The ecological niche of the veterinarian

Authors: Blackmore DK
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 31, Issue 10, pp 167-169, Oct 1983
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: General
Subject Terms: Environment, Veterinary profession
Article class: General Article

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Abstract: INTRODUCTION: This paper is a discussion of the ecological niche of the veterinarian in Australasia and particularly New Zealand. Ecology is the study of the inter-relationship between living organisms and the physical environment, and an ecological niche is the position and function of an organism in the ecosystem. In other words, it is intended to examine the role of veterinary science in the changing environment of New Zealand and Australia, and to discuss whether veterinarians are sufficiently capable of adaptation to prevent them from becoming an endangered species. Naturally I was honoured to receive the invitation to give this address, and when thinking of a suitable topic was stimulated to choose this subject because of my interests in ecology and epidemiology, and the many happy hours I have spent on rubbish tips studying factors affecting the prevalence of leptospirosis in perhaps that most successful and adaptable of all species of animal, the Brown rat. Thus any analogies that I draw between that curious animal known as the veterinarian, and the rat, should be taken as a compliment. We are all becoming more aware of how a changing environment, particularly those changes associated…

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