A number of weeks in the past my Block III tutor group was abuzz with the information that our tutor, Dr. Robin Radcliffe, and his colleagues had been honored with the 2021 Ig Nobel Prize in recognition of their work evaluating the efficacy of transporting rhinoceroses by hanging them the other way up from helicopters. The prize, awarded yearly since 1991, goals to “honor achievements that first make individuals snort, after which make them suppose.” To these of us within the tutor group fascinated by conservation and wildlife drugs, it was a welcome reminder that we’re surrounded by school at Cornell who’ve finished what can generally really feel just like the unimaginable: solid a profession on the earth of zoo and wildlife drugs. Charged with renewed inspiration, I reached out to Dr. Radcliffe within the hopes of studying extra about his profession trajectory and his present work.
Dr. Radcliffe obtained his veterinary diploma from the College of Minnesota alongside his twin brother & fellow Cornell school member, Dr. Rolfe Radcliffe. Says Dr. Radcliffe, “We went from kindergarten via vet college collectively.” Whereas a vet pupil Dr. Radcliffe pursued wildlife-centric externships and experiences, although he’s fast to notice, “I used to be somewhat bit disheartened by vet college as a result of there weren’t as many alternatives as there at the moment are in wildlife.” After acquiring his DVM, Dr. Radcliffe labored in a blended animal follow after which spent a 12 months working completely with camelids earlier than returning to Fossil Rim Wildlife Heart, the place he had been an extern, to work as an affiliate veterinarian. He later took over as Director of Animal Well being. Whereas at Fossil Rim, Dr. Radcliffe accomplished the necessities for board certification within the American School of Zoological Medication via the experiential observe. Of his considerably unconventional path to board certification he says, “I most well-liked the experiential pathway as a result of I wasn’t fascinated by a zoological place. I knew I wished to work with subject conservation and free-ranging wildlife populations, and even now there’s just one accepted wildlife well being residency. There’s in all probability going to be extra coming, however once I went to high school there have been no accepted wildlife residencies so it was more durable then.” He spent a couple of decade at Fossil Rim Wildlife Heart working largely with rhinoceroses earlier than transferring to the Worldwide Rhino Basis and finally, to Cornell. At Cornell, Dr. Radcliffe teaches, conducts ongoing analysis into all kinds of endangered species, and has developed coaching applications, most importantly, the Engaged Cornell Program.
The variety of his work is a part of what appeals to him, in accordance with Dr. Radcliffe, although in recent times he has been taking over extra initiatives near residence. “I’ve spent a great a part of my profession touring everywhere in the world which was nice—I liked it—however I’m additionally very fascinated by ensuring that we preserve and defend the wildlife proper right here at residence. I feel that’s necessary. Should you’re going to do worldwide work, I feel it’s important that you just deal with or not less than have some expertise with conservation in your individual a part of the world as a result of a lot of it’s communities and folks.” Whereas he has tremendously loved the alternatives that his job has afforded, he notes, “Most individuals suppose that it’s so glamorous to be a wildlife veterinarian, and it may be, however there’s a lot work that goes right into a profitable partnership and a subject undertaking that folks don’t essentially acknowledge up entrance. I do spend a whole lot of time on that, on communication with companions, grant writing, and serving to to maintain the initiatives that I’m invested in.” One other basic a part of profitable initiatives overseas, in accordance with Dr. Radcliffe, is a dedication to sustaining relationships with analysis companions. “I feel for me, crucial factor is curiosity, and never simply scientific curiosity, however curiosity concerning the place you’re going and the surroundings, the individuals, the language, the tradition. It’s best to go into a spot ready to be taught the language and recognize the tradition. For me, a long run partnership is one through which I come away with it feeling like I’ve friendships and long run relationships there. I can talk with my colleagues any time, day or evening. They may assist me in a pinch and I’ll do something for them. It’s additionally little issues, like once we publish something, we at all times embrace the native authors and, as a rule, the native authors are lead authors on the publication.”
For college students trying to enter the more and more aggressive subject, Dr. Radcliffe’s first suggestion is to capitalize on the alternatives now we have right here at Cornell Vet. “I feel there’s a whole lot of experience right here at Cornell and there’s a whole lot of alternatives.” These embrace Engaged Cornell, Increasing Horizons, and a myriad of programs geared toward college students fascinated by pursuing careers in zoo, wildlife, and exotics drugs. Dr. Radcliffe teaches a 3-part course known as Conservation with Communities for One Well being, which displays the multi-disciplinary mindset essential to efficient conservation work. Each undergraduate and veterinary college students are in a position to take this course, and a subset of them journey in groups to subject websites within the Congo, Uganda, and Indonesia to take part in initiatives with establishments that Dr. Radcliffe has constructed relationships with over time, together with the Jane Goodall Institute and WWF-Indonesia. Coursework apart, Dr. Radcliffe encourages college students to benefit from networking alternatives and to pursue externships that excite them.
Between coaching the subsequent era of wildlife veterinarians and dealing to avoid wasting endangered species, Dr. Radcliffe has a full plate to say the least. Amid the challenges his work presents he stays optimistic, citing a latest expertise in Alaska working with gyrfalcon. “Their perspective in Alaska is let’s save the gyrfalcon and the Arctic ecosystem at first’s gone. My message for future wildlife college students is that this: let’s be proactive and use our assets the most effective we will as a result of it’s very costly to get better endangered species, it’s very costly to take action in a zoo in a captive setting. The Alaskan perspective, which I like, is let’s handle our species earlier than they grow to be endangered!” Within the case of already endangered species like Javan and Sumatran rhinos, there are large obstacles to beat. Nonetheless, Dr. Radcliffe feels his most impactful work could also be finished in mentoring colleagues and coaching college students. “That’s the form of impression that I really feel is crucial that I could make in the long run.”
Colleen Sorge, Class of 2024, is initially from Lengthy Island, NY. She graduated with a B.S. in Animal Science and a minor in English from Cornell College. She typically finds herself lacking her humanities programs in vet college and is thrilled she will be able to mix her passions for writing and for veterinary drugs because the WildLIFE Weblog Editor.