Hendrik Nollens, DVM, MSc, Ph.D.

Dr. Hendrik Nollens is Vice President of Wildlife Health for San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. He leads the nutrition and veterinary clinical, research, and diagnostic teams of the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

He received his degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Gent in Belgium, a master’s degree in marine biology from the University of Otago, New Zealand, and a Ph.D. in infectious diseases of marine mammals from the University of Florida. Dr. Nollens gained much of his clinical experience during his time as a clinical veterinarian at SeaWorld San Diego and as lead veterinarian for the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks. He has since served as the Vice President of Conservation Medicine and Science of the Pacific Marine Mammal Center. He is a courtesy Clinical Assistant Professor in marine mammal medicine at the University of Florida.

Dr. Nollens has authored or co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed scientific papers on various topics of marine mammal virology, immunology, physiology, and medicine. He is a member of the Society for Marine Mammalogy, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, and the Wildlife Disease Association. He is president of the International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine, former president of the SeaWorld Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, and former vice chair of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) Working Group for Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events.

Dr. Nollens’ goal is putting zoological veterinary and behavioral expertise to work for conservation of wildlife.