Wildlife Health in Practice

Jenny goes to MN for a hands-on training in wildlife capture and chemical immobilization

Wildlife cases often lack a detailed history; however, examining tissues under the microscope helps solve the mystery of wildlife mortality cases.

A little insight on how necropsy protects wildlife health - how it, along with information from testing, microscopic examination, and history, aids us in diagnosing the cause of death.

Updated information on Avian Influenza disease surveillance efforts in New York State.

Updated information on West Nile Virus disease surveillance efforts in New York State.

Drawing blood from a bird is tough, particularly from a wild bird. Wild ducks do not just sit there, stick out a leg, and let you poke them with a needle, happily quack, quacking away.

An inside look at field research - explore how this invaluable tool allows researchers to study things for which there are no lab-based alternatives.

This is the story of how a non-native alligator snapping turtle found (and rescued!) from the Genesee River in upstate New York brought together wildlife health specialists, wildlife rehabilitators, and conservation educators.

A day in the life of a wildlife disease ecologist and the Director of the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab is jam-packed with meetings, conversations, and facilitations.

A day in the life of a research support specialist is a complex balancing act of time management, project and sample organization, and managing our case data stream.

A day in the life of a research technician includes varied tasks, such as participating in projects like extracting eDNA from water filters and conducting husbandry and sample collection for a colony of wood frog tadpoles.

A day in the life of a wildlife pathologist involves providing rapid and accurate diagnoses of wildlife and companion animal diseases, while also monitoring the interplay between these two, with an overriding concern for public health and the potential for zoonotic diseases.

A day in the life of a mathematical modeller is all about...you guessed it - math! From creating and modifying algorithms, my days are spent chasing patterns that emerge from nature in an attempt to understand the natural world around us.

A day in the life of a data analyst may sound boring, but in reality, it is all about helping people understand how to turn data into useful information and build the tools to facilitate this process.

A day in the life of a wildlife veterinarian can change in a moment - it might start out coordinating with our DEC or regional partners, working on a paper or grant, giving a presentation, mentoring interns or students, and/or working out in the “field.”

A day in the life of a research veterinarian involves being prepared to delve into a specific disease to answer questions, inform the public, or review datasets on animal testing.

A day in the life of a program and communications coordinator translates to cat herder, catch-all, and more. My position requires that I do and know a fair bit of everything to manage the administrative tasks for CWHL and its members while also overseeing the program's communications.

A day in the life of a wildlife pathologist is not predictable. Yes, I'll do necropsies and read slides at the scope, but what I see varies from day to day. Looking at the trends those cases represent is also part of my role.

Are you interested in how we advance wildlife health? Our November "Day in the Life" article focuses on how Dr. Alyssa Kaganer uses molecular techniques to protect wildlife population health and develop tools to aid in conservation efforts.

As the Northeast regional fish and wildlife health coordinator, my day-to-day work varies greatly - with 13 state fish and wildlife agencies in the Northeast, and each agency may have different needs.