Description
Diagnose, treat, and research diseases and injuries of wild animals. Includes veterinarians who conduct field research, support conservation and rehabilitation programs, respond to wildlife health incidents, or care for free-ranging and captive wildlife.
- • Examine free-ranging and captive wildlife to assess injuries, illness, and overall health.
- • Treat injured or ill wildlife with medications, wound care, fracture management, or surgery.
- • Develop and oversee rehabilitation plans and determine criteria for release.
- • Administer vaccinations or prophylaxis in rehabilitation, sanctuaries, or targeted campaigns.
- • Collect and process blood, swabs, feces, tissues, or environmental samples for diagnostics.
- • Operate and interpret portable imaging and diagnostic equipment, and coordinate lab testing.
- • Conduct humane field capture, restraint, anesthesia, and immobilization procedures.
- • Perform necropsies to determine causes of morbidity and mortality in wildlife.
- • Design and implement disease surveillance and population health monitoring programs.
- • Establish quarantine, biosecurity, and testing for intake, translocation, or reintroduction.
- • Advise wildlife managers and rehabilitators on nutrition, husbandry, and disease prevention.
- • Lead or support translocation, reintroduction, and capture-mark-recapture health assessments.
- • Investigate and manage outbreaks of avian influenza, rabies, distemper, CWD, or similar diseases.
- • Conduct wildlife health research and conservation medicine studies; publish or present findings.
- • Evaluate and refine anesthesia, drug therapies, and field surgical techniques for wildlife.
- • Train and supervise technicians, rehabilitators, students, or volunteers in wildlife care and safety.
- • Educate communities and stakeholders on zoonotic risks, wildlife welfare, and coexistence.
- • Humanely euthanize animals when warranted and comply with legal and ethical standards.
- • Maintain permits, detailed medical records, sample chain-of-custody, and regulatory compliance.
- • Manage budgets, grants, inventories, and logistics for field clinics or rehabilitation facilities.
- • Participate in continuing education and maintain professional certifications and permits.
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Agriculture
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026
