In this WT online interview, Alonso Aguirre discusses his passion for conservation medicine with Linda Shockley.

Congratulations on your recent grant, awarded from the Overbrook Foundation. Will you elaborate on the research?

Thank you Linda! This grant is so exciting because it will enable us to begin to evaluate the health of threatened wildlife species in biosphere reserves - protected areas - in Mexico. We are using these species to inform us about the health of the ecosystems and habitats. As many protected areas are experiencing the pressures of human and domestic animal encroachment, it is imperative to establish the baseline health of species and ecosystems. This is similar to our annual doctor's exams. First, the doctor will know your "normal values," then the doctor will detect proactively if something is wrong with your health.

What is a biosphere reserve and why is it so important?

A biosphere reserve is an area of either terrestrial or coastal ecosystem that can serve as an example of biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. According to UNESCO, which established the Biosphere Reserve program, a biosphere reserve must serve three functions: conservation, sustainable development and logistics to support research and education relating to conservation and development. A biosphere reserve must contain ecosystems representative of the area, and must involve the cooperation of the local populations.

The knowledge gained from the research and experiences with the biosphere reserves is shared on both local and global levels, aiding people everywhere. Biospheres are important not only for the conservation of biodiversity, but also for the maintenance of healthy ecosystems, the integration of cooperation of local people at all levels in solving ecological issues in an area, and for the dissemination of information on sustainable development that can be useful elsewhere in the world. Everyone, from research scientists to fishermen and farmers to governments, stands to gain something from biosphere reserves.

How are these specific geographical areas selected as biosphere reserves?

Biosphere reserves must be representative of a major biogeographic region, and have ecosystems and/or species of conservation value. The area should serve as an example of sustainable use of resources within the region. There is also a "zoning" system that UNESCO uses to identify potential reserves, with a core area of protection, a buffer zone, and a transition area surrounding these other zones. And it must offer a strong infrastructure to support the reserve, composed of government officials, scientists, local community groups, and other interested or affected groups.

How long have you worked with the biosphere reserves in Mexico?

I began my work in the Yucatan with Mexican flamingos back in 1988 when I was a graduate student at Colorado State University-Fort Collins. Suddenly, after hurricane Gilbert hit the peninsula, flamingos began to die, dozens, hundreds of them. A few weeks later, we learned that lead poisoning was killing them. Since that time, I have worked in other biosphere reserves throughout my career. I usually select species that can serve as a sentinel to tell me about the health of that specific biosphere.

What is a sentinel species?

Sentinel species are the proverbial ''canaries in the mineshaft'' because they serve as indicators of the health of their ecosystems. The sentinel species concept can be useful in providing an early warning system for situations that might require further study, rapid risk assessments, or for monitoring the course of activities that may need prevention, remediation or control.

A sentinel species can be selected for its ability to reflect different types of environmental disturbances. Based on its life history and physical characteristics, a selected species can provide insights about environmental changes at various scales, for example, over time or space. Each sentinel species is specific to particular environmental conditions. For instance, we are studying sea turtles and fibropapillomatosis, a tumor-disfiguring and often fatal disease in several parts of the world (including the Hawaiian Islands), to learn about the causes, including one or more viruses, changes in water temperature, agricultural runoff and human density. Perhaps the disease is an early warning indicator of the deterioration of sea turtle habitat. Sometimes you need a group of species to really get a clear idea of the cumulative impacts of multiple environmental variables.

How does your approach to the research differ for each species?

The selection of a sentinel species is based in the questions you want to ask. For example: Are monarch butterflies a good sentinel for habitat destruction or fragmentation? Are California sea lions a good sentinel of leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease that also affects humans? Are flamingos a good sentinel of West Nile virus infection? So the approach to each species will be different, but we attempt to answer the same question: can this species tell us something about the health of the biosphere?

How is your research used, and by whom?

We hope this research will be used by the Mexican congress, general public and conservation organizations as we develop sound, realistic management and conservation plans for these areas. For many years, health and emerging diseases have largely been ignored, and now we must pay attention as we alter the dynamics of many species in the planet.

An important element of your biosphere work offers a cultural component in building local conservation capacity, which mirrors Wildlife Trust's efforts in partnering with local scientists and communities, worldwide, to achieve the most effective - and lasting - results. Can you elaborate on this?

We hope that this research will help train Mexican students and local people to have a better understanding of the beauty and diversity of Mexico. We continuously work with local scientists, fishermen, children and their parents to provide a fresh and positive view of their world away from the globalization impacts such as TV. We need to teach them new ways to interact with wildlife, and the importance of protecting these natural resources. Together, we need to create a long-term vision to conserve what we have now, for future generations. And we need to do this fast, by thinking globally and acting locally, but also by thinking locally and acting globally.

What are your primary challenges?

There are many challenges in my profession, including how to capture a flamingo without harming it while collecting a blood sample, how to develop an anesthesia protocol for a sea lion so it doesn't drown, how to process a sample in the field without electricity, dry ice or refrigeration. However, at the end of the day my primary challenge is people. How can we actually form a transdisciplinary team that can work together, with no professional egos or prejudice? Also, how can we change the view of local people, young and old, to feel that they are part of nature, part of that biosphere or that ecosystem, and to realize that health connects all species in the region or in the planet?

What's the most gratifying aspect of your work in conservation medicine?

Most gratifying is working and learning from local people, their customs, their music, their food and their nature. It's learning that I am not alone in efforts to conserve our planet; that more and more young scientists and school children understand the connections with nature and the risks of globalization; and overall, that more politicians and governments are enthusiastic about conserving and protecting biospheres and ecosystems. People are beginning to understand that protection is worth a lot more than using the natural resources immediately, and that conserving wildlife will provide rewards in better economic and health benefits. It's most gratifying just to feel that I am in this world, doing what I like to do most: being connected to nature.