INTRODUCTION

Important biomedical information about rare and endangered animals is often discovered during examinations by veterinary pathologists. The survival of such threatened species such as the black rhinoceros, cheetah, black-footed ferret, California condor and others may hinge on this information. Providing a mechansim for veterinary pathologists to contribute to this base of knowledge is a goal of the C.L. Davis DVM Foundation Program in Zoo and Wildlife Pathology. Funding for this program is an important step toward accomplishing this goal.

Pathologists collaborate with other scientists to determine the causes of diseases affecting the successful captive breeding programs for the black rhinoceros.