Wildlife in focus:

Curing the Crisis Through Education and Action.

The World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Report 2018 states we’ve seen a 60% decline globally in the size of populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians in just over 40 years. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) released its assessment in May 2019 estimating around 1 million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction worldwide.

With this crisis in mind, DCISE launched a year-long campaign exploring the main drivers of wildlife species loss and actions that could mitigate this loss.

The Major Drivers of Wildlife Loss

Land use change via agriculture, forestry, and urbanization

Direct Exploitation, mostly overexploitation, of animals, plants and other organisms, mainly via harvesting, logging, hunting

Climate Change and how it is increasingly exacerbating the impact of the other drivers

Pollution (GHG, urban and rural wastes, industrial, oil spills, mining, microplastics, nutrients)

Invasive Species

DCISE events supporting this program

The Last Animals Film Screening

Students, faculty and the local community gathered to watch this award-winning documentary, The Last Animals, a film that follows conservationists, scientists and activists battling poachers and criminal networks to protect elephants and rhinos.

October 2019 | Pleasantville campus

Dr. Deborah McCauley
From Yellowstone to the Himalayas: Keeping endangered wildlife healthy in their native habitat.

Wildlife veterinarian and founder of Veterinary Initiative for Endangered Wildlife (VIEW), Dr. Deborah McCauley, visited the Pleasantville campus to speak about her work with endangered wildlife in North America, Africa and Asia, helping to develop a sustainable disease surveillance and wildlife health programs.

November 2019 | Pleasantville campus

Bakesale

World Wildlife Day Bakesale

In celebration of World Wildlife Day, environmental students in undergraduate and graduate programs alongside DCISE staff and the student-run NATURE Club, raised nearly $300 for The Rescue Collective to help deliver food and water to animals in fire zones across Australia. Amidst the fundraiser, James Eyring, assistant director of DCISE’s Environmental Center, displayed rehabilitated reptiles and raptors to engage students and faculty alike through wildlife education and awareness.

March 3, 2020 | Pleasantville campus

Patrick Moore
Supporting wildlife conservation at home by knowing when to intervene and when to leave nature alone.

Licensed wildlife rehabilitator, Patrick Moore, spoke about common wild animals found in our communities and how we can better coexist. Patrick and his volunteer staff at the non-profit organization Animal Nation rescue and care for injured, abused, neglected and orphaned animals.

April 2020 | Virtual event