Today, April 26, is World Veterinary Day, observed annually on the last Saturday of April, to recognize the contributions of veterinarians to the health of animals, people, and the environment. This year’s theme, “Animal Health Takes a Team,” highlights the power of collaboration in veterinary medicine, and we are celebrating the wildlife and ecosystem health teams affiliated with the Cornell K. Lisa Yang Center for Wildlife Health and their tireless efforts to build a healthier future for wildlife, people, and planet.

Working with a wide range of partners, including governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and communities around the world, these collaborative teams are transforming science into impact—through discovery, education, engagement, and policy. Here are just a few ways our work is making a difference:

Wildlife Veterinary Care

The Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital, part of the Cornell University Hospital for Animals at the College of Veterinary Medicine, provides expert medical and surgical care for ill and injured native wild animals in the northeastern United States. The veterinary team treats a wide range of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, partnering with a network of licensed wildlife rehabilitators to return animals safely to the wild.

One Health

Through the AHEAD (Animal & Human Health for the Environment And Development) program, we take an integrated approach to improving animal agriculture, facilitating wildlife conservation, and alleviating poverty. We create collaborative platforms to help diverse stakeholders find shared solutions that benefit both people and animals, while providing technical support, training, and policy guidance as needed.

Disease Surveillance

Veterinarians are on the front lines of detecting emerging disease threats that can affect entire ecosystems and human health. The Cornell Wildlife Health Lab, based at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Animal Health Diagnostic Center, conducts wildlife disease surveillance and research, develops novel diagnostic tools, provides data analysis, and shares knowledge to promote the health and long-term sustainability of North American wildlife populations.

Community Partnerships

We support sustainable coexistence between people and their wild neighbors, recognizing that protected areas alone are not enough to ensure long-term survival of many species, especially wild carnivores such as tigers and leopards. Through partnerships with local stakeholders and NGOs, we are helping to train the next generation of conservation leaders and environmental stewards, deepening their understanding of how One Health goals can strengthen connections between conservation and communities.

Planetary Health

We are at the forefront of the transdisciplinary field called Planetary Health, focused on guiding policy and action by improving our understanding of how human health is intricately linked to the health of the environment in the face of global challenges such as climate change, degradation of land and water resources, and biodiversity loss. The Fiorella Research Group, for example, examines interactions among environmental change and livelihood, food, and nutrition security, with a focus on global freshwater fisheries and the households that rely on the environment to access food and income.

Training Future Leaders

We are committed to training the next generation of wildlife conservation and One Health leaders. Through our Student Support Fund, Cornell veterinary students gain hands-on experience in wildlife health and conservation around the world. From monitoring the health of bighorn sheep populations with the Nevada Department of Wildlife to tackling transmissible cancers in Tasmanian devils with the University of Tasmania, students apply what they’ve learned in class to real-world settings, developing the interdisciplinary skills needed to apply sound science to influence real-world policy and practice, from local to global.

On World Veterinary Day, we honor the teamwork it takes to ensure a healthy future for wildlife, people, and the environment that supports us all. At the Cornell K. Lisa Yang Center for Wildlife Health, we’re proud to be part of that global team.

Written and collated by Caroline Stamm ‘24