Project Update: April 2008

I am in the midst of my field season, busy collecting and processing samples from hunters to evaluate disease transmission risks from exotic ungulates to our native deer species, the huemul and pudu (Grant Ref. 38.02.07). So far, the hunting season started beginning of March and will be finished by end of April, after that I will continue the sample collection at processing plant for smoked food in San Carlos de Bariloche, where receive red deer and wild boar hunted in surrounding areas of the Nahuel Huapi National Park.

Regarding sample processing, last year the Food Quality Laboratory (Public Health Department) of the San Carlos de Bariloche City Council allowed me to use their facilities to process my samples before they were sent to appropriate labs for pathology, serology and parasitology analyses. Unfortunately, this year they are unable to facilitate the use of their lab, due to their limited capacity. Therefore, the Nahuel Huapi National Park, which sponsors my project, has given me a small hut to use as a basic laboratory. Because this small room in the National Park's building has been abandoned for a long time, it is in need of some minor improvements for minimum working conditions.