Leo joined CERG as a MSc Veterinary Science student in July 2025 and is studying lung health in common dolphin (Delphinus delphis). Leo is a licensed veterinarian in the Philippines who has been working with marine mammals since 2007, initially undertaking rehabilitation and necropsies of stranded dolphins at Ocean Adventure Park Rescue Centre. In 2010, he moved to the Vet and Animal Care Department and became further involved in the care of marine mammals, as well as continuing his work with stranded marine mammals in the Philippines.

 

MSc Project:

Based at the Cetacean Pathology Unit (CPU) in Auckland, Leo will undertake a first assessment of lung health in common dolphins stranded in New Zealand using a long-term tissue archive and cases previously screened by a veterinary pathologist. Specifically, Leo will assess the prevalence and characterize pneumonia (suppurative, fibrinous, interstitial and granulomatous), pulmonary edema (terminal or secondary), emphysema (alveolar overdistension due to gas trapping or barotrauma), atelectasis (focal or diffuse, depending on extent of obstruction) and parasitic lesions lungworms observed grossly (nodules, abscesses, fibrotic tracts) and histologically (eosinophilic granulomas, fibrosis, eggs and larval forms visible).

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Supervisors: Prof Karen Stockin and Prof John Munday (School of Veterinary Science)