by Sharon Deem, DVM, PhD, DACZM

About Her Story

"The elephant in this story showed me something we very rarely observe: self-treatment by an animal patient. Sadly, he couldn’t remove the metal snare on his own. I was determined to help him, no matter how long it took."

About the Author

Sharon L. Deem has conducted conservation and research projects for captive and free-ranging wildlife in 19 countries around the world. Dr. Deem received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, her doctorate in veterinary medicine from Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, and her Ph.D. in veterinary epidemiology from the University of Florida, where she also completed a three-year zoo and wildlife medicine residency. Dr. Deem is board-certified by the Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine. Her interests in wildlife veterinary medicine focus on the spread of disease between domestic animals and wildlife and the impact of environmental changes and human contact on the health and conservation of wild species. She is the author of over 50 journal articles, 10 book chapters, and numerous other papers. Dr. Deem currently works for the St. Louis Zoo’s WildCare Institute as a veterinary epidemiologist. She, her husband Dr. Stephen Blake, and their son Charlie, recently moved to the Galapagos Islands for their next adventure.