Renowned veterinarian may have died from West Nile Virus, Maryland Zoo says
BALTIMORE -- A long-time, renowned veterinarian and conservationist, Dr. Mike Cranfield, has died—possibly after contracting the West Nile Virus, according to the Maryland Zoo.
"The world has lost a great wildlife champion this week when Cranfield passed away after suffering from West Nile Virus," the Maryland Zoo said in a statement.
The Maryland Zoo spokesperson said Cranfield may have contracted the West Nile Virus in Canada, which is where he was working on his cabin.
"He began to feel ill right after leaving Canada," the spokesperson said.
Cranfield first came to the Maryland Zoo in 1982 as chief veterinarian.
He then became the Director of Animal Health, Research and Conservation, responsible for the health and care of the Zoo's more than 1,500 animals.
In 1998, he became executive director of the world-renowned non-profit Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP), which was dedicated to saving the lives of critically endangered mountain gorillas living in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as well as endangered eastern lowland gorillas in the DRC.
Under Cranfield, MGVP expanded to include One Health programs for the mountain and Grauer's gorillas living in Uganda and the DRC, orphaned gorillas, and the people and animals working in and living near gorilla habitats.
MGVP was based at the Maryland Zoo until 2009 when MGVP partnered with the Wildlife Health Center at the University of California Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine and MGVP became Gorilla Doctors. Important blood and other genetic samples from the project are still housed in Maryland Zoo's cryobank.
According to a Maryland Zoo spokesperson, Cranfield was retired from the Maryland Zoo but would often return to help out.
"Mike leaves behind a legacy of contributions to global wildlife conservation and veterinary medicine along with hundreds, if not thousands, of people and animals he touched through his work," the Maryland Zoo said.
