Wildlife Veterinarian

"The thing I like most about my job is the variety. I might have a plan for any given day and when I show up at the office, more than likely something new is going to come up and I'll have to figure out how to handle a new situation" - Kevin Castle NPS Wildlife Veterinarian

 

Meet Kevin

Kevin helps parks deal with wildlife health issues. One issue he has been spending lots of time on is white-nose syndrome in bats. White-nose syndrome is a disease of cave-hibernating bats caused by a fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans. After being discovered in New York in the winter of 2006-2007, white-nose syndrome has spread to 21 additional states and five Canadian Provinces, devastating the populations of bats in its path. Kevin is working to understand the disease and help parks protect bats and cave resources.

Kevin discovered his career path while in college. He knew that he enjoyed being outdoors and interacting with animals. Observing animals in their natural habitat led him to a degree in zoology. He then decided to pursue a doctorate in veterinary medicine because he felt it would help him make a greater difference for individual animals and for populations.

Kevin's Advice

"I would encourage people to try a lot of different things. Few people know exactly what it is they want to do in life and particularly in science. Look for a general degree and I would always encourage people to think of getting a veterinary degree as well because it can really open up some doors for you."

Watch Kevin's video interview below.