About us
When natural reproduction poses challenges, CARES steps in to assist wildlife professionals, zoo managers, and veterinarians in ensuring the reproduction of endangered species under their care.
CARES provides specialized wild animal medicine services to address fertility problems, facilitate artificial breeding, and offer obstetrical care for endangered species. As wildlife reproduction specialists, we help fulfilling the intrinsic desire of wild animals to have and raise offspring.
By supporting these reproductive efforts, we contribute to the conservation and survival of wildlife on our planet. Let CARES be your partner in preserving the future of endangered species.
adj. Prof. Dr. Robert Hermes
As wildlife veterinarian and researcher, his expertise lies in wildlife reproduction, particularly focusing on developing assisted reproductive technologies for endangered species. Robert Hermes has been instrumental in projects aiming to conserve species such as the Northern White Rhino through advanced reproductive techniques. He collaborates with various international institutions to enhance conservation efforts through innovative scientific approaches.
Expert in Wildlife Reproduction and Conservation Efforts
Robert Hermes spend most of his career since 1995 as wildlife reproduction specialist and senior researcher at the Reproduction Management Department of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW Berlin). He has worked in interdisciplinary teams of highly qualified veterinarians and biologists. At the heart of his scientific work, that accounts +100 peer-reviewed publications, was the development and application of assisted reproduction in wild animals and of methods to save highly endangered species from extinction.
His scientific record spans from fertility diagnosis, artificial insemination, cryopreservation and advanced assisted reproduction techniques from rhinoceros and elephants to bats. His work laid grounds for a reformation of the breeding management of zoo animal populations, the establishment of an extensive sperm cryobank at the IZW, breeding and births of dozens of rhinos and elephants and contributions on wild animal reproduction in the standard textbook for zoo and wild animal medicine and ‘rhinoceros husbandry guidelines’.
Robert lectured courses in wild reproduction medicine at the Veterinary Medicine University in Vienna, Freie University Berlin and Sydney University. He is a Diplomate of the European College of Zoological Medicine (ECZM) in the specialty of Zoo Health Management. As veterinary advisor for many years to the EAZA rhinoceros and Equid TAG as well as the EAZA Reproduction Management and EAZA Cryopreservation Interest Group, he attempts to pass on his experiences and to implement his visions for shaping a better future of endangered species in human care and in the wild.
Academic Resume
Robert Hermes spend most of his career since 1995 as wildlife reproduction specialist and senior researcher at the Reproduction Management Department of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW Berlin). He has worked in interdisciplinary teams of highly qualified veterinarians and biologists. At the heart of his scientific work, that accounts +100 peer-reviewed publications, was the development and application of assisted reproduction in wild animals and of methods to save highly endangered species from extinction. His scientific record spans from fertility diagnosis, artificial insemination, cryopreservation and advanced assisted reproduction techniques from rhinoceros and elephants to bats. His work laid grounds for a reformation of the breeding management of zoo animal populations, the establishment of an extensive sperm cryobank at the IZW, breeding and births of dozens of rhinos and elephants and contributions on wild animal reproduction in the standard textbook for zoo and wild animal medicine and ‘rhinoceros husbandry guidelines’. Robert lectured courses in wild reproduction medicine at the Veterinary Medicine University in Vienna, Freie University Berlin and Sydney University. He is a Diplomate of the European College of Zoological Medicine (ECZM) in the specialty of Zoo Health Management. As veterinary advisor for many years to the EAZA rhinoceros and Equid TAG as well as the EAZA Reproduction Management and EAZA Cryopreservation Interest Group, he attempts to pass on his experiences and to implement his visions for shaping a better future of endangered species in human care and in the wild.
Curriculum Vitae
Professional education
- 2017 Diplomate of the European College of Zoological Medicine
- 2013 Habilitation: Wildlife Conservation Medicine Veterinary University of Vienna, Austria
- 2001 Veterinary board certification: zoo and wildlife medicine
- 1998 Doctoral thesis, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany
- 1995 Veterinary registration, Berlin, Germany
- 1989 – 1995 Faculty of veterinary medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
Employment
- 2000 – 2022 Senior Scientist, Leibniz Institute for Zoo & Wildlife Research, Berlin
- 1998 – 2000 Post doc, Leibniz Institute for Zoo & Wildlife Research, Berlin
- 1995 – 1998 Post graduate, Leibniz Institute for Zoo & Wildlife Research, Berlin
Appointments and Awards
- 2022 Scientific Fellow of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo & Wildlife Research
- 2019 – present Veterinary Advisor EAZA Reproduction Management Group
- 2018 – present Veterinary Advisor EAZA Equid TAG (Taxon Advisory Group)
- 2018 – present Veterinary Advisor EAZA Tapir & Suid TAG
- 2018 – present adjunct Professor, Sydney University, School of Life and Environmental Science, Sydney, Australia
- 2015 – 2018 adjunct associate Professor, Sydney University, School of Life and Environmental Science, Sydney, Australia
- 2010 Recognition of outstanding in Theriogenology: Obstetrics in elephants.
- 2009 – present Veterinary Advisor EAZA Rhinoceros TAG
- 2007 Scientific Associate, Taronga Conservation Society, Sydney, Australia
- 2005 Veterinary Fellow, Zoological Society London, London, UK
- 2002 Fellow Researcher, Zoological Society of San Diego, CRES, USA
- 2000 Associate scientist, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA
Lectures
- 2009 – present Lecturer, Veterinary University of Vienna, Austria,
- 2000 – present Lecturer, Veterinary Faculty, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
Memberships
- 2008 – present Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)
- 2000 – present European Association of Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarians (EAZWV)
- 2001-2012 American Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV)
International conferences and workshops
- 1998 – 2021 Presentations on >100 international conferences and workshops
- 1998 – 2014 Organization of 18 international workshops on wildlife reproduction
Work abroad
- 1998 Elephant research project, Indianapolis Zoo, IN, USA
- 2004 – 2019 Sumatran rhinoceros reproduction project, Borneo, Malaysia
- 2007 – present International veterinary consultancy work in Europe, US, Australia
- 2009/2010 Elephant semen cryopreservation project ‘Frozen Dumbo’, South Africa
- 2019-2021 BioRescue of the Northern White Rhinoceros, Kenia (www.biorescue.org)
Ten most important publications
- Hermes R, Göritz F, Wiesner M, Richter N, Mulot B, Alerte V, Smith S, Bouts T, Hildebrandt TB. Parturition in white rhinoceros. Theriogenology 156 (2020) 181-188.
- Hermes R, Hildebrandt TB, Göritz F. Cryopreservation in rhinoceros—Setting a new benchmark for sperm cryosurvival PLoS One. 2018; 13(7): e0200154.
- Hermes R, Göritz F, Saragusty J, Sos E, Molnar V, Reid CE, Schwarzenberger F, Hildebrandt TB. First successful artificial insemination with frozen-thawed semen in rhinoceros. Theriogenology 2009; 71: 393–399.
- Hermes R, Göritz F, Portas TJ, Bryant BR, Kelly JM, LJ, Keeley T, Schwarzenberger F, Walzer C, Schnorrenberg A, Spindler RE, Saragusty J, Kaandorp S, Hildebrandt TB. Ovarian superstimulation, transrectal ultrasound-guided oocyte recovery, and IVF in rhinoceros. Theriogenology 2009; 72: 959–968.
- Hermes R, Göritz F, Saragusty J, Stoops MA, Hildebrandt TB. Reproductive tract tumours: the scourge of woman reproduction ails Indian rhinoceroses. PLoS One. 2014; 9:e92595.
- Hermes R, Saragusty J, Göritz F, Bartels P, Potier R, Baker B, Streich WJ, Hildebrandt TB. Freezing African elephant semen as a new population management tool. PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e57616.
- Hildebrandt TB, Hermes R, Colleoni S, Diecke S, Holtze S, Renfree MB, Stejskal J, Hayashi K, Drukker M, Loi P, Göritz F, Lazzari G, Galli C. Embryos and embryonic stem cells from the white rhinoceros. Nature Communications2018: 9:2589.
- Hildebrandt TB, Hermes R, Walzer C, Sos E, Molnar V, Mezösi L, Schnorrenberg A, Silinski S, Streich JW,Schwarzenberger F, Göritz F. Artificial insemination in the anoestrous and the postpartum white rhinoceros using GnRH analogue to induce ovulation.Theriogenology 2007; 67: 1473–148.
- Rickard JP, Pool K, de Graaf SP, Portas T, Rourke N, Wiesner M, Hildebrandt TB, Göritz F, Hermes R. Increasing the Yield and Cryosurvival of Spermatozoa from Rhinoceros Ejaculates Using the Enzyme Papain. Biology 2022; 11(2): 154.
- Saragusty J, Hermes R, Hofer H, Bouts T, Göritz F, Hildebrandt TB. Male pygmy hippopotamus influence offspring sex ratio. Nature communications 2012; 3: 697 doi:0.1038/ncomms1700.
Gamete by gamete, birth by birth we contribute little by little to conservation and species survival.
Insights
Insights provide further information on selected topics such as reproductive risks in wildlife, birth preparedness in rhinos, sperm preservation for megavirals management and contraception for population control.
