Blogs from the Field
A healthy future for wildlife, people, and planet.
November 21, 2023
Did you know that the second most common cause of injured sloths coming into rescue centers is electrocution? If not, you are in the majority. There is little to no literature about sloth electrocution in the academic world, even though it is such a pervasive problem.
November 08, 2023
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....
October 25, 2023
I started veterinary school with the goal of working with stingrays, dolphins, and fish. Now, four years later, I can say I have worked at some of the top aquariums and other aquatic facilities in the country and connected with colleagues who are leading this field.
October 11, 2023
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....
September 20, 2023
I have met many conservationists who do not believe in keeping wildlife in captivity. However, the San Diego Zoo seems to win the hearts of both wildlife conservationists and those who work with captive wildlife. How does this zoo bridge the gap between the two?
September 13, 2023
It was 5:30 am and I was already sweating when I stepped out of my wooden sleeping hut and into the steamy dawn at Nepal’s Chitwan National Park. It was already 85°F but would reach 105°F before noon. I was up before the sun to complete my summer intern research project - a census of free-roaming domestic dogs in the park’s buffer zone....
August 23, 2023
Working with primates is something I had avoided for a while. Most of my interest has been in southern Africa, with ungulates like giraffes, antelope, and pachyderms being my main focus. Yet I felt that, following the COVID-19 pandemic, learning more about wild primate health would be vital....
August 01, 2023
Cheetahs have long been my favorite animal, so it is no surprise that in March of 2023, I embarked on a 49-hour journey to the country with the largest population of cheetahs. I have wanted to work with cheetahs since I was five years old....
July 06, 2023
At an altitude of 13,000 feet, I’m strangely captivated by the beads of water collected on the ceiling of my thin nylon shelter. An individual drop slowly swells and parts from its neighbors, plummeting down and crashing on the surface of my sleeping bag....
May 24, 2023
This past summer, with support from Cornell’s Expanding Horizons Program, I had the opportunity to work with the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Otjiwarongo, Namibia as a veterinary extern....