Dr. Murray Elwood Fowler, one of the lama community’s most beloved and influential members, passed away on May 18th at the age of 85.
“Dr. Fowler,” a recent ILR eBulletin read, “had more impact on the Camelid industry than any other person. He will continue his legacy in the hearts and minds of the innumerable owners, veterinarians and caretakers he has taught and influenced.”
Murray Fowler, Emeritus Professor of Zoological Medicine at UC Davis, earned a degree in Animal Husbandry at Utah State University before completing his professional DVM degree from Iowa State University in 1955. In 1958, after spending three years in a horse practice in Southern California, Fowler joined the faculty of the Veterinary School at the University of California, Davis. He spent ten years teaching large animal surgery and medicine before being asked to develop a program in Zoological Medicine. It was the first program of its kind anywhere in the world, and made him the ideal person to help with the medical problems of llamas and alpacas. He spent 33 years at the University before retiring in 1991.
In 2006, the Sacramento Zoo opened the Dr. Murray E. Fowler Veterinary Hospital to provide clinical care to the Zoo’s animal collection. A quote from a UC Davis press release about the hospital opening illustrates Fowler’s influence: “It’s wonderful to see the fulfillment of Dr. Fowler’s dream,” said Dr. Jonna Mazet, a former student and current director of the Wildlife Health Center at the school. “He has impacted all the zoo vets in the country, and now he has a permanent legacy.”
The Wiscombe Funeral Home Memorial explained that “while Dr. Fowler specialized in large mammals, his veterinary practice was nearly as varied as the animal kingdom itself. He recalled a particular day performing surgery on an elephant in the morning and a parakeet that same afternoon. When asked recently by one of his grandsons what he considered his greatest achievement in his professional life, he replied that he hoped that he would be remembered as a teacher. Dr. Fowler greatly enjoyed sharing his knowledge with others.”
Over the years, Fowler joined several llama pack treks as a naturalist, both in the United States and in Peru, and traveled to New Zealand, Peru, Bolivia, and Chile to evaluate animals before exportation.
Fowler is also the editor, author, or co-author of twenty-five books, six of which deal with camelids—including Medicine and Surgery of Camelids (currently in its 3rd edition), The Alpaca Book (with Eric Hoffman) and First Aid for Llamas and Alpacas (with his wife Audrey). Fowler has also published over 250 professional papers, 95 of which deal with llamas, alpacas, and camels.