"I kind of did it shotgun - different campuses, different places, all across the country," said Mr. Martin, who said he hoped to become a wildlife veterinarian.

Consider the life of Dr. William B. Karesh, a wildlife veterinarian.

Officials were particularly concerned when foot-and-mouth disease appeared in Europe, said Dr. Wild, the wildlife veterinarian.

Board certified diplomates of the ACZM serve as zoo veterinarians, zoo managers, wildlife veterinarians, wildlife conservation agents, researchers, teachers, government officials, and other similar leadership roles.

Dairy herds show a "snowball effect" once a certain percentage of animals get infected, said Dr. Cobus Raath, a wildlife veterinarian and consultant to Kruger.

In 2000, Dr. Christine Kreuder, a wildlife veterinarian who is a colleague of Dr. Miller's, started a mortality study as part of her doctorate in epidemiology.

Bassett's childhood aspirations were of being a wildlife veterinarian in Africa.

The results of the two recent studies have not discouraged Dr. David Jessup, senior wildlife veterinarian with the California State Department of Fish and Game.

"What is difficult is that all of these animals need to be looked at microscopically," David Jessup, senior wildlife veterinarian for the state agency, said.

This limits the wildlife veterinarian to short bursts of activity with them, whether administering examinations or medications.