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Appendix F
Intensive Short Courses that Help Prepare Veterinary
Students and Veterinarians for Careers in Wildlife
and Ecosystem Health
Envirovet
The Envirovet Program in Wildlife and Ecosystem Health (http://vetmed.illinois.edu/envirovet/)
was established by Dr. Val Beasley of the University of Illinois in 1991 and has always been a
collaborative effort with other universities and a wide array of faculty members. The first
Envirovet summer course was organized in concert with the University of Minnesota-Duluth and
the University of Wisconsin-Superior and the US EPA Freshwater Ecology Laboratory in Duluth
and was oriented solely to aquatic animal health and ecotoxicology. Beginning in 2000, with
partnership from UC-Davis and in collaboration with Tufts University, the Summer Institute
incorporated terrestrial animals and developing country concerns. Developing countries that
hosted sessions to date have included Kenya, Brazil, South Africa and Swaziland, and Tanzania.
The overall Envirovet Program today is a group effort that relies on diverse forms of
support, and has two main thrusts, the Summer Institute (http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu/envirovet/
and http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu/envirovet/webvideo/index.htm) and the development of regional
initiatives, the first of which is Envirovet Baltic (http://www-cru.slu.se/CRUre15.pdf). Current
partnering institutions for the Summer Institute include the Wildlife Health Center of the
University of California-Davis, White Oak Conservation Center, Harbor Branch Oceanographic
Institution, Sokoine University, and Tanzania National Parks. The Director of the White Oak
(largely terrestrial) portion is Dr. Kirsten Gilardi of the Wildlife Health Center at the University
of California, Davis; the aquatic unit at Harbor Branch is organized by Dr. Beasley; and the
Director of the developing country portion in Africa is Dr. Deana Clifford who works in concert
with Dr. Jonna Mazet also of the Wildlife Health Center, Dr. Rudovick Kazwala of Sokoine
University, and Dr. Titus Mlengeya of Tanzania National Parks. In recent years, the Envirovet
Summer Institute has received financial support from student course fees, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service Wildlife Without Borders Program, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, the
Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Eli Lilly and Company, the Russell E. Train Educational Fund
for Nature of the World Wildlife Fund, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the US Agency
for International Development. In addition, the Summer Institute benefits from the donated time
of the U.S.- and Canada-based faculty members and generous in-kind support from White Oak
Conservation Center.
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The Envirovet Summer Institute begins in mid-June at White Oak Conservation Center in
northeastern Florida (http://www.wocenter.org/) with two weeks of immersion-style learning
about the big drivers that undermine health and biodiversity. Also included are proven
intervention methods to yield positive short- and long-term gains. This unit includes: the value
of biodiversity, ecosystem economics, and environmental law and policy; epidemiology; and the
basis for disease emergence and resurgence, including efficient diagnostic tools. It addresses
methods for restoration of populations of threatened or endangered species in the wild, including
wildlife capture and translocation—and provision of ample habitat. It also focuses on
counteracting overharvest, poaching, invasive exotic species, and predator-prey imbalances.
Throughout this unit, ways to reduce risks to public, domestic animal, and wildlife health
from shared infectious diseases are strongly emphasized. The Summer Institute continues with
two-weeks of intensive instruction in aquatic animal health, ecotoxicology, and ecosystem
rehabilitation at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution (http://www.hboi.edu/index_05.html).
This unit begins with instruction on the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems and how they are
assessed. It focuses on the sources, fate, detection and control of contaminants, explains the
causes of—and solutions for—declines in major ocean fish communities, as well as fisheries
impacts on the food supply of marine mammals. It provides contact with environmentally-
beneficial aquaculture, teaches the causes of marine mammal strandings, and first-hand
experience in forensic studies. The aquatic unit stresses opportunities for better stewardship of
aquatic ecosystems and animal populations to enable recovery of aquatic biodiversity, cleaner
water supplies, and more and safer fish and shellfish for human consumption. The third unit of
each Summer Institute takes place in a developing country (e.g. Kenya, Brazil, South Africa) and
emphasizes ways to accommodate the economic and food security needs of people in the poorest
regions of the world through better stewardship of lands, water, wildlife, and domestic animal
populations. The unit addresses prevention of diseases shared between wildlife and humans, as
well as between wildlife and either livestock or poultry. It demonstrates proven methods to re-
establish self-sustaining wildlife populations in ways that improve the lives of nearby human
groups. Leading biomedical scientists, conservation biologists, and environmental managers
work side-by-side with the Envirovet group in hands-on work. Tribal leaders share first-hand
knowledge about wildlife/livestock conflicts. Throughout this unit, the need to look holistically
at the challenges—and solutions—lying at the human/wildlife/domestic animal/environment
interface are emphasized.
A number of participants in Envirovet courses have assumed full time careers, with several
in leadership positions, in a range of relevant disciplines
(http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu/envirovet/stories.html). An important component of the Envirovet
Program is outreach to veterinarians concerned with wildlife and ecosystem health around the
world. The following is based on a concerted effort to document the current activities of
participants in Envirovet programs. To date, 339 individuals of 38 nations have participated in
Envirovet’s intensive summer courses. In addition, three former Envirovet students have also
worked in three additional nations for periods of time exceeding two years, thus 41 countries
have directly benefited from the training. A total of 239 Americans and 100 individuals from
other countries have participated in Envirovet summer courses. As of this writing, 42 former
students of the program are still in veterinary school. Of these individuals, three previously
completed health-related MS degrees, two have completed MPH degrees, and two are
concurrently enrolled in MS and DVM programs. Of the 339 former participants, 86 are in
domestic animal practice, with 75 of these being Americans. Some of these individuals include a
focus on exotic species and others undertake outreach addressing environmental concerns for
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Appendix F 291
concerns for their regions or to the developing world apart from their regular work schedules.
Several of those in private practice are recent graduates of DVM or equivalent programs who
hope to enter into wildlife/ecosystem oriented careers after honing their clinical skills and
retiring educational debt. Of former students of the program, at least 23 are engaged primarily in
public health, and 46 are focused on some aspect of toxicology (includes ecotoxicology and
wildlife toxicology, with smaller numbers involved in diagnostic toxicology, poison
control/clinical toxicology, and regulatory toxicology). Of 38 individuals who completed an
Envirovet course and are engaged largely in aquatic animal health, 28 came from the 126
participants who participated in the 1990s when the program focused solely on aquatic
ecosystems and species, whereas only 10 of 213 participants have become involved almost
exclusively on aquatic issues since the program began to focus more than half of its content on
terrestrial animals and ecosystems in 2000. At least 43 former participants of the summer
programs are largely engaged in some aspect of wildlife epidemiology. Eighteen of the
individuals have become, or are in training to become, pathologists (includes one clinical
pathologist), with nearly all of them focusing on wildlife, zoo, fish, and/or toxicologic pathology.
Fourteen of the 340 participants are involved in some aspect of aquarium (1) or zoo (13)
medicine, and more than half of these individuals are either in zoo medicine internships or
residences as of this writing. Twenty-three of the remaining participants work in wildlife practice
with part-time in research, mostly in national parks of the developing world. Five former
participants work in laboratory animal medicine, one is involved full time in public education
regarding wildlife, two are in the army (includes one of the toxicologists), one became a high
school teacher, another became a wildlife photographer, one entered business, two retired, and
two are deceased. We are unaware of the job activities of 21 former participants in the program.
Although a reliable estimate cannot be assigned based on available data, a number of the former
students of the program contribute to the refinement and implementation of environmental and
wildlife policy, both in the US and around the world.
A regional offshoot of Envirovet, termed Envirovet Baltic, recently teamed with the
Baltic University Programme, a network of over 180 universities (http://www.balticuniv.uu.se/
http://www.balticuniv.uu.se/), in the development of three new books on the topics of Ecosystem
Health and Sustainable Agriculture (http://www.balticuniv.uu.se/ehsa/index.php). A number of
additional countries, veterinarians, and other scientists have drawn upon concepts developed
through the Envirovet Summer Institutes, Overall, Envirovet Summer Institute and Envirovet
Baltic have offered information, skill sets, and insight to over 430 individuals of at least 47
nations.
Aquavet®
Aquavet® was perhaps the first program in veterinary medicine to offer an annual course
to expand veterinary medical expertise in a direction beyond domestic animal and human health
(http://www.aquavet.info/). Established in 1977 through a collaboration between the University
of Pennsylvania and Cornell University, it was led principally by Dr. Donald Abt for many years.
Aquavet® is currently led by Drs. Donald Stremme, Paul Bowser and Laurie Landeau, and is
hosted each year at the Marine Biology Laboratory at Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The program
has provided Aquavet® I, An Introduction to Aquatic Veterinary Medicine, to approximately
900 students to date and Aquavet® II (advanced courses, topics vary) to approximately 400
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292 Appendix F
students to date, and of these roughly 300 have taken both courses. The program directors
estimate that about 200 of the overall students of the program are involved in aquatic animal
health on a full time basis.
Marvet
Marvet was established in 1999 by Drs. Raymond J. Tarpley and Christine A. Curry. The
goal of Marvet is to introduce veterinary students and veterinarians to the field of marine
veterinary medicine with an emphasis on marine conservation, oceanaria, aquaria, zoological
parks, rehabilitation units, wildlife organizations and universities, as well as federal and state
governments. The role of veterinarians in the development of effective marine animal
conservation policy at national and international levels is introduced. The program emphasizes
marine animal taxonomy, ecology, anatomy, physiology, pathology, diagnostic methods and
clinical medicine, with emphasis on marine mammals, sea turtles and marine birds, and some
attention to fish species. The annual Marvet course has been staged each year at Mote Marine
Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida, and includes participation in a long-term study led by Dr. Randy
Wells. The study investigates wild bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay and, at 30 years overall,
is the longest-running study of its kind. Marvet students also witness and participate in selected
Mote Marine Laboratory activities including work with the Whale and Dolphin Hospital and the
Sea Turtle Hospital that focus on care and rehabilitation of stranded marine mammals and turtles.
Marvet also offers workshops on marine mammals and sea turtles at other locations in the
Americas and the Caribbean. To date, Marvet courses have been held in Florida (10), California
(2), Grenada (1), Costa Rica (1), Mexico (1), and the Caymans (1). The courses have served a
total of 256 participants to date. Of these 48 were from countries other than the United States and
31 were American students attending veterinary schools in the Caribbean (Ross, St. George’s, or
St. Matthew’s). Other countries represented included Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, Peru,
England, Germany, Italy, Norway, Australia, Thailand, and China. To date, all sessions have
been in English. Of the 256 individuals who took the courses, twenty participated in two
workshops, and two completed three workshops. At the time of their enrollment in Marvet, 51
were veterinarians, 203 were veterinary students, and two were rehabilitation biologists.
Aquamed
Aquamed, led by Dr. Ron Thune of Louisiana State University, is organized by the Gulf
States Consortium for Aquatic Animal Pathobiology (http://www.vetmed.lsu.edu/aquamed.htm).
The program, which lasts about 3.6 weeks, is offered in June of even-numbered years and is
open to participation by veterinarians, veterinary students, and graduate students without the
DVM or equivalent degree. The program emphasizes the culture and health care of ornamental
fish, commercially important fin fish, and shellfish. An overview of reptiles, marine mammals,
and aquatic laboratory animals is also included. Instructors are nationally and internationally
recognized experts. Weeks 1, 2, and 4 are held at the Louisiana State University School of
Veterinary Medicine, while week 3 takes place at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium
facility in Cocodrie, Louisiana. Aquamed has been hosted annually from 1993 to 2004, as well as
in 2006 and 2008, training a total of 224 participants.
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Wildlife Center of Virginia
The Wildlife Center of Virginia offers an internship for a graduate veterinarian as well as
training opportunities for veterinary students (http://www.wildlifecenter.org/wp/veterinary-
training/). The internship offers opportunities to work in ongoing conservation medicine research
projects as well as interaction with local or allied institutions that include the National Zoo,
University of Virginia, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, USGS Patuxent
Wildlife Research Center, Virginia Marine Science Museum, and Virginia-Maryland Regional
College of Veterinary Medicine.
South African Programs for Veterinary Students and Veterinarians
Programs in South Africa educate a number of veterinary students and lesser numbers of
veterinarians from the United States and other nations. Among these, the best known is
Wildlifevets.com, which is operated by Dr. Cobus Raath, former head veterinarian of Kruger
National Park (http://www.wildlifevets.com/). Dr. Raath operates a large practice dedicated
primarily to African wildlife owners and conservation. He serves wildlife producers, managers of
game farms, ecotourism facilities, nature preserves, and a range of governments in Africa and the
Middle East. He is also a principal in Wildlife Pharmaceuticals, and specializes in development
of drugs for wildlife immobilization, transport, anesthesia, and appropriate reversal of the active
agents (http://www.wildpharm.co.za/). Dr. Raath as well as Dr. David Hunter of Turner
Endangered Species Fund and Turner Enterprises, Inc. are adjunct professors at the School of
Veterinary Medicine of Purdue University and at the College of Veterinary Medicine of Texas A
& M University. Participants in the courses offered by Wildlifevets.com benefit from
participation in a range of lectures, discussions, and hands-on projects related to his veterinary
practice. Another organization, Brothers Safaris, assembled by veterinarian Dr. Peter Brothers,
offers educational and safari experiences for veterinary students and veterinarians. Partnering
institutions include De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre and the University of Pretoria
(http://www.brotherssafaris.com/wildlifeandimmobilsation.htm).
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