ZAWS E-board members having fun with Friday’s welcome occasion
From March 28 to 30, veterinary college students, clinicians, and wildlife fanatics gathered at Cornell College Faculty of Veterinary Drugs for the 2025 Particular Species Symposium—a weekend of discovery, hands-on studying, and connection. Hosted by the Zoo and Wildlife Society (ZAWS), this fully student-run convention introduced collectively passionate minds from throughout the U.S. and Canada to discover subjects in zoo, wildlife, unique, and conservation drugs.
A Heat Welcome
The weekend started on a welcoming word Friday night with a networking reception. College students and professionals mingled over hors d’oeuvres, sharing their objectives, inspirations, and favourite species—a prelude to the collaborative spirit that outlined the times forward.
Saturday morning launched into full swing with opening remarks by scholar coordinators and ZAWS management, setting the tone for an occasion stuffed with curiosity and look after animals past the standard medical scope. Dr. Marcy Uhart of the UC Davis One Well being Institute, a Cornell Okay. Lisa Yang Heart for Wildlife Well being Inaugural Speaker, offered a sobering however well timed overview of extremely pathogenic avian influenza as a rising conservation disaster.
Because the day unfolded, attendees rotated between lecture halls and labs, taking in professional insights on marine mammal care, porcupine illness within the Northeast, rhinoceros drugs, reptile conduct in captivity, and fish well being in managed care. Every speak sparked significant dialogue in regards to the complexity of treating non-domesticated species—creatures whose care requires practitioners to combine ecology, public well being, and ethics.
Arms-On Expertise: Immersive Labs in Wildlife Drugs
After lunch, individuals took their studying additional with immersive labs. From avian dealing with and wildlife necropsy to turtle shell restore, outbreak investigations, and unique animal pathology, college students skilled the form of sensible coaching that’s exhausting to come back by in a conventional curriculum. These small-group workshops allowed for hands-on skill-building with direct mentorship from clinicians throughout specialties.
Many college students had the chance to take part in a hands-on wildlife or marine mammal necropsy lab.
The marine mammal necropsy lab was a spotlight for Alyssa Miguez, a second-year DVM scholar and president of Cornell’s World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Affiliation (WAVMA) chapter. “We had wildlife vets, pathologists, and anatomists educate us every little thing about marine mammals,” Alyssa mentioned. With a particular curiosity in wildlife copy, Alyssa was particularly excited to see a wonderfully preserved seal fetus.
Katie-Ann Fu, one of many Particular Species co-chairs, mentioned a spotlight was a special necropsy lab, the Wildlife Comparative Necropsy Lab. “I notably loved the Wildlife Comparative Necropsy Lab as we walked by means of step-by-step with the pathologists in the right way to conduct necropsies and acquire samples in numerous wildlife species,” she mentioned.
An Night Keynote: Collaboration in Conservation
The day concluded with an inspiring keynote from Dr. Natalie Mylniczenko of Disney’s Animals, Science, and Surroundings workforce. Her speak, “It Takes a Village: A Story of Grauer’s Gorillas,” supplied a glimpse into the collaborative efforts behind world species conservation and reminded attendees of the significance of interdisciplinary teamwork.
Sunday’s periods continued the momentum, starting with lectures on wild mammal pathology, avian ophthalmology, and case-based discussions of herpetological and unique species care. Dr. Noha Abou-Madi took attendees on “A Journey Via the Lives of Carnivores,” weaving collectively behavioral ecology and medical drugs, whereas Dr. Shane Boylan from the Georgia Sea Turtle Heart highlighted advances in sea turtle rehabilitation.
The day wrapped up with one other spherical of small-group labs, together with alpaca castration, comparative parasitology, rehab methods for non-traditional species, and a mock illness outbreak. As individuals trickled out of the ultimate reception, the power within the room mirrored each achievement and pleasure for the longer term.
The 2025 Particular Species Symposium was greater than a convention—it was a celebration of the breadth of veterinary drugs and a reminder that the way forward for animal well being lies in our willingness to assume past the barn and clinic. For individuals who attended, it was a weekend of inspiration, hands-on expertise, and deepened dedication to the well-being of all species—large, small, wild, and fantastic.
The Particular Species Symposium was a completely student-run occasion. Pictured right here is the 2024-2025 ZAWS E-board.
