1. Steve Weaver Retires
May 17th was a sad day for EMC faculty and students as one of the unsung heroes of the CVM and a great supporter of the EMC, Steve Weaver, retired after 30 years of dedicated service to NCSU and the CVM. Steve was the man who kept things running on the grounds of the CVM, and he did it in a way that was always ecologically responsible, practical and effective. Everyone at the CVM has stories of how Steve has helped them and their animals and facilities and that is certainly true for the EMC.
Without Steve, the Wild Carnivore Research Facility would have never been built, and certainly never rebuilt after it was damaged in a major storm shortly after construction. He has rescued our research ponds, mowed our firing ranges, and much, much more over the years. It is hard to express how much we will miss Steve, who could always be relied upon to have a solution to any challenge to the facilities and grounds of the CVM. Thanks Steve, and enjoy a well earned retirement.
2. Chris Butler Joins EMC Technical Team
Welcome to Chris Butler the newest member of the EMC technical staff. Chris joins us as the new Research Technician II in the Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, based at CMAST in Morehead City. Those of you at CMAST already know Chris, because of his just-completed Masters in Zoology studying winter feeding ecology of bluefin tuna in the laboratory of Dr. Jeff Buckel. Others of you will be introduced to Chris in the coming weeks as he helps Dr. Harms with field services visits at the Aquariums and the Sea Turtle Hospital, works with live and dead marine animal strandings, and accompanies clinical cases to the veterinary school in Raleigh, and collaborate on projects in the marine metabonomics laboratory.
Chris’s office is in the marine immunology laboratory at CMAST and he can be contacted by email at cmbutler@ncsu.edu, office/lab phone at 252-222-6338, and cell phone 919-255-0190. We're excited to have Chris join the CVM team at CMAST and he seems to be bearing up well to the pace and variety of the position.
3. Sea Turtle Release at Topsail June 6th
A bumper crop of rehabilitated sea turtles are expected to take to the waves at 9 am June 6th as the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital conducts its late spring release of animals that have recovered sufficiently to return to the wild. A dozen patients, including several long term recovery animals have had their exit physical examinations by the medical team of Drs. Craig Harms and Allison Tuttle and pending the results of their blood work, 10 loggerhead and 2 greens are expected to be in the graduating class. In addition, several turtles are making the trip down from their rehabilitation center in New England to be released in North Carolina waters where they would normally be this time of year. For more information about the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital and their important work rehabilitating sick and injured sea turtles go to www.seaturtlehospital.org.
4. Lewbart Tells Ivory-Bill Story to CMAST
Last Friday, (May 25, 2007) Dr. Greg Lewbart, presented the monthly noon CMAST Seminar. His seminar entitled “Searching for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker in the Choctawhatchee River Basin of the Florida Panhandle” added a relatively rare avian perspective to the seminar series.
5. Tuttle Credentialed for ACZM Examination
Dr. Allison Tuttle now knows that she will be studying a bit harder while taking on her new duties at Mystic Aquarium. The American College of Zoological Medicine recently notified her that her credentials have been accepted to sit the college’s specialty examination. That is a major accomplishment for a resident just completing their residency. We will all be rooting for you during the two day examination this fall Dr. Tuttle. but we are confident you will do well.
6. Errata
We forgot to mention Dr. Dave Rotsetin’s contributions to the IAAAM meeting in our last issue. Dr. Rotstein was the keynote speaker at the IAAAM Pathology Slide Session on Saturday, May 5th.
EMC WEBSITE
http://emc.ncsu.eduRecent Funding and Publications
Publications
Dennison, S., F. Gulland, M. Haulena, H. De Morais and K. Colegrove. 2007. Urate nephrolithiasis in a northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) and California sea lion (Zalophus californianus). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 38: 114-120.Download the PDF (Download the PDF)
Haulena M., D. Huff, S. Raverty, S. Myers, M. Murphy and M. Papich. 2007. Severe vesiculobullous dermatopathy in a Pacific white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) associated with a sudden increase in caloric intake. Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference of The International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine. May 5-9. Orlando, FL.
Haulena, M., S. Raverty, C. Wright, B. Sheehan, J. Fitz-Gibbon, G. Hewlett, L. Barret-Lennard and D. Huff. 2007. Morbidity and mortality of beluga whales maintained at the Vancouver Aquarium. Proceedings of the 1st International Workshop on Beluga Whale Research, Husbandry and Management in Wild and Captive Environments. March 9-11. Valencia, Spain.
Funding
Kennedy-Stoskopf, S. – Science Matters. NCSU Extension Outreach Fund. $10,000.
Submit your publications and grant awards to Dr. Stoskopf so they can be included in the EMC NEWS
>Opportunities
Opportunities for jobs have become so numerous that it is difficult to keep the listings current. To help with that, the following links take you to listings of job opportunities that might be of interest to EMC'ers. Positions not appearing on these lists are noted individually below.
American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians
National Wildlife Health Center
National Wildlife Research Center
International Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
American Zoo and Aquarium Association
More Opportunities
ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE/FULL PROFESSOR OF EXOTIC PETS AND ZOOLOGICAL MEDICINE.The Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences is seeking applicants for a tenure track or clinical track faculty position in exotic pets and zoological medicine. Salary and rank will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. A DVM degree or equivalent is required. Completion of clinical residency training and board certification (or eligibility) by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Avian Practice) or the American College of Zoological Medicine is required. Eligibility for faculty licensure in the state of Oklahoma is required. Duties will include: clinical service and teaching including oversight of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital Zoo, Exotic and Wildlife service, instruction in the didactic portion of the pre-clinical veterinary medical curriculum, and Scholarly work. Collaboration with established research faculty within the College and University is encouraged. Application review will begin as they are received and the position will remain open until filled. Applications should include a letter of intent with statement of professional goals, curriculum vitae, and names and addresses of three references. Inquiries or applications should be sent to: Dr. Charles MacAllister, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078-2042, (405) 744-8472, FAX (405) 744-6265, email: cmacall@okstate.edu.
MARINE MAMMAL HISTOTECHNICIAN
Medical and Histopathology Administrative Specialist - UCAR/JOSS (The work will be in cooperation with researchers from NOAA’s Center for Marine Animal Health at the University of Tennessee as well as marine animal stranding response teams, Federal institutions and universities, and diagnostic laboratories including National Veterinary Service Laboratory and Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory.) College of Veterinary Medicine University of Tennessee-Knoxville,
2407 River Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996 PLEASE NOTE: This is a new, full-time position, ending 31 September 2007. Based on performance and funding, this position may be continued for a 2nd, one-year term. Initial consideration will be given to applications received prior to 11 June 2007. Thereafter, applications will be reviewed on an as-needed basis. Summary: Provides laboratory administrative tasks including sample accessioning, processing, disposition and provides facility clerical and/or administrative services to include data entry, data processing, data collection, and sample processing for marine mammal tissue specimens to assist the National Marine Fisheries Service determination of the cause of death and illness of marine mammals. Responsibilities: Accessioning of histologic samples and preparation of samples for histologic processing and communicating with histopathology laboratories regarding samples. Storage, organization and dissemination of stored tissue samples. Filing of reports, tissue blocks and slides. Accessioning, dissemination, and tracking of tissues for further diagnostic testing. Entry of data and data mining in Excel, Access and web-based database applications. Assistance in report preparation. Distribution of internal reports and compiled external reports concerning marine mammal mortalities to collaborating institutions and laboratories to ensure a complete and thorough examination of individual or multiple marine mammal mortalities. Potential assistance in stranding events as needed. Go to this site for application information
STATE WILDLIFE VETERINARIAN
The Nevada Department of Wildlife is recruiting for a Wildlife Health Staff Specialist. The position is administratively located in the Game Division, but the expectation is that the incumbent will serve other groups within the Department (e.g., on occasion, conducting forensic analyses in support of Law Enforcement investigations). The salary range is $55,800 - 83,800, depending on qualifications, with an anticipated increase of 4-6%in the coming biennium. Interested applicants can apply on the Nevada state jobs website (NVAPPS). The position will remain open and advertised until a candidate is selected. The successful incumbent will have a veterinary degree, and preference will be shown to candidates with some experience in wildlife as well as large animal (livestock) veterinary medicine. S/he will be tasked with developing and implementing surveillance programs for a wide range of diseases, including avian influenza, West Nile (emphasis on impacts to sage grouse), transmission of disease between livestock and big game, and potential nutritional deficiencies that affect bighorn sheep, mule deer, and pronghorn. The successful incumbent will have some demonstrated experience and skill in dealing with multiple constituencies (e.g., sportsmen, livestock producers, non-governmental organizations, general public). In addition, s/he will be the Department's representative to state and federal interagency working groups that focus on zoonotic disease transmission. ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER 2898, Posted 02/01/07. Direct Inquiries to:
KRISTINA ROSS, (775)688-1522 or email krisr@ndow.org
or visit this site.
FELLOWSHIP IN ENDANGERED SPECIES ENDOCRINOLOGY
The San Diego Zoo's center for Conservation and Research for Endangered Species is offering a one-year fellowship that may interest some of your students. The candidate we're seeking will have sufficient experience in endocrinology and chemistry to design and begin to develop semi-quantitative immunochromatographic hormone assays for field application. The full job description can be viewed on the Zoo's website.For further information contact
Barbara S. Durrant, Ph.D, Associate Director CRES, Phone 760-291-5436, email bdurrant@sandiegozoo.org.
POSTDOC IN AMPHIBIAN DISEASE CONTROL
University of Tennessee Center for Wildlife Health (Amphibian Disease Program is looking to recruit a post-doctoral researcher with a DVM or PhD in wildlife or biological science to assist in leading controlled studies on amphibian diseases. This position will be in the Center for Wildlife Health (Amphibian Disease Program) at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville http://wildlifehealth.tennessee.edu/index.htm). The position is funded through the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station for two years at $38,000 / year with full benefits. Start date is 1 August 2007 or earlier if available. Application deadline is Friday, 15 June 2007. To apply, please send the following credentials: Copies of official transcripts showing degrees awarded; Curriculum vitae; Contact information for 3 or more professional references; Statement of research and career goals, and Cover letter outlining accomplishments and past experience with amphibians or wildlife diseases. Credentials should be sent (hardcopy or email) to both individuals below. Matthew J. Gray, Ph.D. University of Tennessee Center for Wildlife Health, 274 Ellington Plant Sciences Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-4563, 865.974.2740 [ofc] , mgray11@utk.edu 865.974.4714 [fax] (visit this site for more info) and
Debra Lee Miller, D.V.M., Ph.D., Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory. The University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, 43 Brighton Road, Tifton, GA 31793-1389, Phone: 229-386-3340 ext. 19; Fax: 229-386-7128, email: millerdl@uga.edu (visit this site for more information)
Chief Veterinarian and Vice President
Wildlife Health Sciences, Wildlife Conservation Society. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), a global conservation organization and one of New York City’s premier cultural institutions, is seeking to fill the position of Chief Veterinarian and Vice President of Wildlife Health Sciences. Since its founding in 1895 as the New York Zoological Society, WCS has been dedicated to saving wildlife and wildlands through science, conservation, education and the management of the largest system of urban wildlife parks in the United States. The Chief Veterinarian and Vice President answers to the Senior Vice President of Living Institutions, a division of WCS which includes the world-renowned Bronx Zoo, the New York Aquarium, the Central Park Zoo, the Prospect Park Zoo and the Queens Zoo. Together these parks encompass over 300 acres and approximately 20,000 animals of 1,400 species. The Chief Veterinarian and Vice President of Wildlife Health oversees some 50 conservation health professionals in achieving mission critical goals for the Wildlife Conservation Society in the departments of Clinical Care, Pathology and Field Veterinary Programs. The Chief Veterinarian leads this dedicated group in the provision of the highest quality of health care for animals in the WCS collections and for providing conservation health services and research at the interface of people, domestic animals and wildlife around the globe. The qualified candidate will have 5 years or more of administrative and supervisory experience in a high volume, complex and diverse animal health practice, an in-depth understanding of wildlife health issues as they relate to conservation, experience with policy development and a proven track record of fundraising from philanthropic and government sources. Salary and benefits are commensurate with experience. The Wildlife Conservation Society is an equal opportunity employer. To apply via email please send letter of interest and CV to: sgonzalez@wcs.org or send via postal mail to: The Wildlife Conservation Society; Human Resources Department; 2300 Southern Boulevard; Bronx, NY 10460; Attention: Sandra Gonzalez **Please note: the deadline to apply for this opportunity is Friday June 15th 2007**
Project Manager, Democratic Republic of Congo programme
Conservation Programmes, ZSL (Zoological Society of London )
ZSL has been working in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since 2001, with funding from the ’s Darwin Initiative, UNESCO, USFWS and currently the EU. Since October 2004 ZSL’s activities in DRC have been focused on Virunga National Park in North Kivu . Virunga is Africa ’s oldest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but has suffered dramatic wildlife declines and now suffers from lack of management capacity following years of civil conflict. ZSL’s activities in Virunga include ranger training, rehabilitation of park infrastructure and supporting ranger patrols. This work is conducted in close collaboration with the Institute Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) and alongside various conservation, development and humanitarian NGO partners. The current 1.5 million euro EU-funded project, previously scheduled to finish in May 2007, has now been extended to December 2008, and during this extension period will likely also run alongside a sub-contract from the EU awarded to ZSL through partners WWF. An experienced candidate is sought to manage ZSL’s programme in DRC, to replace the outgoing manager. Main responsibilities include project management (staff supervision, budgeting, accounting, reporting, recruitment and strategic planning), capacity building (planning, supporting and where necessary executing the training of ICCN and ZSL staff and Congolese/international students), liaison and collaboration with partners and donors, fundraising (including proposal development), and representation and promotion of ZSL and its conservation work. The project manager will be responsible for a team of at least two other office staff and will work closely with WWF, WCS and other partners to develop the programme further.
The postholder should have as a minimum a BSc or MSc level qualification in a relevant discipline, excellent written and spoken English and French, good organisation and interpersonal skills, experience of living and working in west/central Africa and experience of managing large conservation/development projects, ideally with the EU or similar donors. The position is based in Goma and Beni , DRC, with frequent displacement within and around the park, and is offered until December 2008, with possibility of extension depending on funding. A salary of ~£20,000 p.a., return flight from Europe to Goma, visa and insurance under ZSL’s group travel insurance policy will be provided. The position is to start as soon as possible (preferably in May). Applicants should send their CV and a covering letter detailing relevant experience and skills, and including a possible start date, by email to ZSL’s HR Department (hr@zsl.org) by Friday 4th May 2007. Further details of the position can be obtained by emailing Noelle Kumpel (noelle.kumpel@zsl.org). We hope to hold interviews (in person or by telephone) around 10-11th May. We regret that we will only be able to contact applicants who have been selected for interview.
Exotic Animal Clinical Instructor
University of Georgia, to assist current faculty with the exotic animal, wildlife and zoological service at the University of Georgia from mid-May to mid-October. The service consists of 1 full-time faculty person (myself), 1 full-time intern, 1 dedicated technician, 2-3 part-time assistants, and 1-4 students on elective rotation. When the faculty is off-clinics, the Instructor would have sole responsibility for intern/senior student teaching and seeing first opinion and referral clinical cases within a well-equipped university teaching hospital. Interested clinicians should have a minimum of 4 years experience in exotic pet medicine, and be comfortable performing standard diagnostic and surgical procedures (although specialty surgical support is available). Emergency calls are typically handled by the intern. Salary negotiable and to be determined if a candidate can be identified. Please contact Steve Hernandez-Divers directly at SteveDZooVet@aol.com if you are interested. For more information on the service, please visit www.vet.uga.edu/zoo
RESEARCH INTERN
Potomac Conservancy, a Silver Spring, MD-based nonprofit, seeks an upper level undergraduate or a graduate student with a strong background in environmental science and land use policy to undertake a research project on the health of the Potomac watershed. The Research Intern will answer questions essential to understanding the health of the watershed. The outcome of this research will be a report on the health of the watershed, with emphasis on the trends as they relate to several key indicators of watershed health. These may include, land
use, forest and agriculture trends, population trends, policy
effectiveness, conservation program impacts. Stipend possible. To apply: Send cover letter, resume, and writing sample to: Kevin Mack, Vice President for Conservation, 8601 Georgia Avenue, Suite 612,Silver Spring, MD 20815, Mack@potomac.org
TENURE TRACK ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ZOOLOGICAL MEDICINE
LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. This is a tenure-track faculty position in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences with a concurrent appointment to the professional staff of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and Clinics (VTH&C). The successful candidate will be expected to contribute toward instruction in zoological medicine and conduct independent and collaborative research. Contribution in the VTH&C will be through participation in the zoological medicine service of that unit. Required Qualifications: Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine or equivalent degree; Ph.D.; four years of clinical experience in Zoological Medicine; experience in clinical investigation and/or team research. Additional Qualifications Desired: Significant experience working with wildlife and reptile species. Responsibilities: participates in the didactic and tutorial instructional programs in zoological medicine; cooperates with other faculty members in the development of teaching programs, visual aids and other instructional materials; participates in the School’s research program as a team leader and member; participates in and helps supervise the zoological medicine service of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital & Clinics; cooperates with other clinical faculty in the clinical and hospital practice; supports the emergency duty clinicians through provision or supervision of zoological medicine service when requested; participates in the continuing education programs of the School of Veterinary Medicine. School wide participation will be through the Directorship of the Wildlife Hospital of Louisiana. Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. An offer of employment is contingent on a satisfactory pre-employment background check. Application deadline is April 30, 2007 or until candidate is selected. Anticipated hire date is May 15, 2007. Submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae (including e-mail address), and the names of three references to: Dr. David F. Senior, Professor and Head, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Room 1821
School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University. Ref: Log #026035, Baton Rouge, LA 70803
Support the EMC through Amazon.com and IGIVE.COM
Amazon.com:
Amazon.com is now supporting the EMC by donating a percentage of the cost of each purchase made by anyone who shops at their online mega store by entering through a special link on the EMC WEBSITE. So, if Amazon.com is part of your life, you can help support the great programs of the EMC everytime you shop. But remember, it only counts if you enter through the web portal on our own website at www.friendsofemc.org.
iGive:
If you shop online for anything at all, consider joining igive.com and shopping through them. If you register your preference to help the Environmental Medicine Consortium, a small percentage of the amount of each of your purchases is returned to the Environmental Medicine operating fund. Even the little purchases add up, and it is relatively painless. The cost of your purchase is the same. Participating stores simply make donations based on your purchase amounts.
If you join iGive.com and make a purchase within 45 days from one of 642 or so participating stores, iGive.com will donate an additional $5 FREE to the EMC.
HOW IT WORKS
- Join to Support Environmental Medicine Consortium by going to the iGive site.
- Shop the Mall at iGive.com