Two female researchers doing bobcat research in the field

Wildlife Health

The Wildlife Health Section is a group of veterinarians, researchers and technicians dedicated to diagnosing, monitoring and conducting research on diseases of free-ranging wildlife in Colorado. Our mission is to promote the health and welfare of Colorado’s wildlife; conduct applied research to facilitate management of free-ranging wildlife; to provide wildlife health, diagnostic, and capture support services to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

What We Do

Working in concert with agency biologists and managers, we focus our work on issues that affect the long-term health and viability of wildlife populations. Additionally, we develop tools and methodologies to facilitate improved research and safe and humane wildlife capture, handling, and monitoring.

Disease Research

The Wildlife Health Program conducts research on free-ranging and captive wildlife in field-based settings. Current research areas of interest include plague in prairie dogs, white-nose syndrome in bats, respiratory disease in bighorn sheep, and chronic wasting disease in deer, elk, and moose. General goals of our research are to understand the impacts of disease on wildlife populations and to develop tools and techniques to manage and monitor diseases in wildlife and to support wildlife management.

Diagnostic Services

Wildlife Health staff conduct necropsies on wildlife from across the state to monitor health concerns. The Wildlife Health Lab processes samples collected from free-ranging animals to determine presence of disease, including statewide Chronic Wasting Disease surveillance in deer, elk, and moose.

Foothills Wildlife Research Facility

Wildlife Health staff maintain a captive wildlife research facility where several native Colorado species are housed for research and teaching purposes. The work conducted with the animals housed at this facility benefits free-ranging populations across the state and beyond.

Video: "Prairie Dog Burrow Timelapse" - CPW

SPOTLIGHT

Featured Project

This is the story of how our Avian Research and Wildlife Health Programs teamed up with partners to study and test a new plague vaccine and improve habitat for endangered black-footed ferrets and other wildlife. Avian Researchers have documented the benefits of maintaining active prairie dog colonies for many species such as ferruginous hawks, golden eagles, various grassland songbirds, coyotes, and badgers.

Meet the Team

Peach Van Wick

State Wildlife Veterinarian/Wildlife Health Program Leader
Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Karen Griffin

Molecular Diagnostics Technologist
Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Maicie Lingwall

Wildlife Health Facilities Manager
Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Vacant

Field Wildlife Veterinarian
Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Kaytlin Bohr

Field Capture Technician
Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Daniel Tripp

Wildlife Disease Researcher
Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Alexandria Argue

Wildlife Pathologist
Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Jack Grider

Wildlife Disease Researcher
Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Emily Onderbeke

Necropsy Technician
Colorado Parks and Wildlife

A person pointing at animal tracks in the snow.

Wildlife Health Research

Research Library

The Research Library was created in the late 1960s to provide support primarily to the wildlife research sections. The Research Library evolved to serve the broader information management needs of CPW staff. Library collections are focused on wildlife ecology and associated ecological information and CPW public historical records such as Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting agendas and minutes.

Explore The Research Library

Contact for Wildlife Health Concerns

Report any wildlife health concerns directly to area/regional offices.
If you're not sure your nearest CPW Office, find phone numbers on the Contact Us page, https://cpw.state.co.us/contact-us