From ECOSUR postgraduate program:
Mauricio Casas (PhD student, Tapachula, Chiapas)
Sergio Guerrero (M Sc student, SCLC, Chiapas)
Víctor Hugo González-Sánchez (MSc student, Chetumal)
External students:
María Luisa Müller Theissen (CDC, Guatemala)
Renske M. Gudde (MSc student, Utrecht University, Holanda)
Paloma Alcázar (WWF, Madre de Dios, Perú)
Robin Andres Poches-Franco (MSc student, Universidad Nacional, Colombia)
Marco Castro Martínez (CONANP, Tamaulipas, México)
Sergio Guerrero (M Sc student, SCLC, Chiapas)
Víctor Hugo González-Sánchez (MSc student, Chetumal)
External students:
María Luisa Müller Theissen (CDC, Guatemala)
Renske M. Gudde (MSc student, Utrecht University, Holanda)
Paloma Alcázar (WWF, Madre de Dios, Perú)
Robin Andres Poches-Franco (MSc student, Universidad Nacional, Colombia)
Marco Castro Martínez (CONANP, Tamaulipas, México)
The course was supported by special seminars by Dr. Elliott Jacobson (University of Florida) lecturing on reptile medicine and Dr. Gary García-Espinosa (FMVZ-UNAM) lecturing on wild birds and diseases.
There were four practical sessions: One of handling and blood sampling of crocodiles, necropsy of crocodiles (both at CETMAR-Campeche), a visit to the Animal Pathology Laboratory in Campeche and a final, five days mammal trapping and sampling session at the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve.
The students this year created a nice and friendly work environment and work very hard throughout the 30 days of the course. They read more than 18 papers on Conservation Medicine, wild animal health, ecological epidemiology and emerging infectious diseases from October 12th to November 5th, 2009.
At moments it was a bit cumbersome for me since Renske, the student from the Netherlands, speak almost no Spanish and most of the teaching had to be bi-lingual. Translating discussions of special topics represented a challenge for me and it was a learning experience. Since all (but Renske) were Spanish-speaking people, I decided to run the course in Spanish and translate to Renske. Most of the slide shows, however were in English.
Trapping in Calakmul was good and fun. We did not set all 60 traps but worked with 33 in a five-nights trapping session. The bad weather (lots of rain and two cold fronts) severely affected the trapping efforts and there was little animal movements around. We trapped lots of possums though, so that every student had at least one chance of handling and blood sampling a wild mammal. Guillermo set a few mist nets for bats and birds but that night rained a lot so the nets remained closed.
There were four practical sessions: One of handling and blood sampling of crocodiles, necropsy of crocodiles (both at CETMAR-Campeche), a visit to the Animal Pathology Laboratory in Campeche and a final, five days mammal trapping and sampling session at the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve.
The students this year created a nice and friendly work environment and work very hard throughout the 30 days of the course. They read more than 18 papers on Conservation Medicine, wild animal health, ecological epidemiology and emerging infectious diseases from October 12th to November 5th, 2009.
At moments it was a bit cumbersome for me since Renske, the student from the Netherlands, speak almost no Spanish and most of the teaching had to be bi-lingual. Translating discussions of special topics represented a challenge for me and it was a learning experience. Since all (but Renske) were Spanish-speaking people, I decided to run the course in Spanish and translate to Renske. Most of the slide shows, however were in English.
Trapping in Calakmul was good and fun. We did not set all 60 traps but worked with 33 in a five-nights trapping session. The bad weather (lots of rain and two cold fronts) severely affected the trapping efforts and there was little animal movements around. We trapped lots of possums though, so that every student had at least one chance of handling and blood sampling a wild mammal. Guillermo set a few mist nets for bats and birds but that night rained a lot so the nets remained closed.
Here some pictures (from different authors; Paloma, Victor G, Victor V and myself). I will put more later on.
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The students from left to right: Victor González, Sergio Guerrero, Marco Castro, Renske Gudde, Paloma Alcázar, Robin Poches, Mauricio Casas y María Luisa Müller
The students from left to right: Victor González, Sergio Guerrero, Marco Castro, Renske Gudde, Paloma Alcázar, Robin Poches, Mauricio Casas y María Luisa Müller
Vaccination time! Everybody had to be vaccinated for rabies for the mammal trapping session in Calakmul. Waiting and joking in the SSA waiting room.
Watching the local technician (Don Miguel?) performing brain preparations in dog skulls for rabies tests.
Spider monkey at the CBR. The students got the opportunity of watching lots of wildlife (two species of monkeys, deer, peccaries, crocodiles, possums, foxes, and more)
Robin "Pochesneger" with the Dan-inject (he seems to be waiting for Batman to teach the evil-doing a lesson!) What did he said after taking the picture?: "I'll be back" ("when I finish my own Poch-inject with a Gotcha gun"!)
In the last trapping day, a large ocelot killed and ate a trapped possum (D. virginiana) INSIDE the tomahawk trap (amazing, there is no such thing as a safe place in the jungle!). Here some students at the crime scene
The crime scene of the ocelot killing trap. He left just the trunk of the possum and ate most of the legs, skin and inners (without opening the trap! Wow!)
Victor Villalobos showing how to set and operate a large Tomahawk trap in the field. The assistance of both Guillermo and Victor was essential. Thank you guys!
At the end of the course in the farewell party in Sergio's house. Marco, María Luisa, Paloma, Renske and Robin.