Education |General Research Interest | Selected Research Projects
Selected Publications
TCSVM Faculty

Mark Pokras
Associate Professor
Department of Environmental and Population Health
Wildlife Clinic & Center for Conservation Medicine
Phone: 508-839-7918
Fax: 508-839-7930
Email: mark.pokras@tufts.edu

Education

Residency in Zoo & Wildlife Medicine - 1985 - 1988
DVM - Tufts University - 1984
BS - Cornell Universtiy - 1971

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General Research Interests

  • Functional and surgical anatomy of birds and reptiles.
  • Environmental pathology (including toxicology) of wildlife species.
  • Captive management of aquatic reptiles, birds and mammals.
  • Allometric scaling as a tool for understanding comparative clinical medicine.
  • Development of minimally invasive field techniques for wildlife health studies.

 

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Selected Research Projects

  • Lead (Pb) toxicosis in wildlife and public health.
  • Seanet -- threats to aquatic birds.
  • WebAtlas of Wildlife Anatomy & Pathology.
  • Surveys of vernal pools and other campus resources.
  • Presence of antibiotic resistant organisms in native wildlife.

Other campus activities

  • Sponsor a variety of student projects & selectives.
  • Host “Open Mike” nights on campus.
  • Advise student WAZE group (Wildlife, Aquatics, Zoo & Exotics).
  • Lead campus & regional nature walks.

 

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Selected Publications:

  1. Pokras, MA and MR Kneeland.  2009. Understanding Lead Uptake and Effects across Species Lines: A Conservation Medicine Based Approach. In RT Watson, M Fuller, M Pokras, and WG Hunt, (eds.).  Ingestion of lead from spent ammunition: Implications for wildlife and humans.  The Peregrine Fund, Boise, Idaho, USA. ISBN: 0961983957.

  2. Fiorello, CV, Nisbet, ICT, Hatch, JJ, Corsiglia, C and MA Pokras. 2009.  Hematology and absence of hemoparasites in breeding common terns from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. J. Zoo and Wildlife Med. 40(3): 409-413.

  3. Pokras, MA and MR Kneeland. 2008.  Lead poisoning: using transdisciplinary approaches to solve an ancient problem. EcoHealth. 5(3): 379-385.

  4. Bogomolni A, Ellis J, Gast B, Harris R, Pokras M, Touhey K, Moore M. 2006. Emerging zoonoses in marine mammals and seabirds of the northeast U.S.  Oceans '06 MTS/IEEE-Boston, Massachusetts.  ISBN: 1-4244-0115-1.: 9pp

  5. Haefele, HJ, Sidor, I, Evers, DC, Hoyt, DE and MA Pokras. 2005. Hematologic and physiologic reference ranges for free-living adult and young common loons. J. Zoo and Wildlife Med. 36:385-390.

  6. Pierce, KE, Harris, RJ, Larned, LS and MA Pokras. 2004.  Obstruction and starvation associated with plastic ingestion in a northern gannet (Sula bassanus) and a greater shearwater (Puffinus gravis).  Marine Ornith. 32:185-187.

  7. Sidor,IF, Pokras, MA, Major, AR, Poppenga, R,  and RM Miconi. 2003. Mortality of the common loon in New  England, 1988 to 1999.  J. of Wildlife Disease. 39(2):306-315.

  8. Modrall, J.D., Wheeler, T., Pokras, M. and L. M. Romero.  2001. The impact of veterinary administration of antibiotics on the bacterial ecology of wild bird populations.  American Zoologist. 41(6): 1528- 1529.

  9. Pokras, MA, Tabor, G, Pearl,M, Sherman, D, and P Epstein. 2000.  Conservation medicine: an emerging field. In: Nature and human society: the quest for a         sustainable world.  National Academy Press.  Washington, DC. pp: 551-556.

  10. Burger, J. Pokras, M.A. Chafel, R. and M. Gochfeld. 1994. Heavy metal concentrations in feathers of common loons Gavia immer  in the Northeastern United States and age differences in mercury levels. Envir.Monit. and Assessment 30:1-7.

  11. Pokras,M.A., Zeman, A, Kirkwood,J. and C.J.Sedgwick. 1993. An introduction to allometric scaling and its uses in raptor medicine. In Redig, PT et al.(eds).Raptor biomedicine. Univ. of               Minnesota Press. pp: 211-224.