Training the next generation of conservation leaders and engaging local communities

Community partners, led by veterinarians on site, stimulate engaged learning through immersion in the practice of conservation medicine. At each field site, students work closely with partners and community leaders to study a One Health problem and collect data that can be used to better inform conservation management decisions in their host country.

In Indonesia, students work to better understand the disease risks of moving water buffalo and other domestic ungulates into rhino protected areas. Specifically, students will investigate the potential disease risks that emerge when buffalo and Javan or Sumatran rhinos share the same water and food resources in the park.

In Uganda, students take a One Health approach to better understand the health interconnections between rural communities and wild chimpanzees. And in the Republic of Congo, students learn about the role of sanctuaries in animal rehabilitation and welfare, best practices for health surveillance and pre-release testing of chimpanzees in reintroduction programs, and about the intricate process of understanding chimpanzee behavior as a tool for reintroduction.