Ready to go wild? Factors affecting the representation and contribution of veterinarians in a selection of wildlife-oriented research disciplines

Authored by Wild Animal Initiative Research Manager Michaël Beaulieu et al., this paper was published in the August 2026 issue of Research in Veterinary Science.

Abstract

Veterinarians could enrich wildlife-oriented research through their unique perspective informed by health and welfare. However, embarking on this path may prove challenging, as both research and wildlife play only a minor role in their education. To examine the factors affecting the representation and contribution of veterinarians in wildlife-oriented research, we identified and reviewed research articles recently published by veterinary authors in five wildlife-oriented disciplines differing in familiarity, establishment, and practical applicability (behavior, physiology, ecology/evolution, conservation, welfare). In general, we found that the representation and contribution of veterinarians in these disciplines were modest. A notable exception, however, was their high representation in wild animal welfare research, presumably because of (1) their familiarity with welfare-related topics, (2) the match between their early personal interests and the prevalence of animal welfare in their education, and (3) the practical applicability of this intervention-oriented research discipline. Importantly, having an additional PhD considerably increased the general contribution of veterinary authors. Overall, our results indicate that veterinarians are only partly prepared to conduct wildlife-oriented research. Veterinary education could facilitate their involvement in wildlife-oriented research by maintaining their early interest in wildlife throughout their studies while strengthening their interests in research.