Back

Discover CALS

See how our current work and research is bringing new thinking and new solutions to some of today's biggest challenges.

Share
  • Animal Science
  • Animals
  • Ecosystems
  • Health + Nutrition

The delicate balance between humans and chimpanzees in Uganda's Kasongoire Forest is at risk. As forest land and animal habitats are cleared for commercial sugar cane fields, chimpanzees resort to “crop raiding” in neighboring villages — escalating conflict and increasing the risk of disease transmission.  

Julian Bement ’26 helped document this growing threat to both human and chimpanzee health as part of the interdisciplinary course, “One Health: Conservation with Communities.” The class allows students to examine the concept of One Health—the idea that the health of the environment, animals and people are interconnected. For selected students, the course culminates in a summer internship with conservation research institutes.

During the two-month internship, Bement, together with Victoria Priester, Cornell DVM ’26, worked with the Jane Goodall Institute in western Uganda. They gained hands-on experience in data collection, community engagement and wildlife monitoring. The internship was structured into four phases.  

The first week, the students spent in Hoima and surrounding towns, focusing on human and gender health while also helping the community by planting trees.

The second phase centered on research into human–chimpanzee interactions in the Masindi district, where villages border a small patch of jungle (about 25 hectares), home to around 50 chimps. Bement learned how to use Survey123 and ArcGIS, set up camera traps and collected data on chimp sightings, water sources and potential disease transmission hotspots.  

“The chimps don’t have enough forest to roam freely and must rely on the surrounding sugar cane crops, local gardens and shared water sources to survive,” he said. “With domestic animals like cows and goats living nearby, this creates a potential risk for zoonotic disease transmission between humans, wildlife and livestock. By collecting data and mapping these points, we can identify who’s at risk and where to look in the event of a disease outbreak.” 

The research also involved interviewing villagers, visiting hospitals and collecting fecal samples from livestock and chimps. Bement and Priester asked an array of questions, from how the forest benefits households to whether villagers knew of interactions between livestock and wildlife, as well as whether there were any signs of livestock disease. “We conducted over 70 interviews across seven villages surrounding the forest," Bement explained. 

In phase three, Bement traveled to Ngamba Island, a chimpanzee sanctuary on Lake Victoria. There, he worked alongside veterinarians from around the world, gaining hands-on experience in various veterinary procedures, from blood draws to dental exams. This intensive period allowed him to hone his clinical skills while deepening his understanding of the challenges faced by rescued primates, he said. 

The final phase of the internship included work in Kibale National Park, home to one of the world's largest chimpanzee populations. Bement participated in snare removal missions, trekking through dense forest to locate and dismantle these harmful devices. He also had the rare opportunity to assist in a veterinary intervention, helping to treat a chimp with a snare wound—an experience that highlighted the immediate impact of conservation efforts, he said.

Beyond fieldwork, Bement engaged in community outreach, visiting local schools with conservation instructors to teach children about wildlife conservation. “Wildlife clubs in the local primary schools are so vital to conservation,” he said. “I believe that illegal snaring will decrease, and hopefully vanish, as these children grow up spreading awareness about the dangers of snaring to their friends and communities.”

“Uganda was an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience filled with cherished memories.”

Throughout the internship, Bement faced numerous challenges—from navigating cultural differences to dealing with limited resources in remote areas. Communication difficulties and last-minute changes to plans tested his adaptability, he said. “It was tough, but I learned what it takes to have a career in wildlife conservation and veterinary medicine.”

While he remains committed to pursuing veterinary school, Bement envisions incorporating wildlife work into his future career, possibly through periodic visits to sanctuaries and conservation projects. 

“Uganda was an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience filled with cherished memories,” he said. “I encourage people to consider the course and internship opportunity. Just go into it with an open mind and be ready for anything!” 

Caroline Stamm ’24 is a communications assistant for the Cornell CALS Department of Animal Science.

Keep Exploring

anaerobic digester with pallets in front

Field Note

Biomethane from New York’s dairy manure and food waste could fuel over 30,000 tractor trailers annually*, displacing at least 300 million gallons of diesel. 12 percent of the NY dairy herd has implemented manure anaerobic digestion (AD) to...
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension
  • Cornell Dairy
  • PRO-DAIRY
A townsend's solitaire perched on a branch with red berries

News

The Great Backyard Bird Count, organized by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in collaboration with Audubon and Birds Canada, is Feb. 14-17 and invites volunteers to watch birds and record what they see, enriching the Cornell Lab’s trove of data.

  • Lab of Ornithology
  • Animals