In brief
A newly launched online database equipped with medical images aims to improve the veterinary care of under-studied species such as rhinos, tamarins, and pangolins. Established by a collaboration of seven zoological institutions, this initiative addresses the diagnostic challenges faced by wildlife veterinarians, creating a vital resource for better animal health management.
In a significant advancement for wildlife veterinary medicine, the Zoo and Aquarium Radiology Database has been developed to assist veterinarians in diagnosing uncommon species. This tool emerges from the challenges faced by professionals like Dr. Michael Adkesson, president of Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, who noted that while radiologists excel in common domestic animals, they often lack reference data for exotic species such as black rhinos and pangolins.The database, which launched last month, includes over 1,000 medical images, including CT scans and X-rays, covering 50 species. The data spans animals like the greater roadrunner, cotton-top tamarin, and the quirky bowmouth guitarfish. The initiative's goal is ambitious; by 2026, it aims to offer over 10,000 images showcasing the internal anatomy of 500 different species.This project comes in response to incidents such as the 2018 case involving a rhino at Brookfield Zoo with respiratory issues. The lack of reference images left veterinarians uncertain about the animal's internal structures. By accessing this extensive repository, wildlife veterinarians around the globe can improve their diagnostic accuracy, leading to better health outcomes for many rare and endangered species.
