Research and Conservation Projects

Conservation medicine is a growing field that combines veterinary science, conservation biology, and public health to promote the preservation of natural resources including our native wildlife species.

In 2012, CROW’s Board of Directors voted to support the expansion of our mission to include research applicable to conservation and wildlife medicine. As one of the world’s leading wildlife rehabilitation centers, CROW has a responsibility to contribute to the published literature in professional journals and present findings at major medical conferences. We are proud to collaborate with other scientists and organizations at local, state, national, and international levels. With a large diversity of patients (over 200 different native and migratory species), we are well poised to obtain information related to the health of local wildlife populations. This can in turn be shared with our conservation partners to effect change on a larger scale.

All of our research is benevolent “clinical” research, meaning we are collecting information in the normal course of diagnosis and treatment. No animals are harmed in the name of research at CROW.

  • 2022 Research Projects
    • Veterinary Medicine Intern, Dr. Kristie Schott is currently researching the effectiveness of regional limb perfusion treatments in seabirds with distal limb infections.
    • Veterinary Medicine Intern, Dr. Melanie Dittmer is investigating the prevalence and type of mange in squirrels and rabbits in Florida. Two Florida rabbits were recently diagnosed with a type of notoedric mange typically only seen in squirrels.
  • 2021 Research Projects
    • Use of intravenous lipid emulsion for treatment of brevetoxicosis in sea turtles:
      We concluded our research using intravenous lipid emulsion as a novel treatment for brevetoxicosis (aka red tide poisoning) in seabirds and sea turtles and co-authored a publication of this data in the prestigious journal, Scientific Reports.
    • We received a generous grant from NOAA to support our collaborative efforts with University of Florida, SCCF, and others in the Comprehensive Coastal Observing Network (CompCon) to determine if seabirds may serve as sentinels to warn us earlier of red tides in our area.
    • Veterinary Medicine Intern, Dr. Laura Kellow Investigated mortality in Florida Osprey with neurological signs that presented to CROW over a three month period. Samples submitted demonstrated altered mercury:selenium ratios indicative of mercury toxicosis which has both wildlife and One Health implications for water ecosystems in Florida.
    • Veterinary Medicine Intern, Dr. Charlotte Cournoyer investigated whether intralipid therapy would improve clinical signs and outcomes for Red-shouldered Hawks presenting with non-specific neurological signs given concern for possible bromethalin (rodenticide) toxicity.
  • 2019 Research Projects
    • Use of intravenous lipid emulsion for treatment of brevetoxicosis in sea turtles:
      In an ongoing collaborative study with the Loggerhead MarineLife Center in Juno Beach, FL, results show this treatment to be highly effective.
    • Caryospora in sea turtles:
      CROW collected fecal samples from sea turtles for this study in collaboration with Dr. Brian Stacy at NOAA looking for a parasite causing enteritis and death in sea turtles.
    • Validation of activated clotting time in double-crested cormorants:
      This study allowed us to better understand which diseases or toxins, like red tide, may affect these birds’ ability to clot blood normally.
    • White ibis survey:
      CROW is working in conjunction with Dr. Sonia Hernandez at the University of GA, studying the role of human resource provisioning on the behavior, ecology, and pathogen dynamics in white ibis.
    • Avian “TFAST” Study:
      Used ultrasound technology to look for evidence of disease, such as fungal infections like aspergillosis, in bird lungs.
    • Trichomonas survey in eagles: 
      CROW collected samples to screen for incidence of this parasite in bald eagles (collaboration with SCWDS).
  • 2018 Research Projects
    • One World, One Health: Working with Lee Health and local Sanibel Scientists, CROW worked to expand preventative care and awareness of issues that impact the health of all. This year’s focus was harmful algal blooms and water quality in general.
    • Effectiveness of ILE (intravenous lipid emulsion) for treatment of brevetoxicosis in sea turtles: In a collaborative study with the Loggerhead MarineLife Center in Juno Beach, FL, CROW explored new ways to treat sea turtles affected by red tide.
    • Use of ILE as a novel treatment method for brevetoxicosis in double-crested cormorants: CROW investigated this treatment in double-crested cormorants. In 2018, CROW received grants from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV) for this study.
    • Trichomonas survey in eagles: CROW collected samples to screen for incidence of this parasite in bald eagles (collaboration with SCWDS).
    • Brevetoxin level in tissue and gut samples of stranded sea turtles: In collaboration with the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF), CROW collected samples from sea turtle patients to analyze for toxin levels from red tide.
    • Interactive sea turtle stranding map: Also in collaboration with SCCF, CROW provides stranding data to assist in creating an interactive, real-time map to track sea turtle stranding locations. The map can be viewed by the public on SCCF’s website.
    • ‘Clear Your Gear’ is now ‘Mind Your Line’: In 2018, this conservation project underwent a re-branding as it re-aligned its goals. Its new tag-line is “Let’s Tackle the Problem”. This project continues to be a focus of community education efforts.
  • 2017 Research Projects
    • Novel treatment for torticollis in raptors: Investigated the use of neck braces and physical therapy for raptors that present with persistent head tilts due to neurologic disease or trauma.
    • Coyotes on Sanibel: A collaborative effort (with SCWDS) to define the number of coyotes on Sanibel in order to develop a management plan to limit their impact on native and imperiled wildlife species. In May 2017, the Coyote Working Group presented their findings to the Sanibel City Council.
    • Other projects we participated with include validating biomarkers for heart disease in birds, investigating the pathophysiology behind pouch abscesses in pelicans, and investigating the prevalence of various hemoparasites (blood parasites) in wading birds.
  • 2016 Research Projects
    • Novel treatment for torticollis in raptors: Investigated the use of neck braces and physical therapy for raptors that present with persistent head tilts due to neurologic disease or trauma.  Continued through 2017
    • Diagnostic testing for parvoviral infection in raccoons: This project investigated methods of testing for parvovirus in young raccoons with diarrhea.
    • Cardiomyopathy in piscivorous birds: This project seeks to establish normal reference ranges for heart size in fish-eating birds and determine the prevalence of heart enlargement in birds in this area. Continued through 2017.
  • 2015 Research Projects
    • Clear Your Gear: This project seeks to educate and provide easily accessible monofilament recycling bins in order to decrease the number of hook and line injuries. Eventually became Mind Your Line in 2018.
    • Investigating coyotes on Sanibel is a collaborative project that will define the number of coyotes on Sanibel to determine the best management plan to limit their deleterious impact on native and wildlife species. (ongoing)
    • Collaborative project on mapping the genome of gopher tortoises with Dr. Daniel Vera, Director Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine at FSU.
    • Collaborative research with Dr. Alec Lindsay at Northern Michigan University on sequencing RNA in healthy versus diseased loons.
    • Incidence of Cyathostoma microscpiculum (a parasitic roundworm affecting the respiratory tract) in double-crested cormorants.  This parasite causes coughing, secondary infections, and sometimes death. It is often found as a comorbidity in cormorants with brevetoxicosis. This parasite has been documented in other birds previously including great cormorants, but this is the first documentation in Double-Crested Cormorants to our knowledge.

CROW would like to acknowledge our partners in science and conservation that make these research efforts possible.
We are thrilled to collaborate with many individuals and institutions to advance wildlife health and conservation medicine.

It has been a privilege to collaborate with the following organizations

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF)
J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge and Wildlife Society
Sanibel Sea School
City of Sanibel
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study
University of Florida
University of Georgia
Tufts
University of California-Davis
South Florida Wildlife Center
Loggerhead MarineLife Center