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Sharks shown swimming in open water.

Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine announced a gift of $35 million to support the Cornell Wildlife Health Center, which has been renamed to the Cornell K. Lisa Yang Center for Wildlife Health in recognition of the scale of commitment to planetary health from the donor, Lisa Yang.
K. Lisa Yang

A transformational gift from philanthropist and Cornell alumna K. Lisa Yang ’74 will endow and rename the Cornell Wildlife Health Center as the Cornell K. Lisa Yang Center for Wildlife Health at the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Tiger walking in the forest by R. Gilbert.

Dr. Martin Gilbert, our wild carnivore health specialist, reflects on his decades-long research into canine distemper virus in endangered wild tigers, from the Russian Far East to Southeast Asia, and the valuable partnerships he has developed to help implement disease surveillance systems to monitor wild tiger health.
Free-roaming dogs in Nepal

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....
A tiger shown walking along the forest edge.

In the past century, the global tiger population has dwindled from over 100,000 to between 3,726 and 5,578 animals. In this literature review led by Cornell, researchers suggest disease surveillance is increasingly important as tiger populations decline and become more vulnerable to disease outbreaks.
A tiger lying down on the forest floor.

For Your Information

The contraction of the global tiger population over the last 100 years into small, often isolated subpopulations has made them increasingly vulnerable to the impact of disease. Despite this, the health of wild tigers continues to be insufficiently funded and explored.
Free-roaming dog shown curled up asleep on the ground.

For Your Information

Canine distemper virus is a global multi-host pathogen that can be fatal in a range of species. This latest study shows that the presence of free-roaming dogs around protected areas in Nepal could represent a source of infectious disease for transmission to local wildlife, including endangered tigers.
AA Bengal tiger walking through the jungle by R. Gilbert

Cornell researchers have confirmed the first cases of canine distemper virus in tigers and leopards in Nepal. This is significant, as both populations are already threatened and the virus can cause fatal neurological disease.
Indian leopard sitting in a tree

A new study led by Cornell and partners shows for the first time that leopards in Nepal are exposed to canine distemper virus, which could be contributing to increased human-leopard conflict.
A golden lion tamarin shown on a branch of a tree.

The Cornell Wildlife Health Center's Dr. Martin Gilbert says infectious diseases present a growing conservation threat to wild species as populations become more fragmented.