Zoo InternQuest is a seven-week career exploration program for San Diego County high school juniors and seniors. Students have the unique opportunity to meet professionals working for the San Diego Zoo, Safari Park, and Institute for Conservation Research, learn about their jobs, and then blog about their experience online. Follow their adventures here on the Zoo’s website!
Kirstin Clapham, a senior hospital keeper at the San Diego Zoo’s Jennings Center for Zoological Medicine, works with animals that thousands of people from all over come to the Zoo to see. She works directly in conservation in a variety of ways by aiding in the quarantining of animals that are brought to the Zoo, helping to maintain the health of the animals, and nursing ones that are sick back to health.
Animals are usually put in quarantine for 30 days when they are coming from a different location. A large part of conservation for zoos is creating the best situation for procreation to occur. For this to happen, male animals are often traded between zoos, as it is more vital for the females to be comfortable by staying in the exhibit they are accustomed to. Before these males can be introduced to the new exhibits and to the females, precautions must be made to ensure that the animal is not carrying any diseases.
Although the exchange of males is very crucial for zoos, it is not the only reason animals are moved. Recently, Ubon, a Malayan tiger from Fresno, was brought here to the San Diego Zoo. He is now being quarantined but will not be introduced for breeding but rather as an exhibit animal. However, our male Malayan tiger, Paca, has gone to Fresno in his place to meet their females!
Currently, Ms. Clapham is involved with a conservation project with loggerhead shrikes, located on San Clemente Island. The project is an attempt to revive the loggerhead shrike population on the island, as it is one of the most endangered songbird species in North America. As part of the hospital staff, Kirstin helps to provide medical attention for Loggerhead Shrikes that are in need of care. The objective is to return them back to the island in a timely manner, where they can be back with natural habitat. The Zoo has helped to bring up the population to over 70.
Ms. Clapham often works with rare and endangered animals, making sure that they are healthy. She is part of a huge conservation effort, which helps her gain perspective on its importance. Her job allows her to help out a lot of animals and make a difference by maintaining the species that call the Zoo their home.
As a hospital keeper, Ms. Clapham is one of the primary caregivers for the animals. Along with doing numerous check-ups on the animals to see how they are doing, caregivers also feed, medicate, and weigh animals throughout the day. This is very important, as it helps to keep up the animals’ health, making sure that they are doing well. They are the eyes and the ears of all that goes on. The knowledge and use of veterinary care to all the animals, along with practice and hard work, allows animals to thrive and helps them to live healthy lives and hopefully procreate, aiding in the conservation of the species.
Molly, Conservation Team (week 5)
