Conservation Challenges in the Wake of a Global Pandemic

This past year, I got the opportunity to interview some incredible conservation organizations regarding their work before, during, and after the Covid-19 pandemic. During such trying times, they continued to support wildlife and communities in range countries despite new challenges. You can read the article in its entirety at JEMA 2022v33i3.

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Botswana’s Mass Elephant Die-Off

“In March 2020, at the beginning of a global pandemic, elephant carcasses were found in the Ngamiland district of northern Botswana. Within three months from the initial report, helicopter-based surveys counted a total of 350 dead elephants. Carcasses of males and females were found by themselves with 70% near water. In some cases, it was as though the animal was walking and just collapsed. Locals would state that some elephants were observed walking in circles with extremely low body condition before death. Due to Covid-related travel restrictions, carcasses were not thoroughly examined, and tissue samples not collected; thus, a causative …

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Featured: Members on the Move for Conservation

As promised, I am starting to update my website. To say that, since 2020, life has thrown it’s very best and worst at us would be a huge understatement. One of my grounding points has always been my work with elephants. Thankfully, they continue to be a guiding light. I was delighted to be interviewed by Gray Matters for their Members on the Move for Conservation” segment. “An interview with EMA Conservation Committee member Tina Dow, PhD. – This year, the Conservation Committee is highlighting EMA members that are making a difference for elephant conservation. For this issue of Gray …

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Prolactin and Ovarian Cycle Problems in Managed African Female Elephants

The last paper in our series investigating prolactin regulation and the efficacy of dopamine agonists and antagonists to mitigate prolactin-associated ovarian cycle problems was published in the Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine in March 2020. It was bittersweet as the research was a culmination of almost 10 years of research and sadly, we lost Dr. Dee Cross during the process. I think it was only fitting that the work was highlighted on the cover by a photo I took of one of my most favorite elephants. A copy of the paper Understanding Prolactin Regulation and Determining the Efficacy of …

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South Africa: I’m Finally Here

At 08:03 local time, the plane touched down in Johannesburg. Although the last flight was a whopping 15-hours total air time, the South African Airlines flight crew did an amazing job making sure we were as comfortable as possible. After a trip through customs to get my passport stamped, and several laps around terminals A and B, I found my shuttle and was off for the 7-hour land trek to Skukuza Rest Camp in Kruger National Park. The only hiccup being I was the only one without cellphone service. Having prepared a week in advance, I had added the AT&T …

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A Hopeful New Year for the Florida Manatee

A few weeks ago, I had the honor of sharing space with a manatee while cave diving. No, it wasn’t in the cave. The manatee was enjoying the constant 72 F spring water to warm up during the chilly day. I, on the other hand, was using the run to get to and from the Devil’s Cave system at Ginnie Springs. This isn’t the first time I have had the opportunity to observe these magnificent creatures in their underwater world. Earlier in 2018, I snorkeled with manatees in the Crystal River. Yet another perk of living in Florida. Regardless, their …

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Reemergence of New World Screwworm in Endangered Florida Key Deer

It feels like forever and a day since I’ve posted. Nevertheless, I wanted to share this article that I wrote for the International Animal Health Journal (IAHJ) in Spring of 2017 (Dow, T.L., 2017. Reemergence of New World Screwworm in Endangered Florida Key Deer. IAHJ. 4(1):38-41). You can read the paper at the journal home page at New World Screwworm Reemergence  or below. Note: a follow-up article is planned for the Spring 2018.  

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Wildlife of the Bunya Mountains

Nestled in the most westerly region of southern Queensland is the Bunya Mountains. Home to 600 year-old pines and close to 400 documented species of marsupials, amphibians and reptiles, including birds, Bunya is an incredible place treasured by generations of Australians.   A few years ago, we were fortunate enough to visit the Bunya Mountains National Park. Traveling from Toowoomba up the A2 to the Bunya Mountains Road, the trip through the Great Dividing Range was simply beautiful. We were only just within the park boundaries when we met our first local, a gorgeous carpet python. Stretched across the bitumen …

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El Yunque: In Search of Coqui

After several Google searches and a few beers we decided on a trip to Puerto Rico to see the iconic Coqui frog. Neither Andy nor I had ever visited the Caribbean before; therefore, we had no preconceived notions of what to expect. We knew there would be beautiful beaches surrounded by sky-blue water and a rainforest, and that was good enough for us.   As the plane touched down in Old San Juan we collected our bags and headed to the rental car counter. We learned a lesson from our recent trip to the South Pacific; pack light and pack …

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The Manatees Return

  As winter descends on the Northern hemisphere, the costal waters surrounding Florida begin to cool. Warm waters that see temperatures in the low 80s for most of the year drop to the mid 60s and below. For the West Indian manatee, or manatee for short, sustained water temperatures of 65° F and below can be incompatible with life. Luckily for these underwater mega-herbivores Florida is home to several freshwater springs that maintain a constant temperature of 70-72°F year-round. Estuaries and rivers leading from the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean give easy passage to these winter havens.     …

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