UGA Costa Rica

Conservation Medicine & Conservation Biology

Conservation medicine is an emerging field that is concerned with the interface between human health, animal health (both wild and domestic) and ecosystem health. It is a synthesis of the fields of veterinary medicine, public health, ecology, forestry and natural resources and the principles of conservation biology, biogeography, population genetics, economics, sociology, anthropology, philosophy and other disciplines to understand and maintain biological diversity throughout the world. Conservation biology is the scientific study of the nature and status of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction. It is also an interdisciplinary subject drawing on sciences, economics, social sciences, and the practice of natural resource management.

Who should attend this program? Professionals faced with a career in wildlife health, wildlife biology, wildlife management, human-animal or domestic animal/wildlife-interface issues and those interested in habitat/wildlife conservation will benefit from a solid foundation in both of these disciplines. Undergraduate students interested in conservation, ecology, wildlife, the pre-veterinary, or pre-medical majors, graduate and veterinary students in wildlife management, conservation biology, wildlife disease investigation, disease ecology and wildlife medicine.

An international location for this course lends itself well to covering issue facing the developing world such as emergent diseases, the relationship between problems such as dwindling water sources and disease, and animal and public health challenges. This 30 day course aims to provide students from various backgrounds with the opportunity to learn and practice the principles of conservation biology/medicine using the ecology and fauna of Costa Rica (an area of rich biodiversity with a long history of conservation research).

Specific objectives of the course are to learn and practice the basic principles and major topics of conservation medicine and conservation biology in field conditions, including Costa Rican culture, while providing service/outreach to local communities; to understand how to create and implement hypothesis-drive research projects in the field; to develop efficient and safe field work skills in a tropical environment; to understand how the interplay of humans and nature have shaped the landscape in Costa Rica; to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and integration between students in veterinary medicine, ecology, and wildlife/forestry/natural resources; to understand the cultural and socioeconomic issues that relevant to conservation biology and conservation medicine; to foster US-Costa Rican cultural integration between UGA students and faculty with the people of Costa Rica.

How are these objectives met? We will travel to 4 sites in Costa Rica where we will immerse ourselves in the natural history and prevalent conservation issues of that particular region and will conduct both observational and experimental work to answer questions embedded in the major themes of conservation medicine-conservation biology. In the process we will engage in specific outreach or service-learning activities that are meant to “leave something behind” while learning firsthand the needs and values of Costa Rica and its people, as well as try to understand the socioeconomic and cultural context that leads to the major conservation issues facing these regions. One major portion of this course will focus on wildlife disease investigation/surveillance in the context of endangered species, the wildlife-domestic animal interface or public health. Another large component is identifying conservation challenges and solutions. Lastly, basic natural history and ecology will be explored at each site.

Please note: The course numbers will soon be changing for the program. In the mean time, please contact Sonia Hernandez with any questions about the course specifics.