Tag Archives: conservation

Conserving Imperiled Wild Cats through Reproductive Research

  By Rimsha Malik • June 14, 2024 , ,

Last year at the special species symposium, I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Bill Swanson speak about his work at CREW, the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden’s Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife. CREW applies assisted reproductive technologies for the conservation and propagation of wild animals, especially rhinos, bears and felids. One of their major priorities is to collect and cryopreserve sperm from all the males within zoo-housed populations. The frozen sperm is stored in CREW’s CryoBioBank, which can provide samples for future artificial insemination procedures and serve as a safeguard against the loss of genetic diversity.

At the symposium, Dr. Swanson discussed the artificial insemination surgeries and new technologies that were being used in the veterinary field for conservation and research purposes, and I truly fell in love with the idea of wildlife theriogenology. Upon completion of the symposium, I reached out to Dr. Swanson, who then put me in contact with Dr. Lindsey Vasandt, the Director of the Imperiled Cat Signature Program. She was quick to respond, and suggested a zoom meeting, one in which we ended up discussing my career interests, plans for the future, etc. Not only was she very reassuring when it came to my newer interest in reproduction, but also gave quite a bit of advice and ideas for my future career path. During our talk, she mentioned that CREW frequently hosts student externs that are interested in wildlife theriogenology, and I expressed my interest in doing such during a break in vet school. Once we lined up our schedules, we decided on a two-week externship during winter break.

While externing at CREW, I had the opportunity to travel to the Chattanooga Zoo, TN and Toledo Zoo, OH, where three snow leopards and one jaguar were scheduled to be anesthetized for their annual physical examinations and we opportunistically decided to perform reproductive exams (and semen collection in the males). In the female snow leopard, we performed a reproductive exam along with an endoscopy to investigate a potential muco/hydrometra that had previously been found on diagnostic imaging. In the two male snow leopards and one male jaguar, we performed reproductive examinations as well as semen collection via electroejaculation. I had the amazing opportunity to take an active part in the process by helping with the examinations as well as running the machine for the electroejaculations. I then aided in the process of semen freezing via cryopreservation for storage in the “frozen zoo” held at the CREW facility, working on a step-by-step basis set by protocols for ensuring proper additive amounts and hopefully, freezing success. Once we returned to the CREW facility, I helped in the preparation of a genetic study in their domestic cat population by performing castrations, assisting with semen collections via electroejaculation and urinary catheter placement, and blood work on four males. My first ever neuters!

 

My favorite memory would have to be my first semen collection. Not only was it on a jaguar, which is a truly remarkable species, but we collected over a billion sperm total from him (that is quite a lot, especially for a feline). This is something I will never forget, no matter how silly it might sound. Knowing how important it is for preserving genetics for generations to come, it felt so good to know that we collected and stored so many chances for future jaguar conceptions. This is huge in the field of conservation, and who doesn’t love the idea of baby jaguars!

I went into the externship most excited to work with snow leopards, a species that I have always idolized and dreamed of working with. It was so rewarding to not only see these animals up close and personal, but contributing to their future successes in reproduction made me feel like I was truly making a difference. I have to say they were a lot fluffier then they even look, and I was in complete awe of their huge tail, which was both long and thick with fur. This experience truly made me fall in love snow leopards, making their way towards the top of my list when it comes to favorite animals. I was so lucky to get the chance to work with them, and have since heard and seen so many success stories in snow leopard breeding across the country, making my time with them just that much more memorable.

During this experience, I truly found a path in veterinary medicine that I am confident in and proud of pursuing. I learned so much about myself, my aspirations, and the veterinary community, and I feel like I gained such a higher appreciation for conservation medicine and all of the factors that go into to ensuring the safety of animals for generations to come. I also found such a great mentor in Dr. Vansandt, and she is someone I feel as though I can always turn to for career and professional advice, questions, and concerns. I look forward to staying in contact with her for the rest of my veterinary school experience and beyond.

I have always been interested in pursuing a career in zoological medicine, a field that I find intriguing and necessary for ensuring the protection of wildlife and educating people around the world. However, my interest in reproductive medicine/theriogenology has grown over the years, especially considering its impact on conservation. Growing up, conservation was always the number one factor I had on my mind when it came to my career, and knowing that I can tie my passion for both zoological medicine and reproduction brings me nothing but excitement. This externship allowed me to explore what a career in this field can look like, and how I can tie these two loves together in a practical and achievable way. My time at CREW also allowed me to grow my understanding of the impact and importance of research on conservation, highlighting how much I would like to incorporate it into my future career.

My best recommendations to students interested in pursuing a career in the wildlife/zoo field would be to take every opportunity you get and run with it. Whether it aligns with your career path or not, you never know how much an experience can influence your clinical skills, professionalism, or even your growth as an individual. I have experience in lab animal medicine, wildlife rehabilitation, and production animal medicine to name a few, all of which have shaped me into the person I am today. As a future vet, it is so important to value every animal, no matter how big or small, scaly or furry. Every animal, every experience and every moment matters when it comes to becoming your best self as a professional and individual, so that one day you can make valuable contributions to the field of veterinary medicine.

 

 

My name is Natalie Smith and I am in the class of 2027. I am originally from Youngstown, NY and I obtained my BS in Biomedical Science: Medical and Veterinary Sciences from the University of New Hampshire in May 2022. I am interested in pursuing a career in zoological/wildlife conservation medicine with a focus in theriogenology for conservation purposes. I also am very passionate about travel, so I would love to incorporate it in my future career. I am a huge proponent of mental health and love to share my experiences and advice for vet school via social media @natalie.vet !!

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. 

Meet Dr. Matt Marinkovich – Our 17th Biannual Special Species Symposium Keynote Speaker!

  By Maison Scheuer • March 14, 2023

The Zoo and Wildlife Society (ZAWS) at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine is so excited to welcome Dr. Matt Marinkovich as the keynote speaker for the 17th biannual Special Species Symposium, the purpose for which is to foster students’ educational experience related to non-traditional species through a series of lectures and hands-on labs led by experts in the fields of wildlife, exotics, zoo, and conservation medicine. Dr. Marinkovich obtained his veterinary degree from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2014, and once held a position on the ZAWS E-board planning the exact same symposium where he will now give his keynote address, “From LH2 to the San Diego Zoo: Lessons from a Journey into Zoo Medicine.”

One of the many aspects Dr. Marinkovich valued about his education at Cornell University was the depth and breadth. He acknowledged some students’ desire to specialize and narrow their education to non-traditional species but confirmed that so much more can come from a diverse education. In fact, Dr. Marinkovich confessed that he still frequently integrates knowledge that he gained during his fourth-year large animal internal medicine rotation into his treatment plans at the San Diego Zoo. “A diverse education not only offers ample opportunities to gain good doctoring skills, but it allows one the opportunity to fall in love with a field of study that perhaps was never considered prior to vet school.” Afterall, in zoological medicine, he states, “everything is applicable.”

Keeping an open mind has always been important to Dr. Marinkovich because, “you may become enamored by something you never knew you would.” In fact, Dr. Marinkovich was a natural history major in undergrad, and it was not until he obtained a job as a veterinary assistant that he fell in love with medicine. When asked about what motivated him to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, Dr. Marinkovich remembered being blown away by all the problem-solving veterinarians get to do on a daily basis. He also latched onto the idea that veterinary medicine would not only enable him to help animals, but the people who interact with them as well. From studying zoonotic disease, to counseling owners through a clinical case, Dr. Marinkovich enjoyed how much veterinary medicine would allow him to support human and animal welfare.

Although Dr. Marinkovich kept his options open throughout vet school, he always had a special interest for non-domestic species. He specifically had a passion for wildlife and conservation and following an opportunity to spend a summer with a pathologist at SeaWorld, he knew that zoological medicine was the career for him. The more exposure to exotic species that Dr. Marinkovich got, the more he realized he enjoyed the challenge of coming up with creative solutions to manage their health. Dr. Marinkovich also admired zoological medicine as a student because he recognized that it would provide a chance to stimulate a passion for conservation among his community while still managing chronic disease, as well as high-pace, high-intensity clinical cases.

While Dr. Marinkovich eventually obtained his dream job working as a Clinical Veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo, a place where his grandparents took him since he could walk, he wants to be transparent that his road to success was not a straight shot. He did not match with a zoo residency the first time he applied, which he acknowledged as part of his triumph. Instead of becoming discouraged, Dr. Marinkovich viewed this as an opportunity, one that he took to complete two internships at the Animal Medical Center, the world’s largest non-profit animal hospital. Through his rotating small animal internship, Dr. Marinkovich gained clinical experience and client communication skills that he still uses today. However, it was not until his second internship in emergency and critical care medicine that Dr. Marinkovich was pushed out of his comfort zone, where he admittedly learned and grew the most, and gained confidence in himself as a veterinarian. Through this high-pressure experience, with his feet to the fire, Dr. Marinkovich realized that he had what it would take to be a zoological veterinarian.

Excitingly, and with persistence, Dr. Marinkovich matched with the UC Davis San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Sea World Zoo Residency, an intense 3-year program offering clinical competency in exotic, zoo, aquatic, and wildlife medicine. During his first year, he spent a lot of time at the Sacramento Zoo and the Marine Mammal Center where he got to study lactate clearance in stranded pinnipeds. His second year was spent with some of the 12,000 rare and endangered species living within the 100-acre wildlife park at the San Diego Zoo, as well as the wide array of aquatic animals cared for by SeaWorld. During his third and final year, he used his cultivated knowledge to provide innovative, state of the art care for the magnificent animals at the San Diego Safari Park, including elephants, rhinos, and cheetahs.

After completing his residency, Dr. Marinkovich was pleased to stay at the San Diego Zoo working as a relief veterinarian. Then, much to his delight, he was offered a full-time position at the San Diego Zoo, where he expects to stay for life. Some may wonder how someone could be so willing to stay in the same work environment for so long, but no day is ever the same for Dr. Marinkovich at the San Diego Zoo. There are still times when he is presented with a new problem or a new species, offering an opportunity to learn something new every day. The constant intellectual stimulation offered by the San Diego Zoo is complemented by the excellent team of veterinarians who work there. When asked what he most enjoys about his job, Dr. Marinkovich mentioned the inspiring group of veterinary professionals that he gets to work with every day who support one another’s growth and wellbeing. Furthermore, he appreciates how interdisciplinary and collaborative the efforts of the San Diego Zoo are, recalling a time when the veterinary team worked closely with human doctors to resolve a complicated renal abscess on an older beloved orangutan.

 

Another aspect of the San Diego Zoo that Dr. Marinkovich greatly appreciates is the myriad opportunities to get involved with conservation initiatives. He has been all over the world, investing time and energy towards making it a more sustainable place to live, for both humans and animals. The San Diego Zoo has 8 different conservation hubs located throughout the world that share responsibilities such as disease investigation, biodiversity banking, and recovery ecology. In an uplifting effort through a captive breeding and release program designed by the San Diego Zoo, Dr. Marinkovich and his team are helping save the San Clemente loggerhead shrike, an endangered passerine bird. Dr. Marinkovich tells readers to stay tuned for more exciting conservation stories offered during his keynote address at the Special Species Symposium!

Dr. Marinkovich is thrilled to come back to Cornell University and looks forward to seeing how it has changed since graduating in 2014. He is really looking forward to reconnecting with his vet school mentors, namely Dr. Noha Abou-Madi and Dr. Karen Kerns, who both play such an important role in the lives of students interested in pursuing zoological medicine. But, perhaps most notably, Dr. Marinkovich is eager to interact with vet students who share his drive to make a difference in the world through the lens of veterinary medicine. It was not that long ago that Dr. Marinkovich was an aspiring zoo vet like many of us, so he recognizes the stress and hard work that goes into actualizing that dream. Through his lecture, he hopes to convey excitement, ambition, and peace of mind, being a huge proponent for mental health in veterinary medicine. I felt so inspired by Dr. Marinkovich in just the short while I got to spend interviewing him for the WildLIFE Blog, an interaction I consider myself lucky to have had. Be sure to register for the 17th biannual Special Species Symposium so that you can relish in his journey towards becoming a Clinical Veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo, a story that will fill you with admiration, motivation, and awe.

 

 

Maison Scheuer is the 2022-2023 WildLIFE Blog Editor and a proud member of Cornell ZAWS. Her passions lie at the intersection of veterinary medicine and wildlife conservation. She loves to travel and has spent time in Canada, Thailand, Alabama, Belize, and Honduras where she studied Columbian ground squirrels, elephant conservation, wildlife rehabilitation, and veterinary medicine. Though particularly interested in One Health and international medicine, she has also discovered a love for small animal medicine through her experience working as a veterinary technician at a full-service exotics and small animal private practice.

The Daphne Diaries: Reflecting on my Externship at the Abilene Zoo

  By Colleen Sorge • February 13, 2023

 

 Macho the black rhino greets his adoring fans before undergoing routine venipuncture.

My experience as a first-year vet student in 2020 was largely shaped by the pandemic and the many limitations it imposed. When I first learned about the Abilene Zoo in April 2021, it was through a Cornell Zoo and Wildlife Society (ZAWS) lecture given by Dr. Stephanie Carle, the Abilene Zoo’s senior veterinarian, over Zoom. Spending my lunch hour puzzling through case-based questions with my classmates (albeit virtually) offered a glimpse into the many opportunities available to us as veterinary students—something I had lost sight of somewhat amid the organized chaos of first year. Dr. Carle concluded her talk by discussing the Abilene Zoo’s veterinary externship program. Immediately, I had my sights set on participating in the program.

 

I had my chance in June 2022 when, funded by a Student American Veterinary Medical Association (SAVMA) Veterinary Experience Grant, I traveled to Abilene, Texas for a three-week externship. It was an adventure over a year in the making, and despite how high I had allowed my expectations to climb in that time, the experience managed to exceed them.

 Daphne enjoys her morning feeding!

The Abilene Zoo is home to over 280 species. The first resident I met upon my arrival was also one of the zoo’s newer residents. Daphne is a giant anteater who was born at the zoo in March of 2022 and, upon my arrival, was living in the clinic to receive round the clock care from the zoo’s veterinary and animal care staff. Daphne is a twin, and her mother was unable to care for both Daphne and her twin brother Arnaud. With input from zoos across the country, the Abilene Zoo was able to craft a customized care plan for Daphne that allowed her to gain weight and overcome a myriad of complications so that by the time I met her, she was thriving.

During my time at the zoo, I had the opportunity to bottle feed Daphne and to accompany her on her excursions to see the zoo and interact with her anteater family members. As I told Daphne during one of her late-night bottle feedings, I am also a twin and, unlike my sister, I spent an extended period in the hospital as a baby. I thought Daphne might appreciate that we were kindred spirits. (Her expression remained pretty neutral, so it’s hard to say if the point hit home. Perhaps I saw the corner of her long snout pull up in a smile.)

 One of the zoo’s resident roadrunners undergoes a pre-shipment exam.

While I spent lots of time with Daphne, I also had opportunities to interact with many of the zoo’s species. Highlights of my experience included assisting with a pre-shipment exam for a roadrunner, helping to treat pododermatitis in one of the zoo’s resident flamingoes, participating in a neonatal exam of a steenbok, and medicating a capybara with conjunctivitis.

Other favorite opportunities included monitoring Jamie, a heavily pregnant giraffe in the zoo’s herd, and examining Rico, a fossa hospitalized after fracturing his humeral condyle. I was ultimately able to travel with a team from the zoo to Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center to observe Rico’s orthopedic surgery.

When I wasn’t seeing cases in the hospital with Dr. Carle and Dr. Mike Nance, the zoo’s second veterinarian, I was able to explore the zoo and gained a better understanding of the husbandry practices used by zoo staff to keep the collection animals healthy and happy. I was also able to participate in events hosted by the zoo, including Dreamnight, a cost-free event allowing children with special medical needs to enjoy the zoo with their families. This allowed me to feel at home in Abilene.

 Rico the fossa receives a physical exam after sustaining an orthopedic injury.

The Abilene Zoo is also home to a clinic exclusively for injured and orphaned native birds. While I worried that my bird experience was somewhat deficient when I arrived in Abilene, during my externship I was able to practice my diagnostic and clinical skills while also improving my native bird identification skills. I didn’t expect to enjoy my work in the rehabilitation center as much as I did. However, working towards returning wild birds to their habitats, thereby giving them a second chance and helping to support their ecosystems, was incredibly rewarding.

When I wasn’t at the zoo, I was grateful to be able to accompany Dr. Carle and Dr. Nance as they fulfilled their other professional obligations. During my three weeks, their enthusiasm for teaching and fielding questions never waned. I visited the Abilene Animal Services Adoption Center to complete evaluations of new small animal residents, and also joined Dr. Carle during her shifts at the local emergency clinic. There, I saw cases I likely wouldn’t have encountered in the northeast, including advanced heartworm disease and rattlesnake envenomation.

 A neonatal steenbok undergoes her first exam.

I gained a great deal of knowledge from participating in the journal group at the zoo and working through sample cases with the veterinary team. I was able to live at the zoo throughout my externship, so my down time was spent conducting research and preparing a presentation I gave at the close of the externship on nutritional care for zoo animals.

 

I am tremendously thankful for all of the people and animals I met and learned from while in Abilene. I left this externship armed with new knowledge and skills, photos to cherish, mentors to look up to, and a newfound appreciation for Texas cuisine.

 More bonding time with Daphne!

Colleen Sorge, Class of 2024, is a Cornell DVM student from Long Island, NY. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Animal Science from Cornell University in 2020. She has a wide range of interests within the veterinary field, including both small animal and wildlife medicine.

You Better Belize It

  By Maison Scheuer • November 9, 2022

There was once a time in my life when I could only dream about performing a physical exam on a sedated jaguar in the Belizean jungle, but that dream, along with many others, became a reality as a student enrolled in Dr. Noha Abou-Madi’s International Experience in Wildlife Health and Conservation course. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (CUCVM) has been partnered with the Belize Zoo since 2011 to provide state-of-the-art veterinary care while simultaneously fulfilling the dreams of adventurous veterinary students looking to hone their clinical skills. After having to cancel this trip multiple times throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Noha Abou-Madi could not be more excited to offer this course once again to those with career goals involving wildlife and zoological medicine. In this course, students travel to the Belize Zoo where they stay for a week to gain hands-on experience with various mammals, birds, and reptiles native to Belize.

International Experience in Wildlife Health and Conservation provides students with opportunities that go beyond the core curriculum, offering depth and breadth of knowledge in zoological and conservation medicine. Previous student Sophie Yasuda ‘25 stated, “one of my favorite parts of the trip was being able to participate in every aspect of the animals’ veterinary care and learn about each component from knowledgeable veterinarians. Being able to conduct physical exams, monitor anesthesia, observe dental procedures, collect samples, and run lab work on species as majestic and diverse as jaguars and harpy eagles was an incredible experience. In addition, it was a valuable learning experience to work in an unfamiliar hospital and extremely rewarding to feel our group turn into a cohesive and close-knit team.”

After working with an otter, kinkajou, and fer-de-lance, Erin Guntrum ‘25 recalls that her most memorable experience of the trip was auscultating the heart of one of the jaguars. She thought that the heart sounds were abnormal, but she was unable to figure out exactly what was abnormal about them – a murmur, an extra heart sound, an abnormal rhythm, etc. She worked closely with Veterinary Resident of Zoological Medicine Dr. Melissa Hanson to discover a split S2 sound – something that Dr. Hanson explained can be a normal finding in a larger animal where the aortic and pulmonic valves do not always close with perfect synchronicity. This was a memorable experience for Erin because despite not being able to identify the exact heart sound, she was able to recognize a difference between the heart sounds she heard in the jaguar and the ones she has been taught in CUCVM’s core curriculum. As a student developing her clinical skills, this felt like a win to Erin, and I agree!

The relationship between the Belize Zoo and CUCVM is one that not only fosters students’ education and clinical skills as they pertain to zoological medicine, but also as they pertain to conservation. The Belize Zoo is highly committed to the animals within their direct care, but they also care for those that live beyond their gates. Erin Guntrum ‘25 recalls a lecture that we received highlighting the integral role that zoos play in the realm of conservation in which we learned that the Belize zoo has been purchasing land to be utilized as wildlife corridors to once again connect wild populations that have been separated by human establishments. Members of the Belize zoo are very aware that the human population is expanding and so too is development, nonetheless they are trying their best to ensure that land exists for wildlife in the future.

The Belize Zoo’s conservation efforts were very motivating for some, including Sophie Yasuda ‘25 who stated, “my decision to apply to the course stemmed from my desire to contribute to the preservation of wild populations through a career as a wildlife veterinarian. During my time at the Belize Zoo, I was inspired not only by the quality of veterinary care provided by Cornell’s doctors, but also by the amazing care provided by the keepers at the zoo and the impact the zoo has on improving public perception of native wildlife. Overall, the experience strengthened my desire to use my veterinary degree to contribute to wildlife conservation.” Emma Fralin ‘25 was also very encouraged by the zoo’s conservation efforts and is certain that visitors receive the same inspiration. She states, “the care that the animal keeper’s exemplified for their animals was practically palpable. I am confident that this care and respect translates to every visitor of the Belize Zoo.”

International Experience in Wildlife Health and Conservation is a course unlike any other, offering an experience of a lifetime. From monitoring the anesthesia of a spider monkey to drawing blood from a white-tailed deer in the field, you really get to do it all. This trip is a must for those seeking a well-rounded veterinary education in zoological, wildlife, or conservation medicine. I think Erin Guntrum ‘25 truly encapsulates how we all felt after our experience at the Belize Zoo when she said, “I’ve always dreamed of being a zoo or wildlife veterinarian. And this trip was so special because it was really the first time that I got to live out that dream – and it really affirmed that this is what I want to do, and that this is something I can do.”

Maison Scheuer is the 2022-2023 WildLIFE Blog Editor and a proud member of Cornell ZAWS. Her passions lie at the intersection of veterinary medicine and wildlife conservation. She loves to travel and has spent time in Canada, Thailand, Alabama, Belize, and Honduras where she studied Columbian ground squirrels, elephant conservation, wildlife rehabilitation, and veterinary medicine. Though particularly interested in One Health and international medicine, she has also discovered a love for small animal medicine through her experience working as a veterinary technician at a full-service exotics and small animal private practice.

Guidance from Graduates: Dr. Ben Jakobek (DVM ‘20)

  By Colleen Sorge • September 26, 2022 Uncategorized

If Dr. Benjamin Jakobek decides to write a book, I will be first in line to buy it. As he tells me about some of the projects he’s been a part of, including capturing and collaring muskox in Nunavik and working to transport caribou to a protected environment, he is a reminder to all of us aspiring veterinarians that we will one day have the capability and arguably, the responsibility, to help protect wild animals and places around the world. After obtaining his DVM from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2020,  Dr. Jakobek completed a one-year small animal rotating internship at the University of Prince Edward Island. Now, he is a zoological medicine resident and a master’s student at the University of Montréal focusing on free-ranging wildlife health management. Though each day’s work is different, Dr. Jakobek divides the bulk of his time between the Granby Zoo, the Aquarium of Québec, the University of Montréal’s wildlife pathology service and raptor clinic, as well as federal and provincial wildlife agencies. His current program gives him the opportunity to hone his research and his clinical skills into something he calls “the opportunity of a lifetime.” This program has allowed him to work on research projects ranging from studying toxoplasmosis in endangered beluga whales to environmental interventions against Lyme disease, among many others.

Though Dr. Jakobek knew throughout his vet school years that he hoped to work in conservation medicine, his experiences during his time as a student were varied. “One of the things I love about veterinary medicine is there’s so much to learn. I took on everything that I could that interested me. I got involved in projects where I felt like I could bring something useful to the table, even if it was just my time and my passion.” Thankfully, opportunities abound. “As a vet student it’s not hard to find really cool projects. In fact, I think at Cornell specifically there’s truly an abundance of unique opportunities.” His summer in Indonesia with Dr. Robin Radcliffe’s rhino conservation program was an impactful experience. “That reaffirmed for me the fact that I wanted to do wildlife conservation work and also be working internationally as much as possible.” From there, Dr. Jakobek continued to chase down experiences that excited him, including externships with the provincial and state wildlife departments of British Columbia and Alaska and with White Oak Conservation Center in Florida. Dr. Jakobek emphasizes pursuing a path that interests you rather than taking steps only because they feel like what you’re supposed to do. “I think that it comes down to what you make out of whichever experience you end up having.” This attitude also extended to the rotations he completed at Cornell during his clinical year. To work with exotic and wildlife species, he says, it helps to have as strong of a background you can have in “just about everything.”

According to Dr. Jakobek, his time at Cornell influenced more than just his clinical skills. “Cornell inspired me to see the incredible things that can be achieved through thoughtful research. At Cornell, I gained a lot from just talking to people. I had the opportunity to have conversations with professors there, who are people that have had an immense positive impact on our world. My connections with people at Cornell didn’t necessarily stop after I finished my studies, and my experiences there have served as a foundation for my learning and development. I strive to continue to adhere to the professional and academic excellence that I think Cornell encourages.”

Looking towards his future, Dr. Jakobek remains interested in both clinical medicine and research. He is particularly drawn to work in more remote areas of the world. “I think this appeals to me because it’s in those remote places that you find rich biodiversity and natural habitats often needing research and support for their protection.” Another highlight of his residency has been working alongside different community stakeholders to conserve habitats and safeguard wild species. He describes a particularly impactful experience transporting caribou alongside wildlife biologists, indigenous peoples, wildlife technicians, and veterinarians, all of whom wanted to ensure the survival of this particular caribou population, of which there were only seventeen individuals remaining. Of course, while his experiences during his residency have been rewarding, he is also frequently reminded of the progress still to be made. “This work [with caribou] shows how important it is to protect wildlife habitats while we still have them and value wildlife, while we have the great fortune to be able to share the planet with them.”

When asked to share some advice with current students, Dr. Jakobek was quick to emphasize our value as individuals even as we may feel compelled to devote all of our time and energy to our veterinary studies. “I would tell students not to undervalue the other things that make you who you are outside of being a vet student. Of course academic success and veterinary knowledge are crucial components of your career as a veterinarian, but I’ve found that people’s interest in me often is in some of the things that I thought were a very small part of me.” In Dr. Jakobek’s case, this includes interests in aviation, film, media, and a knack for languages. Another inestimable component of success is the ability to work well with others. “If you’re somebody that people enjoy being around, that’s not something you should take for granted. Being an honest, sociable, likable person goes a very long way, especially since wildlife medicine and conservation is often just as much about people as it is about animals.” Naturally, the field being so small means that it is also quite competitive, something Dr. Jakobek is well aware of. “You probably won’t get every opportunity that you try for. When you don’t get those opportunities it’s less likely that it was because of you, and not just a result of this field’s competitive nature. But, at the end of the day, if you know that you want to work in wildlife conservation, you know what tools you’re going to need to be effective, and you’re ready to learn and you’re ready to put yourself out there, then you finally will get the opportunity of a lifetime. And it’s hard to believe but those opportunities will then just keep coming.” Asked for some parting advice, Dr. Jakobek’s words are motivational: “I’ll tell you that when you finally get the opportunities you’ve been waiting for, make the absolute most of them and remember how important your work is for our beautiful planet.”

Colleen Sorge, Class of 2024, is a Cornell DVM student from Long Island, NY. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Animal Science from Cornell University in 2020. She has a wide range of interests within the veterinary field, including both small animal and wildlife medicine.

Guidance from Graduates: Dr. Zachary Dvornicky-Raymond (BS ’15, DVM ’19)

  By Colleen Sorge • April 12, 2022 Uncategorized

For Dr. Zachary Dvornicky-Raymond, a career in conservation may have been an inevitability. An animal lover for as long as he can remember, Dr. Dvornicky-Raymond recalls watching the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet as a child and idolizing Steve Irwin. “As I grew up and was attending zoos and learning more about the world, I came to realize that all of the animals that I loved and was so interested in were disappearing. So I always knew I wanted to figure out a way to help them.” While he was certain he wanted to work in wildlife conservation as a child, he wasn’t sure how. Dr. Dvornicky-Raymond notes that he always loved the sciences, especially biology, growing up. He then decided to go to college to pursue a major in biology, knowing that he would someday apply it to conservation. Through some formative experiences in undergrad, including a heartfelt discussion with our own Dr. Abou-Madi when he was a zookeeper intern, he learned that he could merge two major interests: medicine and conservation. His hard work paid off when he got a phone call one wintry morning from Dr. Beth Bunting — he had been offered a spot in Cornell Vet’s Class of 2019. To him, this was a dream come true; he accepted. 

Dr. Dvornicky-Raymond is particularly grateful for the opportunity he had to develop his interests during his eight years at Cornell. In vet school, some of his favorite courses included Conservation Medicine, Captive Wildlife Management, and a wide range of large animal and production courses. He calls these domestic animal courses “just as important for your development as a zoological veterinarian” as more overtly zoo-related courses. Dr. Dvornicky-Raymond served as Vice President of the Zoo and Wildlife Society, during which time he co-developed the WildLIFE Blog. He was also Vice President of the Theriogenology Club during his time as a student and took on opportunities to continue developing his research skills, including an Expanding Horizons project in Namibia working with the Cheetah Conservation Fund. “We’re sitting on a gold mine at Cornell,” he says of the Expanding Horizons Program. “The opportunity to go abroad as a vet student and have agency in a project and work on something completely novel to you is an experience that is completely worth it, whether or not you want to work abroad.”

Zoo/wildlife-related experiences aside, Dr. Dvornicky-Raymond also emphasizes “leaning into things that aren’t necessarily just of professional interest, but that also speak to the heart.” This spirit of exploration should also, in his opinion, inform externship decisions. “Do something that you definitely want to do and do something somewhat related to it that you’re not sure about.” For Dr. Dvornicky-Raymond, this included an externship at a traditional zoological institution, the Brookfield Zoo, and a preceptorship at White Oak Conservation Center. Through these experiences, Dr. Dvornicky-Raymond came to love population medicine and the semi-free ranging wildlife model. Faculty also play an integral role in the self-discovery process. “Ultimately people are faculty at Cornell for a reason. They want to be there and they deserve to be there. You know they worked hard to get there and they want to help. They want to nurture.” Faculty at Cornell played an integral role in helping him choose his next steps after receiving his DVM. 

 After graduation, Dr. Dvornicky-Raymond completed a small animal rotating internship at VCA West Los Angeles to “gain confidence and competence in my clinical skills.” He is quick to emphasize the many potential pathways to a career in conservation medicine, including internships in large animal and equine medicine. After completing his first internship, Dr. Dvornicky-Raymond went on to Colorado State University to complete a zoological medicine and surgery specialty internship, all while the pandemic was turning the veterinary community and the world at large upside down. “Learning how to extrapolate information and learning how to work in completely novel scenarios were the biggest things that I took away from that.” From there, Dr. Dvornicky-Raymond felt called to return to his love for population-based medicine, and found Fossil Rim Wildlife Center to be the ideal next destination. His current role as the David E. Wildlt Fellow in Zoological Medicine there gives him an abundance of opportunities. “This place is amazing, and being able to take all of that medicine that I learned in the past two years and now apply it in a different setting with new challenges is really personally fulfilling. And I’m starting to get a better appreciation for what it means to be a veterinarian as it relates to conservation, which is really cool.”

Dr. Dvornicky-Raymond is still charting the course he wants to follow when his time at Fossil Rim ends, but for him the uncertain, ever-evolving nature of conservation is part of what makes the work so special. While he is partial to umbrella and keystone species and is particularly drawn to his favorite animal, the tiger, he is thrilled by the countless ways to help save wild places and species. “There is so much to understand, to learn, and to try. I have the veterinary medicine part down, but that is not the end-all-be-all when it comes to saving animals. Conservation is about people. And so that’s the aspect of One Health that I haven’t spent as much time with. I’ve got a pretty good handle on one-third of it, but there’s two-thirds left and I want to be able to work with a transdisciplinary team and continue to grow. I don’t know where I’m going to be in a year and that makes me nervous, but I know where I want to be. And as long as I keep my eye on the North Star, I think it will be okay. This world is changing very rapidly and people are starting to pay attention to One Health and the health of our ecosystems, so I’m hopeful that that translates into a need. You can only remain hopeful, and I encourage you to stay hopeful.”

While the years since his graduation have been action-packed, it wasn’t long ago that Dr. Dvornicky-Raymond was in our shoes, and he is eager to share his advice for current vet students. First, keep an open mind. “Being a traditional zoo vet at a zoo is one pathway. There are so many different ways that you can have an impact on the natural world and on wildlife conservation that are not just being a zoo vet. So do not be discouraged by people that say there are no jobs in zoological medicine. Those people have a very narrow sight. They’re not thinking big enough.” The current state of the world, he says, calls for novel solutions to problems, and he believes that there is a place for everyone and their unique talents in this sphere. “Don’t feel like you have to go all-or-nothing, as long as you’re doing something. If you care about it, find some way to get involved.” For his parting advice, he’s willing to veer into sentimental territory. “Follow your heart. I know I sound like a Disney character right now. You’re going to hear a lot of naysayers and you’re going to encounter a lot of challenges, but remember that at the end of these challenges is a life of whatever you choose to do. And you have to make sure that you are fulfilled in doing that. There are ways that each person differs that will guide you to where you’re supposed to be. So follow your heart and don’t let people tell you what to do.” 

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.

Guidance from Graduates: Dr. Matt Marinkovich (DVM ‘14)

  By Colleen Sorge • February 21, 2022 Uncategorized

Dr. Matt Marinkovich always had a passion for wildlife but was initially unsure as to what career path might suit him best. “I always knew I wanted to do something with wildlife or something conservation related, but it took a little while to find what that niche was, whether PhD or vet school. I had a couple experiences at SeaWorld San Diego when I was in undergrad and at the National History Museum in Santa Barbara working with the Marine Mammal Stranding Network that led me to really feel like veterinary medicine was the route to go.” After taking 3 gap years, he began his time at Cornell Vet, going on to complete his DVM in 2014.

Dr. Marinkovich is quick to acknowledge the role that Cornell played in his success, recalling formative moments like an Expanding Horizons experience with the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project and praising the faculty he worked with as a student. “You have people there who are really quality professors, but also really quality people and really good mentors. I think I learned a ton from them both from an academic standpoint and also what it means to be a good clinician.” His experiences at Cornell have largely shaped his approach to clinical practice. “There’s still a million things that I don’t know. I’m still surprised every day and challenged every day which is one of the reasons I love wildlife medicine. But in vet school you really develop that approach to cases and that approach to working with others and being part of a team.” Asked what Cornell courses he suggests, Dr. Marinkovich recommends casting a wide net. “The nice part about being a student interested in zoo or wildlife is that everything is applicable. There’s no class and no species that isn’t applicable to your potential future profession. I just tried to soak up as much as I could and be a sponge as much as I could.”

After graduation from vet school, Dr. Marinkovich completed rotating small animal and emergency and critical care specialty internships, both at the Animal Medical Center, before matching with the UC Davis San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Sea World Zoo Residency. After completing his residency in 2019, he began his current position working as a clinical veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo. The work is just as exciting as it sounds! “My dream was to end up at a place like San Diego Zoo, which has a very high-volume clinical case load. We have tons of animals and we provide very high level care to all of the wildlife in our care.” A highlight of the position, he says, is the ability to apply teamwork to particularly challenging cases, as the zoo currently has six veterinarians, a fellow, and a resident. While the medical care of the zoo’s animals takes up the bulk of his time, Dr. Marinkovich also has the opportunity to help support international conservation efforts. “The San Diego Zoo is very involved with Hawaiian forest bird conservation and we have facilities in Maui and the Big Island. I’ve been out there several times to provide medical treatment for the animals in our care out there. I went to Madagascar when I was a resident to help provide emergent medical care to tortoises from a recent confiscation.” Today his favorite cases are usually the ones that demand the most time, facilitating a personal connection. Dr. Marinkovich recalls treating a ring-tailed lemur as a resident and the fulfillment he felt nursing the individual back to health. “That’s an animal that I’ll still go and visit at the zoo years later.” On another occasion, he worked alongside radiologists and human respiratory specialists to diagnose and treat bronchomalacia in an adult male orangutan. “Cases like that where we’re alerted to a problem, we diagnose the source of the problem, and we develop novel ways to fix that problem, especially in a species that is important to us and the greater conservation world are really exciting and really valuable.” 

While well aware that the field of zoological medicine is competitive, Dr. Marinkovich has a refreshing viewpoint. “I think really just focusing on becoming the best vet you can be is the number one step. I think what we look for in terms of a good resident is someone who has a really good foundation in veterinary medicine, and that involves all species. The next time you have to help pull a calf, it may be an exotic bovid rather than a dairy cow.” His perspective, he says, is largely informed by his respect for mental health. “I’m a huge proponent of mental health and being happy with what you’re doing and enjoying each step of the journey. I think you need to take each step and try to get the most out of each experience for what it is. It’s great if zoo residency or working a zoo job works out, but if not, being a vet is an awesome job and you still have that to be fulfilled by. You have to try to not let the quest for that elusive zoo resident position to be the end all and be all of what it means to be fulfilled in this field. Developing your skill sets, really focusing on your own mental health, and who you are as a vet and as a person is going to set you up for success.” 

Regardless of one’s exact career trajectory, Dr. Marinkovich emphasizes the abundant opportunities to contribute to conservation and the health of wildlife species. “There are so many really interesting and fulfilling ways to be a veterinarian involved with wildlife and conservation. A lot of those opportunities may not have all been fully explored or fleshed out yet, so the sky’s the limit if you are passionate about something. I think our field will be better off because of that. There is an increasing need for people who have a skill set and a passion for the world around them and the wildlife that’s in it. It is a daunting time for people who are passionate about wildlife, but there are a lot of opportunities to find your niche and the way that you are going to make your mark.”  

 

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.

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.