Category Archives: Wildlife Opportunities Outside CUCVM

Winter Wonders during a Seneca Park Zoo Externship!

  By Rimsha Malik • February 18, 2024 ,

Choosing Seneca Park Zoo:

Being a Rochester native, Seneca Park Zoo, home to nearly 100 different species, has always been my home zoo. A couple of years ago, Dr. Chris McKinney, who had worked at the small animal GP my family pets see, transitioned from relief veterinarian to full-time zoo veterinarian. So, as a veterinary student very much interested in a career in zoo medicine, I reached out. And for the past couple of years, as my schedule allowed, I went in for a few days here and there to shadow. This past winter, my schedule finally opened up long enough to facilitate a ~3-week externship, and I took full advantage!

Typical Day:

Canada lynx receiving anesthetized physical exam and survey radiographs.

Each day at the zoo started off similarly enough – review the previous days’ keeper reports for all of the animals housed at the zoo, check in on hospitalized animals in the clinic (if there were any), and then check on any of the animals that had a problem (big or small) flagged in their reports.

Beyond that, there was no “typical day” – which for me, makes zoo medicine so appealing and such a unique challenge. A few days were spent working through planned procedures – an anesthetized full physical/radiographs on a Canada Lynx, annual exams for the Burmese pythons, etc. Others we’d find ourselves bouncing between exhibits as various questions/concerns from the keepers would arise throughout the day. Others yet, we would have a relatively quiet afternoon – allowing me to take full advantage of the veterinary library or review literature to update protocols in advance of the zoo’s AZA accreditation renewal this spring.

And while there was no typical day, the experience as a whole was reflective of what can be expected with a career in zoo medicine – a balance of paperwork/meetings, speaking with keepers, observing the animals, and the actual hands-on clinical work with the animals.

Olive baboon receiving laser therapy treatment

Favorite Memories:

Having learned so much and worked with so many incredible people and animals, it’s impossible to pare it down to one favorite memory or experience. From laser therapy on a baboon, to blood draws on a bearded dragon, to evaluating lameness on a gray wolf, I got to do and see so much. But, some of my personal highlights included the visits to the giraffe barn, working with the sea lions, and Loki (a domestic rat).

About 2 weeks before my externship, the zoo announced the birth of a giraffe calf. And then again, just 2 days before my externship, the zoo announced the birth of a second giraffe calf. And of course, while the calves were incredibly cute and a joy to observe, following Kipenzi’s case (one of the mothers) was particularly memorable. This past summer, Kipenzi was found to have a mass on her jaw that was biopsied and confirmed to be squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Kipenzi’s care includes scheduled radiographs to assess progression and the application of an immunostimulant as a chemotherapeutic.

Working with the sea lions was another highlight for me. During my externship, there was a flare-up in corneal pathologies. With the sea lions receiving such extensive training and already being conditioned to receive eye-drops daily, I got to have a more hands-on role in this case which was very rewarding. It also led to discussions between myself and the veterinary team on corneal management for sea lions – something we are hoping to potentially explore as a research study in the future.

Feeding/training session with California Sea lions in which we are also able to examine their eyes.

 

 

 

And lastly there is Loki the domestic rat – one of the few patients who didn’t quickly scurry away upon the veterinary team’s arrival. Loki had originally presented for a small mass on his cheek which was drained and debrided. We made several follow-up visits to assess his wound as it healed, and Loki, who liked to climb up our arms and perch on our shoulders during his re-checks, quickly became a favorite patient of mine.

Recommendations:

As cliche as it may sound, my biggest piece of advice is to take advantage of any opportunity that comes your way – be it small animal, large animal, exotics, or zoo! All of the zoo/wildlife veterinarians I’ve had the privilege of working with up to this point, have all emphasized the importance of having a good foundational knowledge in the domestic species. And even in my 3 short weeks at Seneca Park Zoo, I found this to be true – I was constantly relating management of species like wolves, giraffes, elephants, etc. back to that foundation of dog, cat, cow, and horse.

Final Thoughts:

I am so incredibly grateful to the amazing team at Seneca Park Zoo – Dr. Chis McKinney, technicians Robin and Tammy, and all of the keepers and curators I met. Everyone there was not only eager to teach and share their knowledge/experiences, but also incredibly supportive and encouraging. I’ve left this experience with so much new knowledge and many incredible memories that I will take with me as I continue to navigate my journey in zoo medicine.

 

Erin Guntrum, Class of 2025, is from Rochester, NY and received her B.S. in both Animal Behavior, Ecology, & Conservation (ABEC) and Biological Science from Canisius College (now Canisius University) in 2021. While at Cornell, Erin has been a student technician at the Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital. She has also been a member of ZAWS, SAVMA, and the behavior and therio clubs. Erin hopes to pursue a career in zoological medicine and participate in research related to conservation, behavioral endocrinology, and theriogenology.

Baby Giraffes Galore! Great Adventures at Six Flags Wild Safari

  By Rimsha Malik • November 28, 2023 ,

Why did you choose to pursue this particular experience?

In the summer of 2020, I began working at Six Flags Great Adventure Wild Safari in Jackson, NJ, as a seasonal warden focusing specifically on the husbandry of various species in the safari park. The following summer, I participated in a pre-veterinary internship. Since entering vet school, I have continued to return home to the safari on holiday breaks. It felt only right that my last summer, prior to entering clinics, be spent at the place that has helped me discover my passion for zoological medicine and continues to challenge me to improve in the clinical skills, diagnostics techniques, and treatment methods involved in the field. 

What was a typical day like?

While participating in the veterinary internship, I was mainly responsible for the care of the animals that resided in the clinic and assisting the veterinary staff with procedures and treatments. A typical day began with bottle feeding and treating animals in the clinic followed by accompanying one of the vets on morning rounds of the park. After we rode through the safari, following up on patients and observing all the species within the park, each day was variable. This is the aspect of zoo medicine that has always been so appealing to me! Some days were booked with planned procedures and check-ins on species of all shapes and sizes. Others would start off calmly and the course of the day would change abruptly with reports of concerns out in the safari. Throughout the day, I would keep track of neonatal feeding schedules and monitoring critical cases that were in the clinic. I also played a role in teaching the pre-veterinary interns that were rotating through the clinic anatomic and physiologic concepts that will hopefully prepare them for their future goals of veterinary school. No matter which path the day took, each day would end with another drive through the safari and watching the elephants walk back to the barn.

What was your favorite memory from this experience? 

Each time I return to the safari, I love seeing animals that were hand-reared or patients in the clinic, doing well on exhibit. In the early winter of 2021, a young Roosevelt Elk was brought into the clinic with a severe infection in her hoof. While there for winter break, I had the opportunity to help hand-rear the elk and assist with chemical immobilizations, bandage changes, and radiographs of her distal limb. After a lengthy period of treatment, her condition began to improve. When returning this summer, I was excited to see how well she was doing as she began her reintroduction phase with other species in the American Section!

What species did you enjoy working with the most?

Nothing could top the giraffe calves born this summer! One in particular, Chich, was by far my favorite as I had the privilege of caring for the not–so-little-guy in the clinic. Being born at roughly 200lbs, Chich was having difficulty standing on his own, and needed additional care to help him get back on his feet! 

What were the outcomes of this experience?

Through interning in the safari, I have become more confident in all aspects of veterinary medicine. I developed essential clinical skills like venipuncture and injection administration, while also expanding upon skills, like darting, are more specific to zoo medicine. Improving upon evaluating diagnostics, specifically interpreting radiographs and blood work, was a goal I set for myself this summer, and through the guidance of my mentors I feel like I have made strides towards achieving that. The most valuable veterinary skill I feel I improved upon was my critical thinking, as my thoughts on every aspect of a case were always prompted before the next steps were pursued. This improved not only my thought process surrounding the pharmacology of chemical immobilization and treatment of disease immensely, but also allowed me to step back and consider factors like herd dynamics when it came to the methods that would be used for diagnostics and treatment. Overall, building the trust of my mentors to be more involved in the cases within safari, teaching the pre-veterinary interns, and beginning to write medical records, was a result of this internship that I was beyond grateful for. 

 

What are your goals in veterinary medicine? 

With ambitions to become a zoo veterinarian, this opportunity allowed me to experience what every day could look like within a zoo. After being exposed to field medicine in the safari setting, it has fine-tuned my goals to aspire to work in a safari setting. Intercommunication between a number of species over a vast landscape creates a whole different aspect of veterinary medicine that is scarcely found anywhere else. One must incorporat

e multi-herd dynamics, population medicine, and focus on the individual animal all under one umbrella, which excites me. With so many different paths open to pursue in veterinary medicine, being passionate about what you are doing and genuinely happy in a position is something that should never be compromised. After this internship, I have cemented that zoo medicine is where I am meant to be, and where I hope to find myself in the future.

What are your recommendations to students interested in the wildlife/zoo field?

I would advise those interested in the wildlife/zoo field to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way because you never know what doors that experience may open for you. Enter every new experience with an open mind and this will allow you to take away the most you can from each. Once you find what makes you happy, work hard and find a strong support system that you can rely on to help you remember why you love doing what you are doing if times get tough.

Erica Jackson, Class of 2025, is originally from Toms River, NJ and obtained her BS in Pre-Veterinary Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. While at Cornell, Erica was the President of the Zoo and Wildlife Society and a student technician in the Exotics Department of the CUHA. She also was a member of SAVMA, AABP, and enjoyed choreographing and dancing in the Dance Collective. Erica aspires to pursue zoological medicine in the future and is very appreciative of her mentors and advisor for helping her develop as a veterinary student and professional. 

Conversations with Classmates: Carolina Baquerizo’s Summer with SEZARC

  By Carolina Baquerizo • January 27, 2022

Q: Where was your internship this summer?!

A: In pursuit of a career in zoological medicine, my life has made twists and turns that I could have never imagined. As a Florida girl at heart, I knew I wanted to return to my home state for a summer internship involving wildlife medicine. With the help of my mentor, Dr. Osofsky, Director of the Cornell Wildlife Health Center, I became acquainted with a gem in Northeast Florida: the South-East Zoo Alliance for Reproduction and Conservation (SEZARC). Directed by Dr. Linda Penfold, SEZARC works on reproduction challenges in several US zoos and aquariums across the country. Some of their work involves fertility checks, assisted reproduction, and contraception in wildlife. 

Q: What work did you participate in at your internship?

A: The internship involved many hands-on opportunities. In the lab, I learned how to examine semen characteristics microscopically from stingrays, sharks, tigers, okapis, and many other species! I learned how to utilize ELISA to detect hormone concentrations in elephant stool samples. In the field, I learned how to collect and cryopreserve semen samples from tigers and cheetahs for genome banking purposes. I conducted literature searches on reproduction information for various zoo animals in the office.

In addition to interning at SEZARC, the organization’s connections with other conservation/zoological facilities in North Florida opened up some unexpected doors. I shadowed zoo veterinarians from White Oak Conservation and the Jacksonville Zoo! Under the supervision of White Oak vets, I vaccinated a rhino calf and attended an okapi echocardiogram. At the Jacksonville Zoo, I attended routine elephant health checks and shadowed roseate spoonbill pre-shipment exams. 

Q: What did you gain from this experience?

A: Before this internship, I lacked actual research experience. SEZARC allowed me to explore research with the ability to ask lots of questions! From literature searches, data collection and entry, lab work, and paper writing, I feel I left with a well-rounded understanding of the purpose of wildlife reproduction research for conservation. SEZARC combined my passions for zoological medicine and theriogenology in ways I could have never imagined. I hope to continue working in research as a veterinary student and a zoo veterinarian hopeful.

Carolina Baquerizo, Class of 2024, received her BS in Biological Science from Florida State University. She began volunteering at Zoo Miami when she was 15 and has held multiple zoological internships since then. She aspires to become a zoo veterinarian as a way to participate in ex situ conservation work.

Faculty Focus: A Conversation with Dr. Robin Radcliffe

  By Colleen Sorge • November 17, 2021 , , ,

Several weeks ago my Block III tutor group was abuzz with the news that our tutor, Dr. Robin Radcliffe, and his colleagues had been honored with the 2021 Ig Nobel Prize in recognition of their work evaluating the efficacy of transporting rhinoceroses by hanging them upside down from helicopters. The prize, awarded every year since 1991, aims to “honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think.” To those of us in the tutor group interested in conservation and wildlife medicine, it was a welcome reminder that we are surrounded by faculty at Cornell who have done what can sometimes feel like the impossible: forged a career in the world of zoo and wildlife medicine. Charged with renewed inspiration, I reached out to Dr. Radcliffe in the hopes of learning more about his career trajectory and his current work.

Dr. Radcliffe obtained his veterinary degree from the University of Minnesota alongside his twin brother & fellow Cornell faculty member, Dr. Rolfe Radcliffe. Says Dr. Radcliffe, “We went from kindergarten through vet school together.” While a vet student Dr. Radcliffe pursued wildlife-centric externships and experiences, though he is quick to note, “I was a little bit disheartened by vet school because there weren’t as many opportunities as there are now in wildlife.” After obtaining his DVM, Dr. Radcliffe worked in a mixed animal practice and then spent a year working exclusively with camelids before returning to Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, where he had been an extern, to work as an associate veterinarian. He later took over as Director of Animal Health. While at Fossil Rim, Dr. Radcliffe completed the requirements for board certification in the American College of Zoological Medicine through the experiential track. Of his somewhat unconventional route to board certification he says, “I preferred the experiential pathway because I wasn’t interested in a zoological position. I knew I wanted to work with field conservation and free-ranging wildlife populations, and even now there’s only one approved wildlife health residency. There’s probably going to be more coming, but when I went to school there were no approved wildlife residencies so it was harder then.” He spent about a decade at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center working largely with rhinoceroses before moving to the International Rhino Foundation and eventually, to Cornell. At Cornell, Dr. Radcliffe teaches, conducts ongoing research into a wide variety of endangered species, and has developed training programs, most significantly, the Engaged Cornell Program.

The diversity of his work is part of what appeals to him, according to Dr. Radcliffe, though in recent years he has been taking on more projects close to home. “I’ve spent a good part of my career traveling all over the world which was great—I loved it—but I’m also very interested in making sure that we conserve and protect the wildlife right here at home. I think that’s important. If you’re going to do international work, I think it’s essential that you address or at least have some experience with conservation in your own part of the world because so much of it is communities and people.” While he has tremendously enjoyed the opportunities that his job has afforded, he notes, “Most people think that it’s so glamorous to be a wildlife veterinarian, and it can be, but there’s so much work that goes into a successful partnership and a field project that people don’t necessarily recognize up front. I do spend a lot of time on that, on communication with partners, grant writing, and helping to sustain the projects that I am invested in.” Another fundamental part of successful projects abroad, according to Dr. Radcliffe, is a commitment to maintaining relationships with research partners. “I think for me, the most important thing is curiosity, and not just scientific curiosity, but curiosity about the place you’re going and the environment, the people, the language, the culture. You should go into a place prepared to learn the language and appreciate the culture. For me, a long term partnership is one in which I come away with it feeling like I have friendships and long term relationships there. I can communicate with my colleagues any time, day or night. They will help me in a pinch and I’ll do anything for them. It’s also little things, like when we publish anything, we always include the local authors and, more often than not, the local authors are lead authors on the publication.”

For students looking to enter the increasingly competitive field, Dr. Radcliffe’s first suggestion is to capitalize on the opportunities we have here at Cornell Vet. “I think there’s a lot of expertise here at Cornell and there’s a lot of opportunities.” These include Engaged Cornell, Expanding Horizons, and a myriad of courses aimed at students interested in pursuing careers in zoo, wildlife, and exotics medicine. Dr. Radcliffe teaches a 3-part course called Conservation with Communities for One Health, which reflects the multi-disciplinary mindset crucial to effective conservation work. Both undergraduate and veterinary students are able to take this course, and a subset of them travel in teams to field sites in the Congo, Uganda, and Indonesia to participate in projects with institutions that Dr. Radcliffe has built relationships with over the years, including the Jane Goodall Institute and WWF-Indonesia. Coursework aside, Dr. Radcliffe encourages students to take advantage of networking opportunities and to pursue externships that excite them.

Between training the next generation of wildlife veterinarians and working to save endangered species, Dr. Radcliffe has a full plate to say the least. Amid the challenges his work presents he remains optimistic, citing a recent experience in Alaska working with gyrfalcon. “Their attitude in Alaska is let’s save the gyrfalcon and the Arctic ecosystem before everything’s gone. My message for future wildlife students is this: let’s be proactive and use our resources the best we can because it’s very expensive to recover endangered species, it’s very expensive to do so in a zoo in a captive setting. The Alaskan attitude, which I love, is let’s take care of our species before they become endangered!” In the case of already endangered species like Javan and Sumatran rhinos, there are tremendous obstacles to overcome. Still, Dr. Radcliffe feels his most impactful work may be done in mentoring colleagues and training students. “That’s the kind of impact that I feel is the most important that I can make in the long term.”

Colleen Sorge, Class of 2024, is originally from Long Island, NY. She graduated with a B.S. in Animal Science and a minor in English from Cornell University. She often finds herself missing her humanities courses in vet school and is thrilled she can combine her passions for writing and for veterinary medicine as the WildLIFE Blog Editor.

Gazelles, Brain Surgery, Elephants and Kestrels: A Spontaneous, Life-Altering 4 Months in Israel

  By Jared Zion • October 24, 2021 ,

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, much like everyone else, my summer externship plans were severely impacted. However, in the middle of spring semester 2021, I sought out an opportunity over 5000 miles away that resulted in being one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. The Israeli Wildlife Hospital in Tel Aviv, Israel, which operates as a non-profit organization with shared ownership through the Ramat Gan Safari/Zoological Center and Israeli National Parks Authority, is responsible for the treatment, management and release of all wildlife brought to its doors. As the sole wildlife hospital in the country, this unique hospital manages a heavy and varied daily caseload, treating both wildlife and zoo animals. The hospital employs a multi-faceted team of veterinary professionals, supported by zookeepers, technicians, curators, ecologists, zoologists, and volunteers to work collaboratively to provide advanced animal care. It was in this setting that I was able to experience nearly all facets of wildlife/zoological animal care – my first clinical experience with such varied wildlife/zoo patients.

Sometimes triaging upwards of 20+ patients per morning, animals in need of care were brought in from park rangers and ordinary citizens. Creating a prioritized triage and assessment of the patients was paramount for the maximal survival of the patients. In addition to individual requirements, fluid therapy was a hallmark of initial care, at times requiring catheterization. As a result, I fine-tuned my clinical skills/techniques, facilitated catheters, participated in numerous surgeries and devised treatment plans and dietary/husbandry techniques with the veterinarians and keepers.  

An all-hands-on deck participation was often required for the most fragile of patients, from raptor chicks like common and lesser Kestrels and Scops Owls to non-raptor winged animals like kingfishers, swallows, bee-eaters, and occasionally bats. In terms of small mammals, Western Eurasian hedgehogs infected with Scabies were a common occurrence – sometimes with more severe crusting, and/or unrelated trauma. Further diagnostics employing imaging modalities, fluid plans, dosing/delivering medications, etc. rapidly and efficiently were often needed.Patients often needed temporary homes or to be quarantined to prevent the spread of pathogens between patients. I was impressed by the incredible knowledge of the head keepers, who were so attuned to each species’ requirements and were able to direct appropriately.

The diversity of animals I was exposed to was awesome! Highlights included treating an African elephant in the zoo with signs of colic, chameleons from the Galilee region, stone-curlews, eagle owls,  and a large male ibex with a broken femur. Throughout the three-month externship and while working in visual distance of zebras, rhinos, waterfowl, and the like, I participated in the care of many different types of animals, each of which had specific species protocols. For example, critical protocols for hooved animals like gazelles and ibexes (often brought in as a hit-by-car accidents) were in place to prevent the spread of harmful disease. Foot and Mouth disease is a highly contagious aphthovirus with varying strains throughout the Middle East. If introduced, this would be detrimental to the Safari animals. Impromptu field work required us to meet the park rangers at the gate of the safari, perform a quick and calm physical assessment, collect blood, run an ELISA and once negative, bring the patient into the grounds for a full evaluation. Additionally with these ungulates, capture myopathy was another real and serious implication, given the animal’s extensive journey to the hospital from the wild.

Israel is a small country and the team must constantly create appropriate treatment and release plans for their patients, taking into consideration neighboring countries’ cultural and animal care differences as many of the species are migratory and traverse through borders. Often, we saw raptors with lead bullets, metabolic bone disease, and clear signs of cut wings and rope strangulations. These examples highlight the cultural differences in neighboring countries in direct contrast to Israel’s strict animal care laws – preventing wild animal ownership and hunting.

One case involving the complete exam/work up, diagnosis and neurologic surgical treatment of a female ibex with Sarcocystis neurona sticks out in my memory. The young female ibex was brought to the hospital with an appreciable left-sided head tilt and ipsilateral circling. Radiographs including skull images were taken, revealing no obvious insult or head trauma. Thereafter, a conservative treatment protocol was devised. Without any resumption of clinical signs over the next days, one of the country’s top neuro-specialists from the Koret School of Veterinary Medicine came to perform a thorough neurologic exam and advise the team towards the course of action. A CT was needed in which I, along with one of the house veterinarians, transported the ibex and another neurologic in-patient (a fox) to a nearby advanced small animal practice to perform the CT. A large cyst was evident in the CT images and CSF fluid was collected and analyzed. Sarcocystis neurona was the top differential and we prepped for surgery. It was incredible to watch the surgery and experience this so early in my veterinary career. The surgery was a profound success as the gelatinous cyst (confirmed to be Sarcocystis neurona) atop the cerebellum was removed. Within days of treatment her head tilt resolved and approximately two weeks post-surgery, I participated in her release back to the wild. Driving south, to the Mitzpe Ramon Crater in the Negev desert, the beautiful scenery and landscape was only surpassed by the joy of seeing the release of the ibex to her native environment. She darted out of her carrier and seemed to appreciate the scenery as much as I did. With a parting glance, the animal successfully reintegrated back to her land. The magic of this story was so special that it was written about in the “Yediot Achranot” [one of the major newspapers in Israel] with my name written in Hebrew attached – quite the feature!

Among the usual stresses that come with the end of a semester, I would never have imagined experiencing intense rocket attacks. As sirens sounded, video from the safari displayed a peculiar behavior: adult elephants began circling the calves in a predatory-protective mode  https://www.ynetnews.com/environment/article/BkbDNgOF00. Furthermore, the safari itself was directly impacted when a missile landed adjacent to one of the monkeys exhibits, and shrapnel pierced the back of one primate and simultaneously burned the wings of a nearby bird. Safari veterinarians quickly performed lifesaving treatments on the animals and fortunately, none lost their lives. Both stories were broadcast in the Israeli media outlets and garnered an overflow of support from the Israeli population. While those 11 days were truly frightening, with sirens blaring throughout the night and day at any moment, interceptions from Israel’s Iron Dome Defense system overhead, I was grateful to have a strong support network of family, friends and Cornell faculty willing to work with me to complete the semester.

The four months I spent in Israel posed a truly unforgettable experience. I befriended people from all over the world, explored the country, improved my Hebrew knowledge and underwent substantial personal development. I learned an array of clinical skills, zoological knowledge, and management skills from experts. The high quality of medicine at the Israeli Wildlife Hospital with an incredibly knowledgeable, understanding, positive, and welcoming team made this experience unforgettable.

For students interested in externship opportunities, the team is eager to welcome veterinary students and I couldn’t recommend this experience any further. They may be reached at hospital@safari.co.il (Hebrew knowledge not required) and follow them on Instagram @Israel.wildlife.hospital and the Ramat Gan Safari: @Safari_Israel

Israeli Wildlife Hospital Homepage:

https://www.wildlife-hospital.org.il/en/%D7%93%D7%A3-%D7%94%D7%91%D7%99%D7%AA-copy/

Jared Zion, Class of 2023, hails from New York City. Since Jared’s start at Cornell, he has been in pursuit of exploring unique veterinary opportunities. His passion for non-traditional species is driven by the uniqueness, individual requirements and complexities in every patient – harnessing a huge drive through his path in veterinary medicine. Some of the most important things in Jared’s life involve creating genuine connections, travel, learning about different cultures, and creating a balanced, stress-minimal life that will enhance  his career working with such a variety of species in the future. 

Lessons from Wolf Tracking in the Pacific Northwest

  By Patrick Liu • August 26, 2020 , , ,

Wild wolf caught on trail camera.

Few species have as storied a history with humans as the wolf. From an early age, I was fascinated by their prehistoric domestication and their more recent exterminations and reintroductions. I devoured every book about wolves I could find, and learned about the 1995 reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park. I found it so fascinating that one species could have such an extensive impact on the landscape. The wolves pushed elk from their comfortable hangouts on river banks, allowing stream flora to build up, and a greater variety of birds to make their homes on the banks. Wolves’ presence went so far as to have a physical effect on the topography of the area, and even brought back the quaking aspen tree from the brink of extinction! Learning these facts made me realize how important wolves are to their ecosystems as a keystone species, and kindled my desire to go out and explore the land they were changing.  

As a high school freshman already thinking about a career working with animals, I took part in a wolf tracking summer camp for teenagers run by Wilderness Awareness School, based in Washington State (quite a distance away from my home in New Jersey). At this camp we searched for signs of wildlife during the day on field expeditions, and came back in the afternoon to hit our mobile library to research our observations. Our instructors drilled us in subjects like paw pad morphology, bird markings, and common behaviors of local wildlife. We developed our deductive reasoning skills by transforming our observations on the ground into conclusions about the ecosystem’s structure. Every time we thought we’d found a sign of the area’s resident wolf pack, we’d mark it down on our map. By the end of the camp we had a pretty good idea of its recent activities. We left a trail camera at one of their high activity sites, and captured a video of an adult wolf accompanied by that year’s new litter of pups! Not only was it rewarding to see such elusive animals on our own cameras, but also we were the first observers to confirm that the pack had whelped that year. We were able to provide that information to Washington’s state scientist.

Front and hind track from a wolf in the cascade mountains.

There I also learned about the current challenges that occur when the lives of wolves and people intersect. In Washington and Idaho where wolves travel down from Canada and up from their reintroduction point in Yellowstone, they live on the same land where cattle farmers raise free range beef. Needless to say, this creates a complex intersection of values. Cattle farmers depend on their livestock for their livelihoods. Ranchers and their communities are concerned that wolves will harm that livelihood by killing their cattle instead of elusive deer. Whether it was seeing bumper stickers that said “smoke a pack a day” next to a picture of a wolf’s head, or hearing stories about hunters shouting at the top of the lungs that all wolves need to go to hell, I learned quickly that people felt strongly about this issue. As a future veterinarian and scientist, I understand the need for veterinarians to protect and help both cattle and wolves, supporting farmers and healthy ecosystems. 

Before attending this program, I didn’t understand how reintroducing wolves could have any negative impacts. Through my experience at Wilderness Awareness School I came to appreciate the validity of the concerns for reintroduction. Even if reintroducing wolves benefits the overall ecosystem, we cannot ignore the effects they have on ranchers’ livelihoods. Whether it’s protecting a herd of cattle, or treating an injured wolf, veterinarians can help innovate solutions to benefit all animals, wild and domestic. 

Patrick Liu, class of 2024, is a Cornell DVM student. He graduated with a degree in chemistry from Rutgers University in 2020, and plans to pursue internships and residencies after veterinary school. Apart from his love for horses, he has a strong interest in ecological research and wildlife and conservation medicine. 

 

 

My Introduction to Marine Mammal Medicine

  By Daniel Ruvolo • May 8, 2019

Four dolphins jump gracefully out of the water at Island Dolphin Care in Key Largo, Florida

Island Dolphin Care in Key Largo, Florida is a not-for-profit organization that offers dolphin-assisted therapy programs to children, adults with special needs, and their families and caregivers. The founders, Deena and Peter Hoagland, created the organization back in 1997 after their son personally experienced the healing powers that dolphin-assisted therapy can offer. At the age of 3, the Hoagland’s son, Joe, suffered a stroke while undergoing his third open-heart surgery resulting in severe weakness on the left side of his body. The Hoagland’s eventually brought Joe to a local dolphin swim facility where he interacted with dolphins as a form of physical therapy. Over time, Joe was able to make a full recovery because of a special bond with a dolphin named Fonzie, which inspired Deena and Peter to provide the same opportunity for others.

Performing a routine physical exam on one of the dolphins

In addition to providing therapy swims, Island Dolphin Care hosts approximately 80 students throughout the year from various fields to participate in an introduction to marine mammal medicine course. Students enrolled gain hands-on experience in the veterinary care of Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins while learning about their anatomy and behavior. Veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and trainers work directly with the students in small groups to educate the next generation of marine mammal enthusiasts. As an aspiring marine mammal and aquatic-focused veterinarian, this introductory experience proved to be truly invaluable and served as an excellent introduction to marine mammal medicine in a real-life clinical setting.

As a first-year veterinary student, I was very nervous and unsure of my potential for success in this program. I hadn’t completed any advanced clinical or diagnostic courses yet and my hands-on veterinary experience up to that point was limited to domestic terrestrial species. However, I felt reassured upon arriving when I discovered that my classmates, all with different backgrounds and experiences, had never worked with dolphins in a clinical setting either.

Danny entices a dolphin to demonstrate one of its learned behaviors

Every morning, students started their day in the commissary to learn about the feeding protocols. Different fish species were fed in different ratios for nutritional and enrichment purposes and to promote learned behaviors. For example, fatty herring was a large component of most diets because of the high omega-3 fatty acid content. Following this, we would normally make our way to the pool to begin our physical exams. Every day, each student was assigned a different dolphin to conduct a physical exam on. My two favorite dolphins to work with were Sarah and Squirt, the two matriarchs of the pod, because they consistently reminded the trainers that the dolphins were in charge of the relationship. Students were tasked with obtaining relevant history and information from the different trainers prior to their exam and were expected to write full reports with recommended treatments following the exams. We were also charged with evaluating current medications, the purpose for treatment, and recommending changes should any be necessary. I remember my surprise in finding out that female dolphin reproductive physiology is so similar to that of horses, that female dolphins can also take Regumate as a form of birth control while in captivity.

Danny performs an abdominal ultrasound

Throughout the week, we also attended lectures focusing on dolphin digestive and reproductive anatomy, how to perform diagnostic testing procedures, and on the learned behaviors that are critical for both medical procedures and enrichment. This information was then used to perform daily ultrasounds on the dolphins. Outside of a basic introduction as a technician before school and then briefly again in school, I barely had any experience with ultrasonography. Despite my lack of prior training, before my week at Island Dolphin Care was over, I was able to conduct a complete digestive and reproductive ultrasound on a dolphin and write a report on my findings.

Later in the week, we were taught how to draw blood from a dolphin’s ventral superficial fluke vein, make a blood smear, and perform cell counts. We also learned how to evaluate erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test results. This test, which isn’t commonly used in terrestrial veterinary medicine, is a crucial marine mammal diagnostic tool used to detect an inflammatory response by measuring how quickly erythrocytes can settle in a tube overtime.

I’ll never forget the time I spent at Island Dolphin Care because I was able to learn crucial hands-on techniques early in my veterinary education that will help make me a better and more prepared veterinarian. Having learned these skills at a facility like Island Dolphin Care only made the experience more unique and meaningful.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Danny Ruvolo, class of 2022, is a veterinary student originally from Staten Island, New York. Danny received his B.S. in Biology with minors in chemistry and psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University and his M.B.S. from Rutgers University School of Graduate Studies. He is interested in exotic, zoo, and aquarium medicine and aspires to one day treat as many species as he can.