Calvin Price
This year I conducted a remote research project to determine the prevalence of two blood-borne parasites, Babesia and Theileria, within black and white Rhinos in a South African metapopulation. It was fantastic; I gained tonnes of new contacts, insights, and knowledge on both the subject in focus and the profession of wildlife veterinary medicine.
This project stemmed from a previous global programs clinical experience where I sought to validate a CBC machine to use in white rhinos in South Africa. During this study, we saw many red blood cell inclusions within the blood smears I used to analyze a reference CBC. Soon after, my interest in what these mystery parasites could be formulated into this year’s prevalence study.
Working with people from my home country, South Africa, is always a privilege. Their dedication to and tenacity in conserving South Africa’s endangered animals is unrivaled. White and Black rhinos are both threatened by increases in poaching, so the solutions to their continued survival must be approached from multiple angles. My research is a small, but I hope, a significant part of that effort.
The research and clinical experiences I gained from this project will undoubtedly aid me in my career in wildlife veterinary medicine, and I thank Global Programs immensely for this opportunity.
