Symposium Program

Welcome to Asilomar

We have three meeting rooms booked for the symposium. Heather, Curlew, and Oak Knoll 1. Oak Knoll 1 is reserved for private meetings with California Department of Fish and Wildlife. All labs take place in Curlew.

Onsite attendees: Your room info, meal tickets, and dining information will be given to you at guest check-in. See us at the registration table at Heather for your badge.

Offsite attendees: We have your meal tickets! See us at the registration table at Heather for your badge and meal information.

Registration opens at 8am each morning at Heather.

Meals are in Crocker Dining Hall or Seascape.

Click the image below to go to a map of Asilomar.

Special Events

Friday, 5-6pm: Join us after check-in on Friday evening for the Asilomar Ramble, led by State Park interpretive staff. This short tour will include Asilomar architecture and history. Tour limited to 15 people; please sign up here. Meet at the California State Parks info desk at 4:50.

Saturday, 6pm: The symposium banquet is included with registration for all attendees. Celebrate another year in wildlife rehabilitation with a special central coast inspired dinner and free raffle.

Sunday, 8:30-10am: Monterey Audubon will be leading a half-mile walk through Asilomar grounds to view local wildlife. Binoculars will be available to borrow, but attendees are also encouraged to bring their own. Tour limited to 15 people; please sign up here. Meet on the west side of Guest Check-in/Social Hall building on the cement patio by 8:25.

Sunday, 7pm: Round out the weekend with a s’more at our bonfire, and join in on our custom paint & sip led by board member Emily Feehly. S’mores and attendance are free; cash bar and paint & sip available at additional cost. Register here for the paint and sip.

Monday, 9:30-10:30am: Monday Monarch Meander Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary is less than a mile from Asilomar, and it’s peak season! Meet us at the sanctuary after breakfast, but before checkout, for a casual group walk through the sanctuary after the symposium has closed.

Labs & Workshops

Labs and workshops are listed on the schedule below. Labs have limited space and require pre-registration. Prior to the symposium, register here. At the symposium, inquire at the registration desk about open spaces.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife “Office Hours”

Staff from the California Native Wildlife Rehabilitation Program at CDFW will be available to meet individually with pre-registered attendees to help answer questions about their permit, the state rehabilitation regulations, or other wildlife rehabilitation issues. CCWR encourages attendees to use this unique opportunity to schedule an in-person meeting with CDFW. Please come prepared with your questions as the meetings are exactly 15 minutes. There is no additional cost for symposium registrants. Space is limited. Register here for an appointment.

Saturday Schedule

Sunday Schedule

Presenter Biographies & Abstracts

Lectures and seminars

The 2022 Brown Pelican Mass Stranding Event: Timelines, Outcomes, and Post-Release Resightings

Presented by Dr. Rebecca Duerr

Over a short period of a few weeks in May and extending into June 2022, more than 1000 California Brown Pelicans stranded on the Southern to Central California coast. This talk will present conglomerated results from 11 wildlife centers, CDFW, and USFWS on what happened where, when and to whom, how the response went, and how the birds have done after release.

Bio: Dr. Rebecca Duerr has served as the Director of Research and Veterinary Science at International Bird Rescue’s two wildlife clinics in California since 2009. She earned her DVM, MPVM, and PhD degrees at University of California, Davis, with PhD work on avian physiology and nutritional energetics focused on Common Murres and Western Grebes. She has served on the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association's Board of Directors since 2014.

Acupuncture and TCVM applications in wildlife rehabilitation: 'Do the Opie-Pokey and turn your critter around'

Presented by Dr. Jon Enyart

As wildlife rehabilitation continues to evolve, the integration of holistic approaches such as Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) and acupuncture is gaining recognition for its significant benefits in promoting healing and enhancing the well-being of wildlife patients. This presentation delves into the pivotal role of acupuncture and TCVM in the context of wildlife rehabilitation, with a focus on the successful management of radial nerve injuries in Virginia Opossums.

The introductory segment of the presentation sets the stage by highlighting the foundational concepts of acupuncture and TCVM in veterinary medicine. Attendees will gain insight into the principles of TCVM pattern differentiation, acknowledging how this approach recognizes the intricate interplay between energy, matter, and spirit in living beings. The exploration of the main acupuncture meridians reveals a holistic understanding of the body's energy pathways, essential for effective treatment planning and patient care. Building upon these basics, the presentation delves into the indications for utilizing holistic care in wildlife patients. From acute injuries to chronic conditions, the integration of TCVM and acupuncture can complement conventional therapies, harnessing the body's innate healing mechanisms and promoting overall health and vitality.

The highlight of the presentation lies in the case reports of Virginia Opossums with radial nerve injuries, who were admitted to our care center after being ensnared in rat traps. Through a series of acupuncture treatments, these cases showcase the remarkable success achieved in restoring functionality and relieving pain. By sharing the journey of these patients, attendees will gain practical insights into treatment protocols, needle placement strategies, and the art of tailoring TCVM principles to the unique needs of wildlife patients.

In this 55-minute presentation, the integration of acupuncture, TCVM, and holistic health in wildlife rehabilitation emerges as a dynamic avenue for improving patient outcomes and expanding the scope of care provided. By embracing ancient wisdom in combination with modern veterinary practices, we pave the way for a holistic approach that not only heals the body but nurtures the spirit of the wild creatures we steward.

Bio: Dr. Jon oversees all things wildlife for San Diego Humane Society. He is responsible for the operational and medical departments of the Project Wildlife program. This includes the Pilar & Chuck Bahde Wildlife Center in San Diego and the Ramona Wildlife Center, as well as any wildlife related issues across the organization. Dr. Jon works closely with the Project Wildlife team and SDHS leadership to ensure the most updated protocols and medicine are available to their patients.

Dr. Jon first found his passion for wildlife at a very young age living in Kansas. Every frog, snake or bird who needed care was in good hands with his dad helping him provide first-aid. It was no surprise when he graduated from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2006. While his goal was to help wildlife, he spent almost 10 years working in companion animal emergency hospitals. This allowed Dr. Jon to gain a vast amount of triage and intensive care training. He then spent almost 4 years developing skills and experience in holistic medicine, eventually becoming acupuncture certified.

In October 2018, Dr. Jon was hired as the first full-time veterinarian for the Project Wildlife program at San Diego Humane Society. His emergency and holistic experience has been instrumental in the development of standards and best practices for the wildlife of San Diego. He continues to build on his leadership abilities with the focus on being a supportive leader who helps all staff with education and professional development.

Aviaries aren't Cages.
Presented by Monte Merrick

Building aviaries that are safe for patient and caregiver alike, that meet the objectives of wildlife rehabilitation - recovery and treatment while safeguarding freedom wildness and privacy - and can be built with basic carpentry skills (that rehabilitators should acquire) is achievable by all! Using Humboldt Wildlife Care Center's aviaries built on a shoestring budget as examples, as well as some others, we'll look at ways to solve the problems of housing the unhousable - Wild Birds! Building aviaries that provide Passerines as well as Pelicans an environment that encourages their recovery requires the guidance of a care provider. The materials are basic, as are the construction techniques and can be learned as you go. Hospital aviaries are not cages, they are tools used in our treatment plans. At the very least, knowing what materials are needed and how they can be constructed will give you the language you may need to teach someone who doesn't have your knowledge of care how to accommodate the needs of our patients. Discussion will be encouraged!

Bio: Monte Merrick started at the PAWS Wildlife Center in Lynnwood Washington in June of 1999 as a Tuesday, 1-5 volunteer. After specializing in Aquatic birds for nearly ten years, both in day to day rehabilitation, as a care provider and a facility manager, as well as in oil spill response and other wildlife emergency responses, Monte Merrick has led Humboldt Wildlife Care Center as it develops into a fully equipped wildlife hospital with a strong component in educating future wildlife rehabilitators. Monte is also very proud of the fact that he was CCWR's inaugural Advocacy Committe Chair. In 2009 Monte along with his favorite five colleagues became a co-founder and co-director of Bird Ally X.

Barn Owl Nest Box Considerations
Presented by Rebecca Dmytryk

Artificial nest boxes for American barn owls can be useful for rehabiliators with renesting and wild-fostering, as well as soft releases. However, the design of the box is important. This presentation will cover the most critical design components of a barn owl nest box and how they can impact the health and welfare of resident owls.

Bio: Rebecca Dmytryk has been working in the field of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation for over 40 years. She founded Wildlife Emergency Response in Malibu in 1996, which led to her founding The California Wildlife Center in 1998. Today she runs Wildlife Emergency Services out of the Monterey Bay Area, offering assistance with difficult and technical animal rescues. She and her husband Duane Titus also run Humane Wildlife Control, a business dedicated to ethical and ecologically sound solutions to human wildlife conflicts.

Barnie Stewart's Very Good Things: Clever tips and genius ideas to elevate standard of care and save your sanity

Presented by Veronica Bowers

Veronica Bowers has a passion for songbirds and has been working exclusively with this diverse and challenging group of wildlife since 1999. She is the director and founder of Native Songbird Care and Conservation. Located in Sebastopol, California, NSCC is a state and federally permitted wildlife rehabilitation facility devoted exclusively to the care of native passerines. Native Songbird Care & Conservation cares for approximately 1,000 songbirds each year.

Barnie Stewart, a world renowned Barn Swallow and avian lifestyle expert, shares their favorite tips and genius ideas from Native Songbird Care & Conservation that support their gold standard of care for native passerines.

Clinical signs and pathology associated with domoic acid toxicosis in southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis)

Presented by Melissa Miller

Domoic acid (DA) is a marine biotoxin that exerts potent excitatory activity in the brain, heart, and other tissues. Produced by the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia spp., DA accumulates in marine invertebrates, fish, and sediment. Southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) feed primarily on crustaceans and bivalves that concentrate and slowly depurate DA. Due to their high prey consumption (25% of body weight/day), sea otters are commonly exposed to DA. We assessed 823 necropsied southern sea otters for DA-associated pathology. Acute DA cases typically presented with CNS-centric clinical signs and lesions, and systemic vascular pathology; chronic cases presented with cardiovascular pathology that was often more severe than observed brain pathology, and subacute cases were characterized by concurrent CNS and cardiac lesion expansion accompanied by host response to DA-associated tissue damage. The chronicity of DA-associated CNS pathology matched that for DA-associated cardiac pathology in 87% (n=47/54) of cases assessed for lesion chronicity, supporting a shared causal relationship (DA toxicosis) for both processes. The remaining 13% (n=7/54) exhibited mixed patterns of acute, subacute, and chronic DA pathology, suggestive of recurrent DA toxicosis. This is the first effort to develop a rigorous case definition for DA toxicosis in sea otters. Diagnosing this common but often occult condition is important for improving clinical care and assessing population-level impacts of DA exposure in this federally listed threatened subspecies. Because humans, sea otters, and other animals consume the same marine foods, efforts to characterize health effects of DA exposure in southern sea otters can provide strong collateral benefits.

Bio: Melissa earned her BS and MS in Wildlife Management at the University of New Hampshire, and her DVM at the University of California, Davis. She completed her Residency and PhD training in Veterinary Pathology at UC Davis, and has worked as a Veterinarian, Pathologist and Research Scientist at the Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center, run by the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife in Santa Cruz, California since 1999. Melissa’s diagnostic and research focus centers on health and conservation of California’s marine wildlife, especially threatened and endangered species and animals that are most vulnerable to oil spills. Her areas of research specialization include infectious disease, parasitology, land-sea pollution, and marine and freshwater biotoxins.

Evaluation of the efficacy of over-the-counter Canine Distemper tests in the wildlife rehab setting

Presented by Juliana Sorem

Canine distemper occurs in several species regularly encountered by wildlife rehabilitators in California. Given the poor prognosis for survival in infected animals as well as the concern for infecting other patients in care it is important to quickly and accurately diagnose the disease. The quickest and most most accurate test currently available to us is a PCR test run through an outside lab. The cost and sometimes slow turnaround times for test results limit the use of this test for many wildlife rehab facilities. There are less expensive, point-of-care distemper antigen tests available for purchase outside the United States, however. During a Marin County canine distemper outbreak from mid-2020 to 2022, we evaluated the accuracy and utility of these point-of-care tests by running paired tests (both PCR and point-of-care) for each animal suspected of having the disease and compared the results, with the PCR results representing the gold standard. Compilation of the results showed that strong positive results on the point-of-care tests consistently correlated with positive PCR results and there were few false negative results compared with the PCR results. We concluded that the point-of-care antigen test is a cost-effective and useful tool when used in conjunction with clinical findings in a wildlife rehab setting.

Bio: Juliana Sorem is the veterinarian at WildCare, a wildlife rehabilitation, education and advocacy organization in San Rafael, CA. After graduation from vet school at the University of California, Davis in 2006 she interned at the Pet Emergency and Specialty Center of Marin in San Rafael, then spent 11 years working in companion animal practice. In 2018 she returned to WildCare, where she had previously spent many satisfying years as a volunteer, as the organization's first staff veterinarian. She lives in Berkeley, California, with her partner and an ever-changing roster of domestic and foster wild animals.

Flying under the Influence: The Dangers of Peppercorn in American Robins

Presented by Maria Gonzalez Ceron

In Jan 2023, Project Wildlife saw its largest migration of American Robins in San Diego County. Many presented with varied injuries and clinical signs indicative of neurotoxicity- similar to other winter residents such as Cedar Waxings. Upon a gross necropsy, many presented with peppercorn seed in their digestive tract.

Bio: Maria Gonzalez works as a Wildlife Technician at San Diego Humane Society- Project Wildlife. She started with Project Wildlife as a volunteer back in 2006 and has devoted her life to studying, rehabilitating and education for San Diego's native wildlife. Earning her bachelors degree from San Diego State University in Biology (with Zoology emphasis), Maria has also collaborated with the San Diego Natural History Museum for 8 years in avian museum prepping for their vast collection. She is also an published illustrator for the book "Extinction and Radiation: How the fall of Dinosaurs led to the Rise of Mammals"

Here’s the Poop: Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Gastrointestinal Pathogens

Presented by Guthrum Purdin, DVM

Wildlife rehabilitators commonly encounter patients with gastrointestinal problems. Often these issues are caused by parasites or other pathogens. Worms, yeast, and all sorts of single celled organisms can cause illness and compromise our patients’ abilities to heal from other health challenges. In this lecture we will discuss the various types of pathogens commonly seen in wildlife rehabilitation, how to recognize them, and what to do about it.

Bio: Dr. Guthrum Purdin began his career with wildlife over 30 years ago as a volunteer at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA, where he was active for 18 years. To expand his knowledge of wildlife rehabilitation, he started working with birds, reptiles, and land mammals at several California wildlife shelters. After making his living as a professional jeweler and then a movie propmaker in Hollywood, he decided to pursue a full–time career in veterinary medicine and wildlife rehabilitation. Since receiving a BS in Marine Biology from San Francisco State University and a DVM from the University of California, Davis, he has provided medical care for a myriad of animal species, both wild and domestic. Dr. Purdin is currently the veterinarian at the California Wildlife Center in Malibu Canyon, California, which treats several thousand animals a year, ranging from hummingbirds and finches to elephant seals and sea lions.

Long-term change and seasonal spillover of fatal Profilicollis altmani infection in California sea otters from avian and crustacean hosts

Presented by Richard Grewelle

Southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) face numerous risks to population recovery from infectious diseases, shark attacks, and biotoxins. In a previous study, the most significant contributor to fatal infectious disease in sea otters was acanthocephalan peritonitis (AP). Despite the importance of AP-associated otter mortality, pathways to spillover of this parasite from its avian definitive hosts (seabirds and shorebirds) and crustacean intermediate hosts, Pacific mole crabs (Emerita analoga), are unresolved. To investigate the epidemiology of AP, we surveyed sea otter (n=80) and avian (n=63) gastrointestinal tracts for Profilicollis altmani parasites. Parasites were quantified, and a subset (n=403) was identified via morphological examination. We also analyzed 30-year datasets of sea otter strandings (n= 4,460 cases), population monitoring of wintering seabirds, sea surface temperatures (SST) within the extant southern sea otter range, and 20 years of Pacific mole crab beach monitoring data (n= 84,212 core samples). Analytical, statistical, and machine learning models were developed to assess the roles of host population dynamics, environmental forces, and otter foraging in seasonal and longitudinal risk of AP for southern sea otters. Seasonal spillover risk to southern sea otters was primarily influenced by high coastal abundance of Pacific mole crabs as determined by beach surveys and prey analysis. In contrast, abundance of wintering avian hosts (e.g., Melanitta spp.) did not significantly elevate seasonal P. altmani transmission, suggesting that multiple avian species sustained transmission year-round. Long-term trend analyses suggest that seasonal, demographic, and geographic patterns of AP incidence in southern sea otters have shifted. Strong positive associations between Pacific mole crab abundance and ocean temperatures are expected to increase transmission of P. altmani to avian and sea otter hosts in a warming climate. This study underscores the importance of long-term monitoring of sea otters and other hosts to assess the evolving risks of AP to sea otter population growth and informs population recovery efforts.

Bio: Richard Grewelle is a wildlife biologist who studies diseases of marine organisms. In his undergraduate years, he led field crews for the US Geological Survey to study Bubonic Plague in terrestrial mammals, which inspired him to pursue a PhD in disease ecology. He holds undergraduate degrees in mathematics, chemistry, and biology and received his PhD in biology from Stanford University in 2022, where his dissertation won the Samuel Karlin prize for mathematics achievement in biology. Part of his PhD included an extensive collaboration with CA Department of Fish and Wildlife as well as citizen science and wildlife rehabilitation organizations to investigate the transmission of a fatal parasite to southern sea otters from crustaceans and birds in California. He is now a post-doctoral scholar in Stanford's genetics department working on the genetics of infectious diseases and immunity in corals and anemones.

Making a Killing Not Killing
Presented by Rebecca Dmytryk

This is a motivational talk designed to inspire rehabilitators to offer assistance with nuisance wildlife complaints, and how providing such services can help fund their wildlife rehabilitation program, while also saving additional wildlife in their community.

Molecular characterization of terrestrial-origin protozoa impacting southern sea otter health

Presented by Dr. Devinn Sinnott and Dr. Karen Shapiro

The protozoal parasites Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis neurona are common pathogens and important causes of mortality in southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) along the central California coast. These parasites are shed by terrestrial hosts (felids for T. gondii and opossums for S. neurona), and travel into the near-shore environment where sea otters become infected. We will present findings from a study that combined molecular characterization of T. gondii isolates from sea otters with results from detailed postmortem examinations, providing a unique opportunity to evaluate whether parasite genotype influences pathological outcome. A new discovery revealing a rare genotype of T. gondii has also been recently reported to cause fatal and severe steatitis - a condition that has not been previously described with protozoal infections in sea otters. More recent efforts are currently underway to investigate whether S. neurona genotypes are also associated with different disease outcomes in sea otters. Sarcocystis neurona infection can be incidental or fatal in southern sea otters and it can cause large-scale epizootics. Ongoing research characterizing S. neurona genotypes from infected sea otters suggests that differences exist in parasite genotype diversity between incidental and fatal infections. While genotype may play a role in disease outcome, S. neurona infection is likely a heterogeneous disease in southern sea otters that can be influenced by parasite, host, and environmental factors. Molecularly characterizing these parasites has provided insight on land-to-sea transmission patterns, virulence, and population health impacts of these pathogens infecting southern sea otters.

Bio: Dr. Devinn Sinnott received her DVM from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, then completed a residency in zoo/wildlife pathology at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and the San Diego Zoo. She is currently a PhD student in Dr. Karen Shapiro’s lab at UC Davis studying the genomics, pathologic lesions, and epidemiology of protozoal parasites in southern sea otters and black bears.

Dr. Karen Shapiro received her DVM, PhD, and MPVM degrees from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, where she is currently an Associate Professor. Her lab broadly studies protozoal pathogen pollution across many species and environmental matrices, including zoonotic protozoa detection in shellfish, protozoal interactions with microplastics in the marine environment, the epidemiology and molecular characterization of protozoal pathogens in marine mammals, and clinical diagnostics for protozoa infecting domestic animals and wildlife.

Rat-Proofing and Other Humane Solutions to Wildlife Conflicts at Centers and Beyond Presented by Rebecca Dmytryk

This presentation will provide tips and tricks for rodent-proofing buildings and animal enclosures including outdoor areas. It will also cover various humane strategies for keeping other wild animals out of certain areas, as well as simple and effective solutions to the most common human-wildlife conflicts.

Reuniting and Re-Nesting Baby Wildlife
Presented by Eduardo Ochoa and Niltzyn Camacho

Table talk on the importance of attempting to reunite wildlife, and how that benefits the animals, the rehabbers, and the community.

Bio: Niltzyn is a zoology graduate with a passion for wildlife. Over the past five years, shes immersed herself in the world of wildlife rehabilitation, earning the title of "Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator" (CWR). When shes not caring for animals, you'll find her hiking (she's also a certified California naturalist!), embracing the the beauty of the outdoors, and cherishing quality time with her family. Her true calling lies in addressing human-wildlife conflict--striving for harmonious coexistence between us and our local wildlife.

Eduardo has worked in animal welfare, both domestic and wild, for nearly a decade. Since joining Pasadena Humane's wildlife team he has become a certified wildlife rehabilitator and California naturalist. He spends a lot of his time outdoors with his dog Luca, and enjoys gardening with an emphasis in native plants.

Stress: How Our Everyday Actions Can Make the Difference Between Life and Death for Our Patients

Presented by Marie Travers and January Bill

As wildlife rehabilitators, a fundamental component of our work is creating treatments and housing that support recovery or growth. The stress our patients experience while in care can have profound impacts on their health, ability to recover, amount of time in care, and ultimately, their releasability. The physical, physiological and psychological responses to stressors can inhibit wound healing and growth, depress the immune response, decrease nutrient absorption, and can cause permanent damage to multiple body systems. As humans, we are unable to see or detect many of the stressors that impact our patients, or much of the internal damage caused by stress. All of these factors make it vitally important for us to understand what causes stress so we can provide the best care to our patients. While it is impossible to completely eliminate stress from the wildlife patient experience, it is possible to prioritize mitigating it. There are many simple actions we can take to improve the experiences and outcomes for our patients. Understanding, then reducing stressors has the potential to result in better patient outcomes and shorter time in care. In this presentation we will talk about how the stress response works in the body, how it impacts the health of our wildlife patients, and how our everyday actions can make the difference between life and death. The emerging science and evidence on how stress impacts health provides us with the opportunity to improve our rehabilitation so we can better care for wildlife.

Bio: January Bill and Marie Travers are aquatic bird and oiled wildlife specialists who met and became friends in 2002 while working the S.S. Jacob Luckenback oil spill. Since then, they have helped co-found Bird Ally X and co-author the book An Introduction to Wildlife Rehabilitation. They were contributors to the Animal Welfare and Aquatic Bird chapters in the NWRA/IWRC publication Standards to Wildlife Rehabilitation. Since 2018, they have managed avian botulism outbreaks at the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex and have treated over 4,000 birds of 44 species by developing a new botulism treatment that focuses on stress reduction. They believe learning about stress in wildlife patients and reducing stressors to the best of our ability is key to successful wildlife rehabilitation.

The Stress You Know, The Better: Minimizing Stress in Wildlife Rehabilitation Patients Presented by Dr. Alexis Wohl

We have all experienced getting a cold or flu during stressful times in our lives because our immune systems are compromised, but have you ever wondered exactly why this occurs? Wildlife rehabilitation facilities are high-stress environments for our patients, and it’s believed stress is the number one reason animals die in care. Because of this, we know we must do everything in our power to reduce stress in the rehabilitation process. This lecture will cover the physiologic and pathologic reasons why stress is associated with: increase in parasite loads, increase in disease transmission, delayed healing times and more. We will also cover ways to reduce stress with husbandry techniques, including: enclosure set-ups, handling techniques, noise reductions techniques, and more. Lastly, a general overview of pharmaceuticals used to reduce stress will be discussed, ranging from controlled substances, to prescriptions drugs. While it is impossible to fully eliminate stress in wildlife rehabilitation, all of us can adopt more techniques to reduce stress levels in rehab animals, which will result in shorter length of stays and more successful releases.

Bio: Dr. Alexis Wohl was born and raised in New York and received her bachelor’s degree in Biology, with a focus on pre-veterinary medicine from the State University of New York in Binghamton. After receiving her degree, she completed an internship in wildlife rehabilitation at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, which sparked her interest in wildlife medicine. She then received her veterinary degree from Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California. During her schooling, she volunteered and externed at 7 different wildlife centers around the country. After graduation, she completed a veterinary internship in emergency, general practice, and exotic animal medicine. She then completed two wildlife veterinary internships, one at Tufts Wildlife Center and one at Project Wildlife. She is now a staff veterinarian at Project Wildlife, which is a high-volume wildlife rehabilitation center in San Diego, seeing close to 14,000 patients every year, ranging from songbirds and rattlesnakes to mountain lions and bears.

Three sedation protocols to minimize the stress of handling and examination in great horned owls (Bubo virginaus)

Presented by Dr. Michelle Hawkins

Wild raptors become stressed and react adversely to manual restraint, which is required for examination and treatment. Chemical restraint can allow for performing procedures while reducing handling stress, adverse physiologic effects on the bird and hazards to the handler. The aims of this study were to determine whether three sedation protocols will minimize adverse physiological responses secondary to manual restraint by comparing selective baseline and sedated values for respiration rate and quality, heart rate and pulse quality, blood glucose and blood lactate concentrations and venous blood gas values periodically throughout the sedation period. Sedation protocols were also evaluated for the time to sedation, initial movement, time to standing with and without ataxia, time to complete recovery, and sedation quality throughout the sedation period. Six adult healthy great horned owls (Bubo virginianus; GHOW) were used in this study. None of the GHOW received other medications or undergo any sedative or anesthetic procedures for at least one month prior to the study. A within-subjects, complete crossover study design was used. Each GHOW was administered three separate treatments IM in their right or left pectoral muscles of: (1) midazolam 2 mg/kg and dexmedetomidine 0.05 mg/kg IM; (2) midazolam 2 mg/kg and hydromorphone 0.6 mg/kg IM; and (3) midazolam 2 mg/kg, hydromorphone 0.3 mg/kg, and dexmedetomidine 0.02 mg/kg IM. A washout period of at least 7 days between treatments was given. Sedation scores, heart rate and respiratory rate were assessed and recorded every 5 minutes throughout the sedation period. Depth of sedation was assessed by scoring 1-4 of muscle tone of the jaw, wing, and leg; response to auditory stimuli; eyelid blink; nystagmus; body movement; and muscle tremors. Once the physical examination was complete, birds were positioned for VD and lateral whole-body radiographs. We have completed data collection and are currently completing statistics for this study.

Bio: Dr. Hawkins received her veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997. She completed a residency and fellowship in Avian and Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery at the University of California, Davis in 2001. After 2 years in private exotic animal practice, she joined the faculty of the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. She is currently Professor of Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine and Surgery and the Director of the California Raptor Center. Her main research focus is in anesthesia, analgesia and critical patient care for birds, especially raptors.

Understanding Users of a Wildlife Helpline: A study on public attitudes and beliefs about wildlife rehabilitation

Presented by Lauren Hamlett

Wildlife rehabilitation is an under-utilized field for research in the human dimensions of wildlife. Understanding how people in urban communities seek assistance with wildlife concerns, who is using the community tools in place (in this case a Wildlife Helpline), and what these users believe about wildlife and wildlife rehabilitation has been scarcely studied. An exploratory survey was distributed to users of the Pasadena Humane wildlife helpline. This survey was created to gather demographic data and create a profile of wildlife helpline users as well as characterize the experience and utilization of the wildlife helpline along with identifying beliefs about wildlife rehabilitation and wildlife value orientations of the community Pasadena Humane serves. The study used descriptive statistics and non-parametric testing to analyze the data collected from the survey. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the users of wildlife helplines and their attitudes toward wildlife rehabilitation.

Bio: Lauren is the Director of Wildlife Services and Education at Pasadena Humane. She recently graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a Master of Science in Regenerative Studies. She has lived and worked in a variety of fields from teaching grade school in Alaska, to sheep farming in Washington State. She currently lives in Pasadena with her big dog, Dodger.

The Wild World of Advocating for Wildlife
Presented by Jennifer Fearing

This will be a fast-paced presentation sharing out recent state legislative, budget, and regulatory efforts impacting wildlife in California and advice for rehabilitators and others from a seasoned advocate for wildlife.

Bio: Jennifer Fearing runs Fearless Advocacy, a Sacramento-based advocacy firm specializing in advancing the policy agendas of mission-based and cause-oriented organizations. She has helped spearhead more than 100 successful state legislative and regulatory campaigns in California, many aimed at positively impacted wildlife in the state. Among her clients are National Wildlife Federation, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Oceana, Occidental Arts & Ecology Center, Ocean Conservancy, and San Diego Humane Society (Project Wildlife). More here: http://www.fearlessadvocacy.com/about

Working with Bats
Presented by Corky Quirk

Whether you work with bats direction or deal with the calls and questions, there will be something here for you. The presentation will include basic evaluation and in take as well as the various calls received by centers about bats.

Bio: Corky Quirk is the founder of NorCal Bats, an organization that provides care for injured bats and educational programs for libraries, school, nature programs, fairs and other events throughout the region. Corky has been working intensely with native bats since 2004 and has educated thousands of people. She works with injured and orphaned bats, returning them to the wild and keeps a captive colony of non-releasable bats for use in education.

WRMD 4.0, WildAlert and other updates
Presented by Rachel Avilla and Devin Dombrowski

The Wild Neighbors Database Project has grown exponentially in the past few years in no small part thanks to California wildlife rehabilitators. WRMD 4.0 has a planned release of early 2024. We want to show our California community the new updates and changes that will take place. We will also do an update on the real-time wildlife disease surveillance program WildAlert and how this program is expanding through out the US.

Bio: Rachel and Devin have been involved in wildlife rehabilitation for over 20 years. Starting at Lindsay Wildlife as interns to working and or volunteering for numerous other organizations through out the world. As co-founders and project managers of the Wild Neighbors Database Project this has taken up most of their time to run and manage for the benefit of our community.

Workshops/Labs

Splints and Wraps for Avian Leg and Foot Fractures
Presented by Dr. Rebecca Duerr and Dr. Guthrim Purdin

Foot and leg fractures are very common in avian admissions, especially in juvenile birds. In this lecture and lab we will cover relevant anatomy, common fractures and prognosis, species variation, effective treatment with splints and wraps, and how to decide if the fractured bird is a euthanasia or surgical candidate.

Bio: Dr. Rebecca Duerr is the Director of Research and Veterinary Science at International Bird Rescue’s two wildlife clinics in California. She earned a BS in Marine Biology and Limnology from San Francisco State University, then completed her DVM, MPVM, and PhD degrees at University of California, Davis. Her graduate work focused on the clinical care of oiled seabirds, plus nutritional energetics and avian physiology. Current areas of research interest include post-release survival of rehabilitated wild birds, pharmacokinetics of common medications in uncommon species, wild bird health, welfare, captive care, and diseases, mitigation of anthropogenic causes of wildlife mortality, and investigation into the causes of mass stranding events. She has served on the Board of Directors of the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association since 2014 and serves on the Oiled Wildlife Care Network's Scientific Advisory Committee.

The 60 Second Necropsy for the Busy Rehabilitator
Presented by Dr. Maria Pyrdek and Dr. Naomi Barney

Understanding and confirming why our patients have died is critical to becoming a better care provider for future patients. In a busy wildlife setting, it is easy to make assumptions without evidence and move onto the next patient. However, confirming your physical exam findings or a cause of death is critical to improving the care of the next patient. This lecture and lab will seek to provide wildlife rehabilitators with the understanding, skill and confidence to perform a necropsy on their own patients after they have passed and discuss ways to apply this knowledge to improve future care. Both small mammal and small avian necropsy techniques, basic anatomy and common abnormal findings will be discussed. Participants will have the opportunity to practice hands on necropsy techniques after an opening lecture.

**Please note, the type of necropsy being discussed is not a replacement for sending animals of interest
to CA Fish and Wildlife, but rather for smaller patients such as squirrels/rabbits/passerines that are treated on a regular basis.

Bio: Chief Veterinarian & Animal Care Officer, Dr. Maria Pyrdek, joined Pasadena Humane in 2019 as an associate veterinarian, becoming the organization’s chief veterinarian in 2022. Prior to Pasadena Humane, Dr. Pyrdek worked with Banfield Pet Hospital in Seal Beach, CA and as a wildlife rehabilitator with the Animal Rescue League of Pittsburgh, PA. She graduated from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Pyrdek is passionate about working to provide quality, evidence-based medical care to all animals. She loves collaborating with teams to come up with creative ways to solve problems and utilize resources. Her experience across not-for-profit domestic animal sheltering and wildlife rehabilitation, as well as the corporate veterinary world, provides her with a unique perspective on the strengths and challenges of many areas of veterinary medicine. When she is not working, you can find her exploring a new country, listening to music or off-roading, in the wilderness with her husband and two dogs.

Dr. Naomi Barney earned her B.S. from the University of California, Davis in Animal Biology, where she focused her studies on Marten genetics before making the leap into Veterinary Medicine - graduating from the same institution as a DVM in 2019. While in veterinary school, she discovered the unique field of shelter medicine and its intersection with exotics/wildlife medicine. Since then, she has focused her career working in the non-profit world, spending time in Western Pennsylvania as an associate DVM for a local shelter before returning to her Southern California roots and joining the Pasadena Humane team. In her free time, Dr. Barney can be found lounging with her 2 dogs, losing track of time with a good book and even better cafe, or working on her aspirations to become a contestant on the Great British Bake Off (a permanent work-in-progress).

Wildlife Search and Rescue
Presented by Rebecca Dmytryk

This workshop will cover the basic tactics and strategies and equipment to safely capture and contain wild animals in distress, including flighted birds. Equipment will include modified hoop nets, open-ended net, the bal chatri, drop traps, single noose snare, and land seine. The lab portion of the presentation will involve setup and deployment of capture equipment.