| Course ID: | WILD(ECOL)(POPH) 4575/6575. 6 hours. |
| Course Title: | Conservation Medicine |
Course
Description: | Conservation medicine is a multidisciplinary emerging field that
is concerned with the interface between human health, animal
health (both wild and domestic) and ecosystem health. This
provides students from various backgrounds with the opportunity
to learn/practice the principles of conservation
biology/medicine using the ecology and fauna of Costa Rica. |
| Oasis Title: | Conservation Medicine |
| Duplicate Credit: | Not open to students with credit in POPH 5118, POPH 5418 |
| Nontraditional Format: | This course is taught in a field setting. Total
lecture/discussion hours will be at least 18; 1 lecture hour = 1
contact hour; therefore, at least 18 didactic contact hours.
Total lab hours = counting 6 hours per “field activity day”,
therefore, for 20 days (not counting travel days) = 120 total
hours or 60 contact hours. There will be 2-3 orientation lectures
and pre-travel reading assignments during the spring semester,
but the field aspect of the course is scheduled for the summer in
Costa Rica. |
| Undergraduate Prerequisite: | BIOL 1107 and BIOL 1107L and BIOL 1108 and BIOL 1108L |
| Graduate Prerequisite: | Graduate student standing |
Semester Course
Offered: | Offered summer semester every year. |
| Grading System: | A-F (Traditional) |
|
| Course Objectives: | 1. To learn and practice the basic principles and major topics
of conservation medicine and conservation biology in field
conditions, including Costa Rican culture, service/outreach to
local communities
2. To understand how to create and implement hypothesis-driven
research projects in the field.
3. To develop efficient and safe field work skills in a tropical
environment
4. To understand how the interplay of humans and nature have
shaped the landscape in Costa Rica
5. To promote interdisciplinary collaboration and integration
between students in veterinary medicine, ecology, and
wildlife/forestry/natural resources
6. To understand the cultural and socioeconomic issues that
relevant to conservation biology and conservation medicine.
7. To encourage US-Costa Rican professional integration between
UGA, captive animal facilities, and the Universidad Nacional
(National University of Costa Rica)
8. To foster US-Costa Rican cultural integration between UGA
students and faculty with the people of Costa Rica. |
| Topical Outline: | Themes (correspond to at least one lecture per theme. In most
cases, each theme will be accompanied by a field activity
related to that theme):
What is Conservation Biology? - Carroll
What is Conservation Medicine?- Hernandez-Divers
What is biodiversity and measuring biodiversity - Carroll
How are biodiversity and disease related? What is health and
disease? -Hernandez-Divers
Restraint and Immobilization of Wildlife-Hernandez-Divers
Threats to Biodiversity - Carroll, Hernandez-Divers
Invasive Species - Carroll
Investigation and Examples of Emergent Diseases of Wildlife and
Humans- Hernandez-Divers
Conservation and health of mammals in Costa Rica - Resource
Professional and Hernandez-Divers
Global climate change - Carroll
Current state of Protected Coastal Areas and Marine Turtles:
Resource Professional
Habitat fragmentation and Disease - Hernandez-Divers
Emergent Diseases of Marine Organisms - Hernandez-Divers
Drivers for Emergence of Vector-borne diseases -
Hernandez-Divers and Carroll
Habitat fragmentation and restoration in Costa Rica- Carroll
History, Culture, Conservation and Future Challenges of the
Monteverde Region - Resource professional
Conservation and health of Amphibians/Reptiles in Costa Rica -
Resource Professional and Hernandez-Divers
Wildlife-Domestic Animal Health Interface - Hernandez-Divers
Conservation and Disease Challenges in Costa Rica: Student
Presentations |