Highly experienced wild animal vet joins Durrell as Head of Veterinary Services
Tuesday 20 January 2026
Dr Nic Masters has joined Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust as Head of Veterinary Services. Nic joins Durrell from Toronto Zoo where he has been Director of Wildlife Health for the past three years. Prior to that, he worked at The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) for 10 years, where he served as Head of Veterinary Services, Interim Director of Living Collections and Assistant Director of Wildlife Health Services.
Nic has now arrived in Jersey and joins the existing Jersey Zoo vet team which comprises of Veterinary Surgeons Dave and Violaine, as well as Veterinary Support Manager Theresa and Veterinary Nurse Anne.
Speaking about his appointment at Durrell, Nic commented: “I am incredibly excited to be joining the team at Durrell. Gerry's prescient mission of "saving species from extinction" was trailblazing, and I was equally drawn to the Trust's "Rewild our World" strategy and long-term vision. I believe Durrell is an amazing organisation, achieving and capable of even more global impact, and I’m delighted to be part of it!”
Commenting on this appointment Director of Zoo Operations, Mark Habben said: “I am really looking forward to welcoming Nic to the team, especially after working together at ZSL. Many people do not know about the important role the vet team plays both at Jersey Zoo and in our field programmes around the world, helping to provide all of the animals we look after with the best possible care.”
Rebecca Brewer, CEO added: “We are thrilled to welcome Nic to Durrell. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a skilled team of vets on site at Jersey Zoo and Nic’s appointment strengthens this even further, enabling us to continue in leading the way in conservation science.”
As part of Durrell’s ongoing commitment to conservation science, learning and collaboration, Nic’s appointment will also help strengthen its partnerships with other zoos, as they all work collectively towards the shared mission of protecting wildlife and wild spaces globally.
Nic added: “I am looking forward to meeting the animals under our care at the zoo, the staff who look after them every day, and doing my very best to ensure their well-being through excellent zoological medicine. And I'll be exploring all the ways in which the veterinary team can extend that knowledge, skillset and experience to field programmes, to training, and to research.”