Addressing Wildlife Health in a Rapidly Changing World
 
Elephants
© M. Atkinson
Wildlife Health Cornell represents an unprecedented approach to the health challenges wild animals face here in the northeast U.S. and around the world  - a comprehensive, science-based response by a team of the world's top wildlife health experts.  With an emphasis on the types of interdisciplinary collaboration often required to foster real progress along the science to policy and action continuum,  Wildlife Health Cornell has grown out of a palpable sense of genuine urgency regarding the fate of our planet's wildlife, an increasing understanding of our own dependence on the planet's natural systems, and a recognition that it will take a new generation of colleagues to halt and reverse the trends we face.
 
Cornell University today is very much about impact, about teamwork that capitalizes upon the vast array of disciplinary expertise available across the university, and about engagement. We hope you find this first edition of our e-newsletter useful and thought-provoking.
 
- Steve Osofsky, DVM
Jay Hyman Professor of Wildlife Health & Health Policy

Moose
Sustainable Moose
 
College of Veterinary Medicine researchers and partners are evaluating the health of moose populations across the New York Adirondacks region. By screening animals for infectious diseases and developing health indicators for evaluation over time, we can assess factors key for ensuring the population's long-term viability. 
Planetary Health
The Urgency of Planetary Health
 
Concern has been spreading across scientific disciplines that the pervasive human transformation of Earth's natural systems is an urgent threat to human health, and Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine is helping to forge a new field to meet unprecedented challenges.
Diamondback Terrapin Turtle
Conservation CSI: Long Island
 
Cornell scientists and partners have discovered that saxitoxin, a potent neurotoxin from algal blooms, was the cause of a massive die-off of diamondback terrapin turtles and fish. Understanding what's happening in this fragile ecosystem is key to preventing future crises - for wildlife and people.
Veterinarian with Rhino
 
Cornell veterinary students are benefiting from international experience that ties coursework in language, culture, and research to hands-on fieldwork. They are able to spend eight weeks in Indonesia, Uganda, or the Republic of Congo to experience first-hand how the health of wildlife, domestic animals and people - and the health of the environment - are all deeply interconnected.
Elephant Against Fence
© M. Atkinson
Win-Win for African Farmers, Wildlife
 
Veterinary fencing, having killed hundreds of thousands of southern Africa's wild animals since the 1950's by disrupting their key migratory pathways, is no longer the only option for managing foot and mouth disease in the region.
 
Students Collecting Samples
Hundreds of students ranging from fourth-graders to high school seniors across New York State are engaging in a hands-on scientific project with Cornell University by collecting water samples and evaluating environmental DNA to monitor the spread of invasive fish species, providing a real-world lesson in ecology and environmental management.
Veterinary Students with Jaguar
Veterinary Students Extend a Helping Hand to Belize Zoo
 
College of Veterinary Medicine students have partnered with the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center, gaining valuable experiences they will never forget.
Elephant
© M. Atkinson
 
Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine was awarded $1.7 million from The Rockefeller Foundation to support our pioneering work in Planetary Health.

Wildlife Health Cornell, a College of Veterinary Medicine Center of Excellence, represents an unprecedented approach to the health challenges wild animals face here in the northeast U.S. and around the world - a comprehensive, science-based response by a team of the world's top wildlife health experts. With an emphasis on the types of interdisciplinary collaboration often required to foster real progress along the science to policy and action continuum, Wildlife Health Cornell has grown out of a palpable sense of genuine urgency regarding the fate of our planet's wildlife, an increasing understanding of our own dependence on the planet's natural systems, and the recognition that it will take a new generation of colleagues to halt and reverse the trends we face.
To learn more about Wildlife Health Cornell, please contact
Dr. Steve Osofsky at  s.osofsky@cornell.edu .
 
And please let us know if you have comments on this e-newsletter.