The Inaugural New Mexico Wildlife Conference will take place at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center on November 6 & 7, 2026.
Hawks Aloft, Desert Willow Wildlife Rehabilitation, New Mexico Wildlife Center, and the New Mexico Department of Wildlife are partnering to host the New Mexico Wildlife Conference. More than 30 wildlife professionals will present research on wildlife populations and lecture on rehabilitation techniques. A full day of concurrent workshops will be followed by a day of scientific presentations, featuring speakers from New Mexico and Colorado universities, tribal nations, and governmental agencies.
New Mexico wildlife rehabilitators and veterinarians will have the opportunity to earn continuing education credits. Full participation in the conference will yield two years of continuing education credits for wildlife rehabilitators, a new requirement of the New Mexico Department of Wildlife. Veterinarians can earn up to 10 hours of CE (six on Friday, four on Saturday).
Dr. Brian Millsap, the keynote speaker, will present data on the population status of North American raptors, including new data on the Prairie Falcon. Previously, Dr. Millsap served as Chief of the Division of Migratory Bird Management, Deputy Director of the Southwest Region, and National Raptor Coordinator. Dr. Millsap is currently a Senior Research Scientist in the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology at New Mexico State University (NMSU) and a Senior Editor for the journal Ornithological Applications as well as President of the Raptor Research Foundation and the North American Falconers Association.
Preliminary Schedule
All times are currently tentative.
Friday, November 6, 2026 // WORKSHOPS – Room 1
| 8:00–8:05 | Introduction & Welcome | Linda Contos, DVM |
| 8:05–8:30 | Wildlife Rehabilitation Permitting | Maggie Curtis |
| 8:30–9:00 | Ambassador Animal Acquisition | Anna Tobin |
| 9:00–9:30 | Ethics/Euthanasia/Compassion Fatigue | Linda Contos, DVM |
| 9:30–10:00 | Intravenous Regional Perfusion Therapy | Christine Fiorello, DVM |
| 10:00–10:15 | Coffee break | |
| 10:15–10:45 | Bat Rehabilitation | Justin Stevenson |
| 10:45–11:15 | Triage and Fluid Therapy | Ashley Kramer, DVM |
| 11:15–12:00 | New World Screwworm & USDA Grand Challenge | Pranav Pandit, DVM |
| 12:00–1:30 | Lunch break | |
| 1:30–2:00 | Fracture Management | Kariana Atkinson, DVM |
| 2:00–2:30 | Bird’s Eye View – Basics of Avian Ophthalmology | Candace Auten, DVM |
| 2:30–3:00 | Management of the Anorexic Patient | Amelia Thompson, John Heidrich, DVM |
| 3:00–3:15 | Coffee break | |
| 3:15–4:00 | Wound Management | Ashley Kramer, DVM |
| 4:00–5:00 | Wound Management Cadaver Lab | Ashley Kramer, DVM, Libby Bukovec, Lizz Kendall |
Friday, November 6, 2026 // WORKSHOPS – Room 2
8:00–8:05 | Introduction & Welcome | Christine Fiorello, DVM |
8:05–8:30 | Basic Skills for Rehabilitators | Amelia Thompson |
8:30–10:00 | Basic Skills for Rehabilitators Lab | Amelia Thompson, Heather Rissi, Mikal Deese |
10:00–10:15 | Coffee break | |
10:15–11:15 | Medical Math Lecture & Practicum | Barb Wolfe, DVM |
11:15–12:00 | Zoonoses/Biosecurity/PPE Lecture & Lab | Samantha Holeck, DVM |
12:00–1:30 | Lunch break | |
1:30–2:00 | Liberty Wildlife Non-Eagle Feather Repository | Robert Mesta |
2:00–3:00 | Avian Clinical Anatomy & Necropsy | Christine Fiorello, DVM |
3:00–3:15 | Coffee break | |
3:15 – 5:00 | Avian Clinical Anatomy & Necropsy Lab | Chistine Fiorello, DVM, Barb Wolfe, DVM |
Please note: Three hands-on workshops are limited in attendance due to space constraints and require advanced registration. There is no additional charge if you are registered for Friday’s program, but you must still sign up. You can choose to attend lectures or a combination of lectures and the Basic Skills for Wildlife Rehabilitators workshop in the morning. In the afternoon, there will be lectures and your choice of Wound Management or Avian Anatomy workshops.
Wound Management: Dr. Kramer, assisted by veterinarians and experienced rehabilitators, will review the wound care techniques presented in her lecture. Attendees will practice these skills using cadavers. Limited to 25 participants.
Basic Skills for Rehabilitators: Do you have an interest in wildlife rehabilitation? Amelia Thompson, lead rehabilitator for Hawks Aloft, Inc., will demonstrate practices such as safety and restraint when conducting a basic intake exam, as well as fluid therapy, gavage feeding, and fracture and wound treatment. Handouts will be provided for nutrition and medication dosing. Emaciation protocol will be covered, as well as zoonotic diseases, collaborating with others and when to contact a veterinarian for advanced care. This workshop will cover all rehabilitators should know. Attendees will practice these techniques on cadavers. Attendance is limited to 25 participants
Zoonoses Lab: This lecture/lab combo, presented by state veterinarian and rehabilitator, Samantha Holeck, DVM of Desert Willow Wildlife Rehabilitation, will provide insight into the risks of zoonotic disease transmission between wildlife and people. During the lab portion, attendees will have the opportunity to practice applying personal protective equipment. No limit.
Avian Clinical Anatomy: Christine Fiorello, DVM, along with other veterinarians and rehabilitators, will guide attendees through a raptor necropsy. Attendees will have access to cadavers and can work alone or in small groups to explore avian anatomy. Clinically relevant anatomy will be emphasized. Limited to 25 participants.
Saturday, November 7, 2026
| 8:00–8:10 | Introduction & Welcome | Gail Garber |
Wildlife Management and Species Status
8:10–9:00 | Keynote: What I’ve Learned from 47 Years of Work in Raptor Conservation | Dr. Brian Millsap |
9:00–9:20 | Mexican Wolf Recovery Program | Katherine Schultz |
9:20–9:40 | Prairie Falcon Integrated Population Management | Dr. Brian Millsap |
9:40–10:00 | Coffee break |
Wildlife Epidemiology and Health
10:00–10:20 | Static Load: Understanding Stress & Its Impact on Health | Barb Wolfe, DVM |
10:20–10:40 | Wildlife Rehabilitation & Early Recognition on Emerging Wildlife Health Threats | Rachel Avilla |
10:40–11:10 | Emerging Wildlife Diseases in New Mexico | Elin Crockett, DVM, Samantha Holeck, DVM |
11:10–11:30 | Polyfluoreoalkyl Exposure in New Mexico Wildlife | Dr. Christopher Witt |
11:30–11:50 | From Rescue to Readiness: Strengthening One Health Surveillance Through Wildlife Rehabilitation Partners | Hayley Yaglom |
11:50–1:20 | Lunch break | |
1:20–1:30 | Update from New Mexico Wildlife Center |
Conservation and Research
1:30–1:50 | 14 Years of Avian Surveys in the Jemez Mountains & Valles Caldera | Dr. Trevor Fetz |
1:50–2:10 | Bighorn Sheep Management in New Mexico | Kaitlyn Piecora |
2:10–2:30 | Wildlife Conservation and Stewardship on the Pueblo of Santa Ana | Dan Ginter |
2:30–2:50 | Migratory Behavior in an mtDNA Contact Zone: A Natural Experiment in Audubon’s Warblers | James Loomis |
2:50–3:10 | Mexican Spotted Owl Movements on Mescalero Apache Land | Xavier Lovato |
3:10–3:20 | Update from Hawks Aloft, Inc. | |
3:20–3:40 | Coffee break | |
3:40–3:50 | Update from Desert Willow | |
3:50–4:10 | Big Game Research & Management on the Navajo Nation | Jessica Fort |
4:10–4:30 | Wildlife Exclusion Options | Justin Stevenson |
4:30–4:50 | Connecting the Dots – Strategic Motus Expansion in New Mexico | Erin Duvuvei |
4:50–5:00 | Thank you, wrap-up, etc. | Gail Garber |
Please note: Three hands-on workshops are limited in attendance due to space constraints and require advanced registration. There is no additional charge if you are registered for Friday’s program, but you must still sign up. In the morning, you can choose to attend lectures or a combination of lectures and the Basic Skills for Wildlife Rehabilitators workshop. In the afternoon, there will be lectures and your choice of Wound Management or Avian Anatomy workshops.
Choose one for Fri morning: Lectures only OR Basic Skills for Rehabilitators
Choose one for Fri afternoon: Wound Management OR Avian Clinical Anatomy
Continuing Education credits: *Licensed veterinarians and Registered veterinary technicians can earn up to 10 CE hours, sponsored by the American College of Zoological Medicine and approved by the New Mexico Board of Veterinary Medicine. There is a flat fee of $25 for the certificate.
Licensed wildlife rehabilitators in New Mexico can earn up to 10 CE hours. There is no additional charge, but attendees are responsible for submitting their proof of registration to Maggie Curtis at the New Mexico Department of Wildlife.
Lodging:
We have a room block arranged at a hotel across from the event site: https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1787606121252&key=GRP&app=resvlink
