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Why We Do What We Do: A Herd of Elephants in Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area

Video

“This is why we do what we do,” says Cornell Wildlife Health Center director Dr. Steve Osofsky, who took this video of an elephant herd this spring while working with local partners in the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area in southern Africa.
Dr. Zachary Dvornicky-Raymond with kanga blog thumbnail

News

For Cornell alumnus 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, “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.”
Endangered animals shown in cages

Decision-makers discussing landmark agreements on health and biodiversity must include four actions to reduce the risk of animals and people exchanging viruses.
A brochure that's an example of communication materials explaining zoonotic diseases.

This spring, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine students in the class Veterinary Practice: Public Health created a variety of communication materials explaining zoonotic diseases.
A Red-tailed Hawk being treated at the wildlife hospital

Birds of prey are in trouble, according to a recent study by Cornell researchers. Rodenticides are bad news for wildlife; poisoned rodents may not die immediately and are more likely to be eaten by raptors like red-tailed hawks, passing on the poison to them.
Two tigers shown in and along a river with two greater one-horned rhinos seen in the distance.

Video

At the end of a busy season researching how canine distemper virus affects Nepal’s tigers and leopards, Cornell Wildlife Health Center’s wild carnivore health specialist Dr. Martin Gilbert took a break to recharge his batteries with the wildlife of Bardia National Park.
A 4-toed salamander by Alex Roukis shown sitting on top of a leaf

For Your Information

Successful conservation efforts for threatened species depend on accurate characterization of their distribution, habitat use, and threats. Environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring can provide a sensitive and noninvasive alternative to traditional surveillance techniques.
An adult crow receiving care at the wildlife hospital

West Nile virus may no longer be a death sentence to crows. In a new study from the College of Veterinary Medicine, wildlife experts describe successfully treating and releasing five American crows infected with the deadly disease, These are the first known crows to survive West Nile virus.
Team Crab PLT in the Galápagos

The equatorial sun is fierce and radiates off the field of lava rocks that make up the rugged shoreline. My co-investigators and I are swiftly processing twenty Sally Lightfoot crabs that were collected from the nearby rocks. For each crab we individually identify them, measure dimensions, obtain a body weight, perform a physical exam, and count a heart rate to assess their health....
Wildlife biologist shown in a lab with vertebrate bones on shelves.

The effects of lead poisoning can vary depending on exposure, but they’re often devastating. Cornell wildlife ecologist Dr. Krysten Schuler notes that lead impacts every system in the body and that while eagles have been carefully studied, it’s likely that other animals are affected by lead poisoning too.