023) and 'Novel host-parasite records in a sandy inland mouse (Pseudomys hermansburgensis)' (2025). Her work has advanced health monitoring and conservation efforts for species like Gilbert's potoroo, numbats, macropods, sea turtles, and black cockatoos, contributing to over 46 publications with 472 citations on ResearchGate.