Benjamin Jakobek

As the Provincial Wildlife Veterinarian for the Government of Québec, I lead the medical management of captive caribou within a conservation breeding program aimed at species recovery. I develop and implement clinical protocols, husbandry standards, and strategic health plans to support animal welfare and long-term program success. My role extends to broader wildlife health initiatives, including collaborative work with Indigenous communities and field-based capture, anesthesia, and health evaluations of muskoxen and other northern species. My focus is on practical, hands-on clinical work in remote and logistically challenging environments.

My Master’s research focuses on understanding the factors that influence the efficacy of fluralaner, an oral acaricide, in wild rodent populations within a Lyme disease–endemic region. The project explores how host behavior, habitat use, and environmental variables affect treatment uptake and pharmacokinetics, with the goal of improving integrated vector control strategies targeting tick reservoirs in natural ecosystems.

During my wildlife health residency, I gained a broad clinical background working with wild and zoological species across institutions including the Granby Zoo, Aquarium of Québec, and a raptor clinic. My training included extensive fieldwork in chemical immobilization of free-ranging species—such as muskoxen, caribou, moose, seals, lynx, cranes, and eider ducks—as well as wildlife pathology through the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative. I collaborated on multi-agency health projects at the federal, provincial, and academic levels, and served as co-instructor for Canada’s national wildlife chemical immobilization course. I also contributed to government-led initiatives including bison handling operations, invasive species strategy development, and the planning and execution of the Charlevoix caribou translocation. My residency further strengthened my bilingual scientific communication skills, including peer-reviewed writing, grant development, and regulatory reporting.

• One Health approach to Javan (Rhinoceros sondaicus) and Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) conservation in Indonesia.

• Study of Parelaphostrongylus tenuis & Fascioloides magna in white-tailed deer and moose in NY, USA.