Abstract |
Anthropogenic impacts to the environment form a suite of problems that are detrimental for native species: habitat loss and fragmentation, overexploitation, pollution, climate change, and the global re-distribution of non-native species. Wildlife rehabilitation centers are on the front lines of identifying and quantifying human impacts. This research uses historical records from the Stark Parks Wildlife and Rehabilitation Center, focusing on the taxa admitted to the clinic and the recovery rate of those taxa as a function of the cause of injury; natural or human-caused. We will also analyze results with respect to age and sex of the admitted species and the seasonality in which individuals are admitted. Learning more about what causes such injuries, whether it be pollution, predation, park visitors, etc., will give listeners a more well-rounded perspective of the importance of rehabilitation treatment and preventative measures.
|
Ashley Caynor is a soon-to-be junior zoology major at Kent State Stark. After transferring to the Kent Campus and finishing her bachelor’s degree, she plans on attending graduate school. Her graduate school of choice is Ohio State University, where she plans to focus on her master’s or Ph.D. in veterinary medicine.