Dr. David Jessup
From stints at a major zoo and a primate center; a year as a pathology resident, the majority of David’s career has been in free-ranging wildlife medicine, epidemiology and conservation. In 1977 he was the first veterinarian hired by the California Department of Fish and Game, where half of his 33 year career involved mountain and desert species (elk, deer, bighorn sheep, bear, mt. lion, waterfowl, wild turkeys and other birds), with the other half involving marine species (sea otters, other marine mammals and marine birds), oil spill response and various more subtle forms of pollution. Working with Walter Boyce and Bill Lasley he helped found the Wildlife Health Center, and with Jonna Mazet the Oiled Wildlife Care Network. He has also been worked in Mexico, Africa and India. For the last 4 years he has been the executive Manager of the Wildlife Disease Association. Throughout his career, he has maintained strong ties at UC Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine
