The Hawai‘i Wildlife Center provides medical and rehabilitative care for all species of native birds and the Hawaiian hoary bat. A majority of patients each year are seabirds and HWC receives the occasional vagrant as well! In this presentation, Dr. Juan will share more about the Center’s work with our wanderers and migrants as well as some interesting patient stories. Rae will also be joining in on the conversation.
Presentation length: 20 minutes
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About the Presenters
Juan Guerra, D.V.M.
Dr. Juan is the Wildlife Rehabilitation Manager and primary care veterinarian at the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biological Sciences with a Minor in Animal Sciences from Cornell University and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree, also from Cornell University. While at Cornell University he was awarded the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists’ Award and the Colonel Floyd C. Sager Equine Obstetrics and Pediatrics Award. In addition to experience from multiple externships, veterinary conferences, and wildlife and exotics symposiums, Dr. Juan was also a volunteer at HWC starting in 2013 and was HWC’s primary care veterinarian from 2016-2018 before leaving the island to serve as a clinical fellow and clinical instructor at Oregon State University. While in Oregon, Dr. Juan gained additional wildlife experience as a volunteer at the Chintimini Wildlife Center before returning to Hawai‘i Island.
Rae Okawa, M.E.S.
Rae was born and raised on O‘ahu where she developed a passion for native birds early on. During her school years, she was especially inspired by her work with the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology and the Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i. She is a self-proclaimed “Bird Nerd” and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from Cornell University and a Masters of Environmental Studies degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Rae is also a student of Pūlama nā Liko’s Hālau Hula.
Rae is managing this year’s virtual Hawai‘i Island Festival of Birds and is also the Development Coordinator at the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center in charge of all areas of fund development, PR, outreach, and social media (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter:@HWCenter). She has an affinity for papercrafts and bird costumes as well. If you were able to attend a previous Hawai‘i Island Festival of Birds and saw someone in an ‘I‘iwi costume, that was most likely Rae.
