Richard Burroughs

BSc BVSc MSc (Vet Trop Dis)

[email protected]

Wildlife Clinician and Section Head, Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science.

Research Sub-theme 1

Improving animal production health in transfrontier conservation areas (In collaboration with other researchers)

Matching vaccine strains of foot-and-mouth disease in specific geographic areas is crucial to the development of suitable vaccines. Current laboratory techniques for the development of assays to determine adequate immune response are thus critical.

• Identification and matching of strains of foot-and-mouth disease virus that are circulating in specific geographic locations
• The development of appropriate laboratory assays to detect adequate levels of antibody response
• The development of an adequate protective antibody response to infection in response to natural challenge.

Research Sub-theme 2

The role of climate change and the effects on wildlife populations (In collaboration with other researchers)

Long term monitoring of avian health can be used as indicators of health in not only locally abundant or migratory populations, but can also be an indicator of climate change

• Monitoring of haemoparasites in social weaver species
• Monitoring of haemoparasites in passerines at 3 locations within South Africa.

Research Sub-theme 3

Improving Veterinary Management of Wildlife (In collaboration with other researh

Consequences of capture and capture myopathy:

• Understanding the short and long-term consequences of capture.
• Determining parameters which can indicate whether an animal may suffer post- capture.
• Determining the mechanisms that cause capture myopathy and establishing effective treatments.