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Blogs from the Field

A healthy future for wildlife, people, and planet.

A sea turtle receiving treatment.

I grab a pair of gloves from the hospital and walk out into the tank area. I am not sure why I put gloves on - 90% of the time they get soaked anyway. As I approach the tank, the other veterinary extern heads into the storage area to grab a net. Turns out there is no need....
Wild snake capture and field sampling. Photo: Hannah Danks

I had the opportunity to spend this past summer as a wildlife population health extern at the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS). SCWDS is a collaborative wildlife health partnership based at the University of Georgia (UGA)....
A whale calf’s entangled flipper and how tightly wrapped the line is.

For my last summer before clinical rotations, I wanted to gain experience with marine animals. I was accepted as an intern with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Marine Mammal Rescue & Research (MMRR) program in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, a unique geographical area where tides and coastlines can suddenly trap a dolphin or whale in inches of water....
Hery Ríos-Guzmán, DVM ’24, in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic, FUNDEMAR’s headquarters.

We strap on our snorkel gear and jump into the blue. It only takes a few butterfly kicks to reach a citadel bustling with life. Within seconds, we are greeted by branching, massive, and laminar structures formed by hundreds of genetically identical individuals....
Colleen Sorge with anteater at the Abilene Zoo.

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....
Carolina's compares the size of her hand to an African elephant's foot.

As one of the seven natural wonders of the world, Victoria Falls draws travelers from around the world to experience the majestic shower of falling waters. After connecting with the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust (VFWT) and securing a position on their team, I began planning travels to a country I knew little about....
Laci Taylor on JGI truck

In November 2019, my classmate, Hannah Padda, DVM ’22, and I were selected by Dr. Robin Radcliffe, a Cornell wildlife veterinarian and associate professor of practice in wildlife and conservation medicine, as two of six participants for his 2020 Engaged Cornell team....