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N Oak Syndrome Stephen Stephen Blake EBOLA SWINE 2 4 FLU AVIAN FLU MONKEYPOX 1. African forest elephant WEST NILE VIRUS in Gabon 2. Chimpanzee that was SUDDEN ACUTE orphaned by the illegal COLONY bush meat trade RESPIRATORY SYNDROME 3. Bolivia COLLAPSE 4. Fox in the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park 1 SUDDEN OAK SYNDROME 3 WHITE SYNDROME CHYTRIDIOMYCOSIS NOSE 5 Conservation 5. Working with elephants MEDICINE in Myanmar Article and Photos By Sharon Deem, DVM, Ph.D., Director, Institute for Conservation Medicine 6. Dr. Deem examining a sea lion 6 12 stlzoo Fall 2011 13 1 U.S. agricultural industry $3.7 billion a year—that is $3,700 per bat! Christine Christine Fiorello There is hope! An emerging approach to the problem, conservation medicine, strives to better understand and manage the diseases that threaten 2 the conservation of wildlife species, human public health and ecosystem 3 function. Conservation medicine integrates knowledge and skills from the fields of veterinary and human medicine, sociology, ecology, economy, and many others, to tackle the complex disease issues of today. The Saint Louis Zoo has been practicing conservation medicine 4 for many years. Examples include, 5 1. Dr. Deem working with a forest elephant common: they are diseases that are bees, chytridiomycosis in amphibians 2. Dr. Deem looking at the blood cells of sea turtles in Nicaragua YOU DON’T shared between animals and humans. and sudden oak death in woody 3. Dr. Deem with a group of pygmies In medical terms, they are zoonotic. plant species are leading to the and Bantus in the Congo NEED TO BE A Also newsworthy are stories loss of many animals and plants. 4. Christine Fiorello working with a small cat in the Kaa-Iya National about climate change and ecosystem Although these diseases are not Park, Bolivia degradation associated with events shared with humans, the costs from 5. Dr. Deem taking blood from a three banded armadillo DOCTOR such as BP’s 2010 oil spill in the the decline in species population 6. South American tapir to appreciate the disease issues Gulf. These stories often focus on sizes do have direct impacts on challenging the health of humans, the high costs to human, animal human health. For example, it is 6 animals and ecosystems today. Many and ecosystem health that result estimated that a million bats have of these diseases are in the news, from these environment-level died in North America since the appearing in our newspapers, on modifications. And although fungus that causes white nose our televisions and on the internet. they may not get the front page syndrome was first identified in research and biomedical surveys of The Saint Louis Zoo is one the Diseases like West Nile virus, avian recognition that the above challenges the U.S. in 2006. You don’t have to lemurs in Madagascar, avian health world’s top zoos and is internationally flu, swine flu, monkeypox, sudden often receive, there is a whole love—or even like—bats to realize studies in the Galapagos Islands, recognized for being committed to acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) separate list of diseases that cause that their diet of eating lots and lots and studies of Humboldt penguins wildlife conservation. The Zoo is and Ebola are all too familiar to wildlife population declines and, in of insects provides us with free and in Punta San Juan, Peru. These now poised to be an international many of us. Although these diseases some cases, extinctions. natural pest control services. In fact, represent just a few of the Zoo’s many conservation medicine leader, as well. may cause different symptoms in Diseases like white nose syndrome the loss of so many bats and their ongoing activities in the field The Zoo’s wildlife- and field-based humans, they all have one thing in in bats, colony collapse syndrome in pest control capabilities costs the of conservation medicine. research and conservation, 14 stlzoo Fall 2011 15 done through the WildCare The blueprint we have set for the Better understanding the diseases that Institute, work to ensure that we have Institute for Conservation Medicine is challenge wildlife conservation and “Animals Always.” We have a staff of based on five roles we have established that may be shared between wildlife, professionals in animal husbandry, that zoological institutions participating domestic animals and humans is a clinical veterinary medicine, ecology, in conservation should fulfill. These win-win situation. It is only when we education, endocrinology, epidemiology, roles include: understand these disease issues that genetics, nutrition, pathology and 1. Conducting studies to improve we can ensure improved health for reproductive physiology. the healthcare of zoo wildlife, thus the wild animal species we in the zoo ensuring successful zoo breeding community so truly value, and the The Institute for programs that contribute to the humans and domestic animals with Conservation Medicine sustainability of biodiversity. whom they share the planet. To expand on our research and 2. Conducting studies of diseases of Most of us appreciate the conservation efforts, we have launched conservation concern. importance of health for ourselves 3 the Institute for Conservation 3. Understanding diseases in zoo and our families, including our Medicine. We are currently wildlife so they can serve as pets. We are also more aware than strengthening long-held partnerships sentinels for emerging diseases of ever of the importance of health these challenges from turning and building new ones with health humans and animals in urban areas. for wildlife species and ecosystems. into crises. and conservation organizations to 4. Surveillance of disease in wild The challenges of a growing human Similar to a person warned by form the Midwest Consortium of animals where they mix with population, changing environments their doctor that lifestyle changes Conservation Medicine. Additionally, domestic animals and humans. and the inter-connected nature of all are necessary to prevent a heart 4 we have begun projects based 5. Making contributions to the field life on Earth is become increasingly attack, but who then pays no heed on the key roles of zoos in of comparative medicine and the clear. The goal of the Institute for to these words until the heart attack 5 conservation medicine. discovery of all life forms. Conservation Medicine is to prevent occurs, now is our turn to apply 2 prevention and avert a “health crisis.” We have the warnings of changing environments and increasing disease challenges. It is imperative that we do not wait for a global health crisis to occur, such as a human disease pandemic, in order to take action. 1 The health of our planet, and the people, animals and plants it supports, is in peril. This is why 1. A maned wolf in the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, Bolivia the Institute for Conservation 2. Charles Deem Blake and Sharon Deem at Medicine is so important right now. Lope National Park, Gabon 3. Lope National Park, Gabon Conservation medicine seeks to 4. Working with elephants in Myanmar ensure the health of wildlife species, 5. Dr. Deem in a mangrove forest on Isabela humans, and ecosystems. To learn Island, Galapagos more about conservation medicine, n visit stlzoo.org. 16 stlzoo Fall 2011 17.
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