About Author: Rachel

Nicki Boyd, the behavior husbandry manager at the San Diego Zoo, showed us what it takes to train exotic animals. She explained to us the many benefits of training, such as a reduction in stress, reduced medical costs, and an opportunity to stimulate the animal’s mind. Learning is critical to an animal’s survival in the wild, and the keepers want to challenge them to learn new tasks to keep their minds active here at the San Diego Zoo.

Akela, the fennec fox, is a beautiful, spunky little animal living in the Discovery Outpost. Ms. Boyd brought Akela to a presentation area where she talked about the species. The fennec fox, found in the deserts of Central and northern Africa, has a beautiful sand-colored coat. Like many species of fox, fennec foxes like Akela are hunted for their fur, so Ms. Boyd encourages readers to go faux!

Ms. Boyd is also involved with red panda conservation. She works closely with the local communities in Nepal and with the Red Panda Network to save bamboo forest habitat from being cut down. This helps the Nepalese become “forest guardians” for the red pandas. She is also involved with other zoos in the U.S. to ensure that the red panda, an endangered species, thrives in the wild as well as in captivity.

Francis, the sun bear, is the smallest species of bear but certainly not the least intelligent. Ms. Boyd had him perform some of the commands he has been practicing. It was awesome to see him open his mouth and show Ms. Boyd his tongue and present paws and claws (through the exhibit fence, of course)! The sun bear is endangered due to many factors, including habitat loss, poaching, and the illegal pet trade. To ensure their survival in the wild, it helps to make informed decisions as a consumer. Make sure that the wood you are buying comes from a sustainable source- often, that means being certified by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).

Our time spent at the Zoo with Ms. Boyd was something that is not easily forgotten. I saw first-hand the tremendous amount of time, dedication, and effort Zoo staff put into shaping an animal behavior in order to increase the animal’s well-being. As Akela and Francis would agree, the San Diego Zoo is heads and tails above the rest.

Rachel, Conservation Team
Week Six, Winter Session 2012

One of the most important jobs of the APC is incubating, hatching, and even hand-raising chicks born at the Zoo. If an egg is not receiving proper care from its parents, the APC can step in and help the chick develop. Every year, the APC hatches about 200 eggs. That’s almost four eggs a week!

Mrs. Theule gave us a tour of the APC, and it was instantly obvious how much time and effort the keepers put into taking care of the eggs. Inside the incubation room, about a dozen cream colored boxes lined the walls. The whiteboards on each of the incubators included notes about the oval-shaped treasures inside. Mrs. Theule explained to us that after many years of trial and error, the keepers have gained extensive knowledge on species-specific temperature and humidity requirements for setting the incubators. This vital information helps each species of bird get the best care possible in its first weeks- or months- of life.

In the hatchery, Mrs. Theule showed us the intensive care that goes into maintaining healthy eggs. Twice a week, Mrs. Theule and other keepers candle the eggs from the incubation room. Candling is basically holding a giant flashlight up to an egg. The bright light illuminates the contents of the egg, and the keepers are able to visually track the progress of the developing chick.

Did you know that an egg is supposed to lose weight as it develops? Knowing this important fact, APC keepers frequently track the weight of an egg and make sure it is healthy. By keeping extensive weight records, the keepers are dedicated to making sure that their chicks hatch- alive and kicking.

The keepers at the APC also put a great deal of time into making sure that the needy chicks develop properly into independent adults. Using an array of techniques, such as puppets, socks, feeding tubes, and syringes, the keepers ensure that the chicks receive proper nutrition- without becoming too dependent on the keepers in the process. They work hard  to make sure that the chicks do not imprint on the them, which happens when a chick establishes a keeper as its parent. One way the caretakers avoid imprinting is by wearing “the ghost,” a sheer cape-like garment, over their face and body. When a keeper is feeding a young bird, the ghost makes it difficult for the bird to determine what is underneath. This simple trick helps wean the chicks off of the keepers, so that one day, the birds can feed themselves and not rely on the keepers to- literally- spoon feed them every morsel that goes into their mouths.

Interns got a unique, hands-on experience when Mrs. Theule brought out eggs from the green- naped pheasant pigeon and the green aracari. The eggs, for reasons not entirely known, never hatched. Mrs. Theule first let us candle our individual egg to see if it had even been fertilized by a male. My egg, from the aracari, was fertilized but the chick never fully developed. Next, I broke open my egg and try to locate the embryo. Amidst the mix of neon-orange colored yolk and cream-colored egg membranes, I located the tiny embryo. The little guy (or gal) was about the size of a fingernail, and was light brown in color. I was even able to make out the eyes!

Although it is unfortunate that the egg didn’t make it, each unsuccessful egg can help scientists determine new ways to ensure more hatchings in the future. And more chicks are a good thing- the APC works hard to make sure every bird at the Zoo gets a chance to “break out of their shell.”

Rachel, Real World Team
Week Four, Winter Session 2012

The first woman we met was Laura Keener, the senior clinical laboratory manager at Harter Hospital. She says that there is no such thing as a “typical day,” but some of her duties include consulting with staff, working on various conservation projects, and responding to emergencies. Ms. Keener studied medical technology at the University of Wisconsin and also worked in human medicine with the Peace Corps for four years. She was recruited by the San Diego Zoo after running a lab for 14 years at a veterinary school in Wisconsin. She loves the fact that her job at the hospital is a great learning experience. Despite being there for 14 years, Ms. Keener learns something new every day while on the job!

Although the veterinary field is very competitive to get into, Ms. Keener advises getting a degree in biology or chemistry, clinical lab science/medical technician, public health, epidemiology, or going to school to be a registered veterinary technician, among many other options. Most important of all, in order to work for San Diego Zoo Global, you need to have many years of experience! The veterinarians at the Zoo and Safari Park need to be ready for anything, as they work with hundreds of different species of animals.

Ms. Keener walked us to the clinical pathology lab, where we were introduced to Leslie Nielsen, a senior laboratory technician at the hospital. Ms. Nielsen has a passion for animals and became a licensed veterinary technician after studying animal health technology at Mesa College. Ms. Nielsen worked at a couple of small animal clinics before joining the team at the Safari Park. She analyzes samples (blood, feces, urine, etc.) for parasites and diseases; sometimes an animal can be diagnosed by running various tests in the lab! To get a visual idea of what Ms. Nielsen does on a daily basis, we used a microscope to look at a blood smear from a zebra. Ms. Nielsen was on the lookout for roundworm and tapeworm eggs in the blood sample. This regular observation of an animal’s blood allows the clinicians to track the treatment of parasites.

Last (but certainly not least!), we got a tour of the hospital from hospital manager Jeanette Fuller. Ms. Fuller started at the San Diego Zoo by working as a security guard. She became a registered veterinary technician before becoming a zookeeper at the hospital. She explained the importance of closed-circuit monitoring of recovering animals, and showed us the surgical suite, where animals ranging from the cape buffalo to the desert tortoise undergo medical procedures. My favorite stop of the tour was “Hoofstock Alley,” a long hallway with many patient rooms occupied by animals of all shapes and sizes. We got up close and personal with a bongo, a zebra, and an ostrich. I was fascinated to learn that the ostrich was being kept at the hospital because her keepers had noticed that her eyes were more watery than usual. Can you believe that? The keepers at the Safari Park are so observant and talented that they noticed a minute detail that surely could have saved the ostrich’s sense of vision.

Our time spent at the Paul Harter Veterinary Medical Center showed us how much work goes into keeping San Diego Zoo Global’s animal collection healthy. Experience and education are two elements (among many others) that are necessary to become one of the dedicated individuals that care for these beloved animals.

Rachel, Careers Team
Week Two, Winter Session 2012

We were introduced to Mrs. Maggie Reinbold, a conservation program manager at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. She has a special passion for the study of genetics and how that passion can help animals. I was very excited to hear what she had to say about the history of the largest bird in North America, the California condor.

The history of the condor is perhaps one of the biggest success stories of the century. In the past, the California condor was found all the way from British Columbia, Canada, down to Baja California, Mexico, with historical numbers in the hundreds of thousands in the wild. However, their status took a dramatic turn when they were listed as endangered in 1967. Twenty years later, there were only about 25 birds in the wild.

Condors are scavengers, meaning that they eat the carcasses of animals that are already dead. Lead poisoning had a major impact on wild populations, as condors unknowingly ingest lead from hunters’ bullets as they feast on fallen, unclaimed animals. Fortunately for the condors, alternatives are available for hunters! Copper alloy bullets, among others, can be used in place of the more popular lead bullet. This simple switch can save the lives of many birds in the wild.

Another way you can ensure the survival of this amazing species is by simply picking up your trash! In the wild, condor parents need to give chicks bone fragments, because they are great sources of calcium. Some condors in the wild have picked up the odd parental behavior of feeding their chicks human garbage, as they mistake wires, bottle caps, glass, and other microtrash for bone fragments. This unfortunate mistake is often deadly for chicks. But you can make a difference for condors—just pick up your trash! Not only does it make the world a cleaner place, but it also helps out condor moms and dads who cannot tell the difference between garbage and bones.

In an attempt to save these breathtaking creatures, San Diego Zoo Global started a massive captive-breeding effort, using the less than 25 birds that were taken from the wild to repopulate the Earth with more condors. Thanks to many dedicated individuals, lots of trust, and a little bit of pixie dust, fast forward 25 years later, and there are now almost 400 condors on Earth. Approximately half of those individuals are being released back into their natural habitats. I would call that quite a success story, wouldn’t you?!

Back in the research lab, I and the six other interns were given the task of determining the sex of a California condor from a sample of DNA. Did you know that male and female condors look physically identical? We had to rely on DNA to determine our assigned condor’s gender. DNA is a very informative molecule found inside all living things. This building block of life is involved in heredity, species identification, and is responsible for all bodily functions. Mrs. Reinbold helped us use a pipette, a tool that allows scientists (and interns!) to measure out very small amounts of DNA and other substances. We then performed a reaction that uses DNA to let us study different species of animals and plants. Using a popular method of DNA analysis (with Mrs. Reinbold’s help), I concluded that I was dealing with a male condor! Going through this process was very surreal: it made me feel like an analyst on the popular Crime Scene Investigation TV show.

Working in the lab today with Mrs. Reinbold was a very exciting and informative experience. I enjoyed learning about the large birds that live so close to us! I truly felt like I caught a glimpse of what a career in science would be like. I also learned that conserving the diverse collection of animals on our planet is a massively important task and the responsibility of all. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the California condor will be soaring over California for many years to come.

Rachel, Real World
Week One, Winter Session 2012

Animals are a huge part of my life, and my family and friends can definitely confirm that! I love being at the San Diego Zoo and the Safari Park, because I have the opportunity to connect with the animals and learn about them at the same time. I also love taking my dogs for long walks, watching Planet Earth reruns, and involving myself with the animal rights movement.

In addition to animals, motorcycles are a big part of who I am. I cashier at my dad’s motorcycle dealership and am immersed in the world of motorsports many times a week. I love riding quads in the sand dunes with my family and taking watercraft out to Mission Bay.

Most of all, conservation holds a special place in my heart. The San Diego Zoo and Safari Park will show me how I can do what I love and help conserve our animals. I believe that we need to do everything we can in our power to preserve our beloved animal species, because without them, the world would be quite a boring place!

I am so blessed to have this opportunity to work with Zoo InternQuest, and I cannot wait to share my fabulous experiences with you!

Rachel
Winter Session 2012