About Author: Eliana

Communication is the birth and continuation of civilization. With language, people learned to work together to achieve greater and seemingly impossible tasks. Ms. Pillsbury does the same thing for conservation just by simply going to work every day. In her area’s red book, she writes down anything that other keepers will need to be aware of when they are on shift. Counting every animal in the East Africa portion of the park takes time and precision. Using a method of counting the notches in an animal’s ear to identify it, Ms. Pillsbury will do rounds to see that “she’s 340… that one looks like 324” until every animal is accounted for. By doing this, and then recording her findings in the red book, all keepers are aware of missing animals and new ones. Since “a lot of babies get tucked away,” keepers need a sharp, trained eye to find young offspring that may or may not need to be sent to the Neonatal Care Unit. If there was no sure system that alerted any keeper of this new addition, the baby could perish because it did not get the care it needed.

Along with conserving the wildlife at the Park with communication, it is apparent that Ms. Pillsbury has the priceless ability to be very observant and understand animal behavior. Noticing small changes in an animal’s health can mean life or death. On our tour through the East Africa enclosure, Ms. Pillsbury noted that giraffes “probably don’t all look that full,” and was able to guess that the animal was pregnant. In a case like this, direct action of keepers may not be as important as quiet observation. Sometimes, Ms. Pillsbury explained, if you look at an animal too long they get anxious and behave differently than if you weren’t there; it’s important to avoid this. For a pregnant giraffe, keepers need to note eating habits, weight gain or loss, and even more important, to make sure that the animal is comfortable and fit to develop and raise a baby.

Ms. Pillsbury is somewhat of a guard of a collection. Zoos have taken on the role of preserving species directly, and without keepers like her, they would fail to do so. Conservation touches the past, the future, and, most forgotten, the present. Zoos have the unique opportunity to conserve individual animals, the ones in their care. Without the dedication and skill of keepers that value communication and observation, these animals would not be living up to their fullest potential. By visiting the San Diego Zoo, you support the keepers and animals with each ticket and get the chance to see conservation in action.

Eliana, Conservation Team (Week 6)

Wednesday, we met with Oliver Ryder, director of genetics at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. He’s of average height, wears glasses, and was irritated that his PowerPoint wasn’t working like he wanted. What I would later find out is that he’s what some would call “famous.” You see, the study of genetics is a big player in today’s animal world. According to Dr. Ryder, it’s a “wonderful time to be a geneticist.”

As a rapidly expanding field, new projects are large in both the amount of people involved and the amount of the work and dedication these people put into them. For example, the Institute and other global organizations are working on the Genome 10K Project, which will sequence the genomes of 10,000 species to uncover the genetic heritage of each one. You can read more about the project here: http://www.sandiegozooglobal.org/News/genome_10k_project_announces_first_101_species_for_sequencing/. This project is “conceptually similar,” in importance, “to the invention of the microscope.” Dr. Ryder explains that a “whole new world of biology” has been opened up with the project. Sequencing genomes, a process of determining how DNA is structured, will greatly help animal health and increase reproductive success, since scientists will have a deeper understanding of each animal at an atomic level.

Projects like these are increasingly common and increasingly important to conservation efforts. “Famous” for genetic milestones, Dr. Ryder helped discover a rare disorder in California condors and has started work with the Scripps Research Institute on iPs (induced pluripotent stem) cell research. The condor population has risen from 22 to nearly 400 with the help of his efforts.

Additionally, his work with inducing animal fibroblasts into reproductive cells may be the only hope of yet another animal. There is nearly a “zero-percent” chance that the northern white rhino will reproduce if let alone. This is a species of only seven individuals, most of which are too old to safely mate. As a conservationist, Dr. Ryder wants to save this unique species. Genetics and conservation have become inseparable partners. Saving species with ever-improving methods like iPs is “something we think we can do…something we want to do.”

Dr. Ryder also reasons that we should think about “150 years in the future. What would people want us to do now?” Always study and chase what you are passionate about, but what if the job you truly want does not exist yet? Limited by technology or funding, there is no job title of “Director of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Research,” but that doesn’t mean there won’t be. Going to school for a degree in bioinformatics or genetics can be a step toward learning a diverse skill set that can one day be specialized to suit your dream job. Dr. Ryder went to the University of California, Riverside, for a bachelor’s degree in biology and then went to the University of California, San Diego, for a doctorate in biology by studying chromosome replication in bacteria. It was after graduating that he stumbled upon the Zoo as a career option. With the goal of using his education to help animals, Dr. Ryder ended up taking part in the creation the Zoo’s research department, where he now is a director.

There is that “imperial step in life; a first step.” Opportunities are in every corner, and none should be overlooked because they don’t appear to be what you are looking for. Dr. Ryder believes conservation needs something “really heroic,” and “nontraditional” for us to achieve all we are capable of. With bespeckled eyes turned toward us, Dr. Ryder asks, “Who’s going to do it?”

Now I’ll ask you the same question. There is more to labs than watching cells grow all day. There are no Frankenstein dungeons for mad scientists. Yes, there are latex gloves, goggles, and lab coats, but in the Genetics Division, you will make a difference in many aspects of animal lives. Dr. Ryder found a disorder in condors and helped save a species on the brink of extinction. As long as you are doing what you enjoy, then any job can become a life-saving one, and if you give genetics a chance, it may be just what you’re looking for.

Eliana, Careers Team (Week 5)

Mr. Ringer is a perfect example of getting to where you want to be through hard work and determination. Graduating from Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in life science, Mr. Ringer was lucky enough to get a job at a local zoo in Manhattan, Kansas. There, his job included cleaning enclosures, feeding animals, and directly handling the animals. For years, Mr. Ringer continued to work with animals in the Midwest, becoming experienced with animal handling, and taught others what he learned. Working as an Explorer Post advisor for seven years, Mr. Ringer’s job was to lead a group of kids in a program called Zoo Explorer. The participants worked 20 hours a month with the keepers and the animals. Mr. Ringer loved working with animals and teaching others about them; after a visit to San Diego, though, he made the decision to relocate here to see what opportunities awaited him.

Contrasting the work he did in the ‘70s and ‘80s to his duties now, Mr. Ringer considers it “a whole other realm” of tasks and responsibilities. As senior keeper, one must also be an educator, trainer, behaviorist, public relations expert, record keeper, and veterinarian technician. Not to mention, Mr. Ringer reminds, someone interested in his job must also be content with working eight hours a day, “five days a week” in conditions ranging from dirty to dangerous. “The general public,” Mr. Ringer explains, “is why we are able to [work with the animals].” It was strange to think of the public to me at first, but Mr. Ringer explained that every ticket bought for entrance to the Zoo goes toward the maintenance and upkeep of the Zoo, the animals, and the employees. Because of this, it is important that keepers are always engaging and educating people about the creatures they are supporting at the Zoo.

Despite challenges, keepers love what they do. Throughout our time spent with him, Mr. Ringer referred to his job as “an absolute joy,” “fun,” and a “grand profession.” Steve Herbert agrees that “it is [the best job ever].” How does one get to be a keeper, though? Mr. Ringer knows that “your education is a great way to start.” He suggests getting a degree in the sciences, like biology, zoology, ecology, or life science. Another way to get ahead in the field is experience. It’s unlikely you’ll get a job at the San Diego Zoo right out of college. Because of this, moving to Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, or Kansas may be beneficial in building a resume through the experience you get working at smaller zoos. Also, while in college and/or high school, Mr. Ringer suggests volunteering at the Zoo, or the many other animal-oriented organizations in San Diego (i.e. Project Wildlife, humane societies, animal outreach in Ramona, or Lions, Tigers & Bears in Alpine.)

The one thing you’ll need above all else is a desire to be around animals. Mr. Ringer and Mr. Hebert combined have worked for almost half a century with wildlife. Experiencing both direct and protected animal care, working with many different organizations, both can still agree that they never stop learning. Appreciating a fountain of knowledge only experience can bring you, and never lacking for curiosity and determination, Mr. Ringer and Mr. Hebert love their job and urge you to “go out there and be keepers!”

Eliana, Careers Team (Week 3)

Corrin LaCombe, conservation education research coordinator for the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, shows us how albinism in koalas, though rare, is one trait geneticists and keepers try to minimize in the population. In the wild, the white of the albino koala’s coat, in contrast to the green of trees, would make them extremely visible for potential predators. This trait in koalas is also linked to the formation of skin lesions, skin cancers, and immune system suppression.

The California mountain yellow-legged frog is native to Southern California, but because of habitation loss, pollution, and the introduction of predators, the species became almost extinct. The Zoo took on the project of recovering its population and have successfully produced offspring and are still working to increase its population. This is just one example of the many local conservation projects being conducted by the Institute.

Amazingly enough, on our first day at the Beckman Center for Conservation Research we were part of a research project on the success of humans’ ability to identify Andean bears from camera-trap images. We labeled a pair of bears as the same, not the same, or unsure so the results of our accuracy could be used to see whether researchers could rely on human identification.

As a way to show the interns how animals use more than sight to communicate, Ms. LaCombe had everyone smell two samples of koala scent. One was a smell that told other koalas that the individual was normal, and the other said that the koala was looking for a mate. Even though humans cannot always tell the difference between the two, koalas surely can.

A California condor’s wing span can measure up to nine and a half feet long. Teghan, a fellow intern, could not be more surprised as she compared her arms to that of an adult condor. Condors use their large wings to surf the mountainous regions of California, Baja California, and Arizona. Thanks to the San Diego Zoo, these birds are on their way to rebuilding their population!

Ending our day in the rain, we used actual condor tracking devices called receivers to find our own plush toy condors. Like a game of hot and cold, the device beeped louder and faster the closer we got to our condor. My partner and I were the last to find ours, but we all worked together to finally track down the toy condor!

Eliana, Photo Team (Week 1)

Name: Eliana (pronounced ee-lee-ah-nah)
School year: 12th (finally)

Now that that is out of the way, I’ll share a bit about myself.

First of all, I love wildlife. Whether it’s scales, claws, feathers, or fur–I’m all in. I take all opportunities to support animal and environmental conservation, from turning off the lights in a room to being a part of Zoo InternQuest. Ideally, I’ll work with the San Diego Zoo or the United Nations Environment Programme when I get older, so I can guarantee the success of global conservation.

Second, I juggle a passion for running, photography, quotes, reading, and philosophy.

I’m a junior varsity cross-country runner, but I run because I love it. And in the spring, I became a sprinter. My races are very short (about 13 seconds). I’ve been running competitively since seventh grade. I’m excited to say that I’ll finally be a varsity runner this year (if I work hard).

Surprisingly enough, I got first place at my school’s art show for photography. I mostly dabble in the hobby. My friends and family are known to take my camera away whenever we go out to make sure I have fun doing activities, not just photographing them.

I mentioned that I like quotes, reading, philosophy, and I really do. My collection of books weighs more than I do. There are tales about everything: adventure, zombies, palm reading, and even a 1970s psychology textbook. Adventure is how I live, as a “daring adventure or nothing” as Helen Keller said. There is always time for sitting around, but there is never enough time for hiking, sailing, and dancing. Zombies cement this mantra in me. “Why?” you ask. Well, I’d hate to realize one day that, like the living dead, I indifferently followed the crowd, never helping the world I live in. Be it wildlife conservation or school policies, I’ve begun to start changing what I don’t believe is right. Thus, when it is difficult, or when others don’t see “world-changer” in their destiny, that doesn’t mean that they won’t resolve global wrongs, and it never means they shouldn’t try. And zombies taught us that, arguably I’m sure.

This is who I am: a conservationist, runner, photographer, bibliophile, and theorist. Finally, to keep things simple – the end.