Zoo InternQuest is a career exploration program for high school students. For more information see the Zoo InternQuest Journals. For more photos see the Zoo InternQuest Photo Journal.

A lot of people don’t know that the mallards, white egrets, and the blue herons that are found in the bird enclosures aren’t actually a part of the bird collection (which last year contained more than 1,890 birds). In fact, these free loaders steal food from the birds in the collection. Which makes a bird keepers job all that more difficult because they have to make sure that the bird in the collection get fed and that the moochers don’t steal their food.

As Josh Zelt, a Bird Keeper at the Zoo, fed the flamingos and various freeloader ducks he provided us with some interesting tid-bits. It’s a well known fact that flamingos get their famous coloration from the crustaceans they eat, but what a lot of us didn’t know was that you could tell a mother flamingo apart from the rest because they are paler than the rest. This is because she gives her nutrients to her chick before she eats.

For me, it was very impressive to find out that Mr. Zelt got his job by working his way up. Instead of being hired on as a keeper, Mr. Zelt got hired as a building and grounds attendant nearly nine years ago. Thanks to his hard work and determination, he is a bird keeper now.

Perhaps it was only the fact that he was carrying food, but the way these birds flocked to Mr. Zelt, you would swear that it was something more. It was obvious in the way that Mr. Zelt spoke about these birds that he cared for each and every one of them as they were his own children. I can only hope that whatever job I end up doing, I enjoy it as much as Mr. Zelt enjoys his.

Regina, Photography Team

Zoo InternQuest is a career exploration program for high school students. For more information see the Zoo InternQuest Journals. For more photos see the Zoo Internquest Photo Journal.

It was absolutely wonderful listening to the numerous squawks, quacks, and squeaks coming from the waterfowl in the San Diego Zoo’s flamingo exhibits last Thursday. Most would probably have found it annoying, but not a bird lover like me. I couldn’t get enough of the various birds that swam and flapped around in a sort of organized chaos as our guide for the day, Bird Keeper Josh Zelt, tossed them their food. Today we were getting a look at the day in the life of life of a San Diego Zoo bird keeper.

After feeding the birds in the upper pond we headed to the Bird Department’s main kitchen where Mr. Zelt told us the various tasks he and the other bird keepers would perform on a daily basis: preparing the food trays for the various exhibits, checking up on the animals in their string of exhibits and observing the behavior of the numerous animals under their care. He explained that each keeper was responsible for a string of exhibits which would be anything from a single large aviary or several small aviaries. Mr. Zelt is the relief keeper so he is assigned to different strings depending upon where the department needed him while other keepers were regularly responsible for a single string. Each exhibit might hold several different types of birds, so the keepers would have to prepare individual food trays for each exhibit

From the food preparation kitchen, we drove down to the lower waterfowl pond where we were greeted once again with thousands of quacks and other vocalizations. We all laughed when the noise quieted instantly after Mr. Zelt scattered some of the food throughout the exhibit. Those birds knew what they wanted. One of us asked Mr. Zelt what kind of college education one might need to become a bird keeper. He readily explained that most keepers had at least one degree, while some had numerous degrees in subjects ranging from animal husbandry to biology.

What came next had to be my favorite part of the entire day. We took a quick stroll from the lower duck pond to the Birds of Prey exhibits across the road where we were greeted with a beautiful sight. Sitting on a large branch right in front of our group was the Zoo’s male harpy eagle. This bird was probably one of the most beautiful and the most intimidating birds I had ever seen. His talons were each as thick as a human thumb and as sharp as daggers. The harpy eagle is the largest eagle in the Americas, ranging from Southern Mexico to Northern Argentina. Visiting the harpy eagle and the other birds of prey was a perfect ending to our behind the scenes look at the Zoo’s Bird Department. It gave me a new appreciation for the magnificence and sheer power that birds of prey possess.

Stephen, Careers Team

Zoo InternQuest is a career exploration program for high school students. For more information see the Zoo InternQuest Journals. For more photos see the Zoo InternQuest Photo Journal.

Peering into the extremely large enclosure, I was able to see the majestic raptor known as the harpy eagle. This particular Harpy eagle was perched on a branch right next to the barrier that separated me and the beautiful creature; it then turned to observe my group and me because of the animal keeper’s whistle. Its big black intelligent eyes curiously looked at us (or at least it felt that way), and all I could do was stare back at the creature in absolute awe. For some reason the raptors radical claws did not hinder its appearance of being adorable its huge eyes and smooth grey feathers that came off of its head in all directions made it so gorgeous. The harpy eagle was just so amazing; I could barely take my eyes off of it. But then I realized that this beautiful creature is endangered in its home range of Central and South America, and all I could think was how sad it is.

So rewind a little bit, earlier the zoo keeper told us that right now he is working with the birds at the zoo and how much he enjoys it. Mr. Josh Zelt also explained that his job requires that he prepare food, observe the animals, and care for the animals. It is also his job to see what are ideal breeding conditions for the animals in his care.

So by finding the ideal breeding conditions for the animals, it is possible to breed animals and maybe eventually release them into the wild. Then by keeping studbooks they are able to keep track of all the genetics that the zoos are breeding, in order to keep genetic diversity and prevent the species from becoming bottlenecked. Breeding the animals is not the only important factor in repopulating a species though. If an animal is going to be released from the safety of the Zoo, the keepers and conservation teams have to be sure it will survive in the habitat. The animals are raised so they don’t imprint on humans or . The habitats that the animals will be returned to will also not be cut down or destroyed. There are many different aspects of repopulating species. So here is yet another example of how it takes many different people with many different jobs to repopulate and conserve a species.

Kate, Conservation Team

Todd Schmidt is a Senior Herpetology Keeper at the San Diego Zoo, a job that he has dreamed of having ever since he was child. His job is to take care of the reptiles in his corridor of the Reptile House. Being a herpetologist is a job that requires skill and accuracy and if not cautious may be dangerous. Mr. Schmidt must take many safety precautions because many poisonous snakes reside in his area of the Reptile House.For example, when working with the spitting cobras, Schmidt wears a facemask. Equally as important as the safety equipment is being well versed in the animals’ natural behavior. Just because an animal is venomous doesn’t mean it wants to bite you. The herpetology keepers know each individual animal and they know the general behaviors of the species. Herpetologist keepers are a smart group.

The Brachylophus fasciatus, commonly known as the Fiji Banded Iguana, is a species of lizard that makes its home in the trees on the islands of Fiji and Tonga. Due to the introduction of mongoose and cats to the islands and habitat destruction, Fiji banded iguana populations have been declining over the past century. However, the one pictured above is a hybrid of the species, a rare individual with unique markings. These iguanas are actually owned by Fiji’s government and are being taken care of by the San Diego Zoo.

Corucia zebrata, commonly know as the Solomon Islands skink, is a species of reptile living in the trees of the Solomon Islands. The Solomon Islands skink is the largest species of skink. It is herbivorous, eating different types of fruit, and veggies, and the pothos plant.While observing the many unique creatures, this one caught my eye with its eye catching color and interesting skin.

The alligator snapping turtle is one of the largest freshwater turtles in the world, reaching a weight of 220 pounds. These amazingly huge turtles can remain submerged under the water for one hour; with typically only the nesting females venturing out onto open land.Todd Schidmt, Senior Herpetologist Keeper, demonstrated the proper way to handle these amazingly huge turtles.

The Mossy Tree Frog, Theloderma corticale, is found in Vietnam and possibly China. This species is threatened by habitat loss. The amphibian’s dappled green and black bumpy skin gives this animal excellent camouflage in its surroundings. The mossy tree frog sat still in the hands of Todd Schimdt while the interns were busy chattering away with its neat looks.

Zoo InternQuest is a career exploration program for high school students. For more information see the Zoo InternQuest Journals. For more photos see the Zoo InternQuest Photo Journal.

The time is flying by so fast, and we are learning so incredibly much every day! This week, we took a behind the scenes tour of the Reptile House at the San Diego Zoo, courtesy of Todd Schmidt, a senior reptile keeper and herpetologist at the Zoo. There are four different corridors of exhibits, some kept at a higher temperature or humidity depending on the species housed there. Mr. Schmidt introduced us to a variety of different species, including a baby annulated python, several Fijian iguanas, a grouchy sidewinder, and an even grouchier alligator snapping turtle.

The Fijian iguanas are startlingly beautiful. They are bright shades of blue-green, and they almost pose for people walking by. These animals unfortunately are extremely endangered, and the ones at the Zoo have been loaned to them by the Fijian government! The Fijian government knew about the Zoo’s excellent reputation for breeding endangered species in captivity and there are so few of these animals left in their natural habitat. Collaborative conservation efforts with other countries can sometimes be difficult. There are certain laws and rules pertaining to the types of things that the San Diego Zoo can do, but they have been successful nonetheless, so far breeding over 100 individuals from the original 12.

Another critically endangered animal we saw was the Panamanian golden frog. These animals, like many amphibians, are considered indicator species. This means that whenever there are toxins or other harmful things in the environment, these animals show it first. This is because the golden frog’s skin is semi-permeable. Water and the toxins that can come with it can directly penetrate the skin and enter the body, causing harm to the animal. Many golden frogs have died because of a fungus, called the Chytrid fungus. It has spread rapidly through Central America, killing many of these striking black and yellow frogs, and driving to extinction some other brightly colored species of frogs. The conservation of the species is now a high priority for the San Diego Zoo.

Wendy, Conservation Team

Zoo InternQuest is a career exploration program for high school students. For more information see the Zoo InternQuest Journals. For more photos see the Zoo InternQuest Photo Journal.

J.P. Montagne, a Senior Research Technician at the Zoo, told us all about biodiversity and why it’s so important to protect. Something I was surprised to learn was that the Wild Animal Park (WAP) is situated on 1800 acres, only 900 of which can ever be developed, the other 900 are preserved for conservation. 600 of the undeveloped acres are part of the Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP). The MSCP works to conserve biodiversity by preserving a network of interconnected habitats. It just so happens that San Diego County has the highest number of endemic plant and animal species (“endemic” means found nowhere else on the planet), higher than any other county in the continental United States the bulk of which are located on WAP lands.

So what were we going to do for the day? I wasn’t too sure on what “Applied Animal Ecology” meant but when Mr. Montagne hurried through our lecture on account of wanting us to have as much time out on the field as possible, I knew that we were going to do some field research. We checked several arrays of pitfall traps where reptiles, amphibians, and even bugs had fallen in over night. These traps consisted of fencing and buckets buried into the ground. The hope was that something would crash into the fencing and either veer right or left and eventually fall into the buckets where we would uncover it and log our findings.

I love all animals but lizards have never have been high on my list of favorites. So when Mr. Montagne opened that first bucket and uncovered a tiny juvenile orange-throated whiptail I didn’t expect to think it was the cutest things I’d ever seen. When Mr. Montagne offered to let us hold the lizard, I jumped at the opportunity. Although I did have a pet iguana a couple years back, I had never held such a tiny animal in my hands, so needless to say I was more than a bit scared of crushing it in my fingers. But the second I felt that tiny creature’s heartbeat between my fingers I was immediately astounded. It was such a small animal that I was surprised at the strength of its heartbeat. After that I went from bucket to bucket, fervently hoping to find another little heartbeat.

Regina, Photography Team

Zoo InternQuest is a career exploration program for high school students. For more information see the Zoo InternQuest Journals. For more photos see the Zoo InternQuest Photo Journal.

So many people seem to think that snakes and other reptiles are scary and gross, but not Senior Keeper Todd Schmidt! He’s always loved these scaly creatures, and with good reason. When Mr. Schmidt took us on a tour of the Reptile House, I started thinking about going into the reptile-keeping business myself!

Because of the venomous nature of his scaly charges, Mr. Schmidt told us that the reptile department is one of the safest at the zoo! Keepers use tongs, bags, hooks, face masks, tubes, and boxes to protect themselves from unhappy reptiles. (In case you’re worried, all of these safeguards are designed with the animal’s best interests in mind.) And once you’ve seen a snake tooth (pictured), you’ll know why, venom aside, all of these precautions are necessary. The Gaboon viper’s fangs can get up to two-and-a-half inches long! Imagine getting bitten by that!

Danger aside, the science involved is fascinating! For starters, there are four main types of reptiles: crocodiles, turtles and tortoises, snakes and lizards, and a very special reptile called a tuatara. Tuataras are a kind of living fossil with a bizarre patchwork of features, like bones similar to those of birds, and the scales of a crocodile. But what is most interesting to me is that the gender of certain reptiles is determined by the temperature that their eggs incubate!

With all of this in mind, reptiles can be rather intelligent. Mr. Schmidt explained to us how the keeper staff has trained the Mambas to tell the difference between the male sign and the female sign. Why? Because the two snakes in the same enclosure have learned which symbol is theirs. When they see the symbol on a training wand, they follow it into the smaller box. There the animal is rewarded for doing the right thing, your standard animal training technique. Now if that’s not enough to make you want to help reptiles in need, I don’t know what is!

The best way to help these animals is to learn about their role in the ecosystem, their habitat, and our world. Knowing about this can make people proud about their native species and prevent poaching. If you travel in countries where reptiles are on the menu, or their parts are in souvenir shops, do not support the vendors. Ecotourism is also a sure bet at helping these animals because it gives people a reason to protect animals. And remember, you can be fashionable without harming your reptilian friends.

Madolyn, Real World Team

Zoo InternQuest is a career exploration program for high school students. For more information see the Zoo InternQuest Journals. For more photos see the Zoo InternQuest Photo Journal.

As our field vehicles traveled up a long dusty road, they threw plumes of dry dirt into the autumn air. The sun’s rays beat down on us as we visited our first pitfall array. J.P. Montagne, a Senior Research Technician, helped us record data about the many creatures living in the Coastal Sage Scrub habitat surrounding the Wild Animal Park. We discovered a large variety of canyon and valley critters in the pitfall traps (i.e. Orange-throated whiptail lizards, stink bugs and scorpions). In one of our buckets, we found two Orange-throated whiptail lizards, and all I could think was, “JACKPOT!” We had to be gentle as we caught each of the lizards and recorded what species they were before we released them. It was very exciting.

Mr. Montagne is working to document creatures that are endangered in a specific environment and to figure out what might be threats to the various species. He is also working to make sure that populations of species are in balance and to monitor the environment for invasive species. In short, his job is to monitor the biodiversity in a given ecosystem.

Mr. Montagne works in the Applied Animal Ecology research division of the San Diego Zoo; a division that, among other things, provides information and insight about how to preserve species and ecosystems in the wild. One program that the division works with is the Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) which aims to save multiple threatened or endangered species around San Diego County. Mr. Montagne helps by reporting his findings from the wild areas adjacent to the Wild Animal Park and Montagne is able to help with the conservation of local species. It takes a lot of people to save and conserve a species.

Kate, Conservation Team

Zoo InternQuest is a career exploration program for high school students. For more information see the Zoo InternQuest Journals. For more photos see the Zoo InternQuest Photo Journal.

If you ever played outside catching lizards or spiders, Mr. J.P. Montagne may be just the person you’ll want to meet. Mr. Montagne works at the Wild Animal Park monitoring biodiversity in the coastal sage scrub habitat that is located in back of the park. So what is biodiversity? It is the assortment of life within an ecosystem, biome, or the entire earth. Biodiversity is important because it boosts ecosystem productivity.

Mr. Montagne has a very unique way of studying the inhabitants that call the coastal sage scrub habitat home. He places long nets across the ground that lead to underground buckets called “pitfall traps” which trap lizards, snakes, amphibians, and even bugs. During the month, Mr. Montagne and his team go out and inspect the wildlife in the  traps and record data on their findings before releasing the animals safely back into the wild. They have been conducting these biodiversity surveys for more than 10 years and can even overlap their data with natural events such as storms, wildfires, and bug infestations. By analyzing the data as a whole, they know which populations are increasing, which species are in decline, and which ones are staying the same.

This research is very important and Mr. Montagne can use all the help he can get. The Multiple Species Conservation Program is dedicated to protecting San Diego’s natural resources and has funded much of Montagne’s research. If you would like to help preserve ecosystems here in San Diego, it is easy to get involved with the MSCP (http://www.sandiego.gov/planning/mscp/). Another way to help is to be knowledgeable about the diverse habitats in San Diego County. Respect nature and its inhabitants and help to preserve what little bit of undeveloped land we have left.

Eric, Real World Team

Zoo InternQuest is a career exploration program for high school students. For more information see the Zoo InternQuest Journals. For more photos see the Zoo InternQuest Photo Journal.

One might think that the hot, dry, windy weather conditions, combined with the hilly, brush-covered, terrain of the Wild Animal Park’s wilderness back roads would deter most people; but nothing was going to distract us from our mission. We were on a mission to find and document the myriad of creatures in the pit-fall traps in the Coastal Sage Scrub habitat adjacent to the Park.

But why were we going to so much trouble just to find a bunch of lizards? We were helping Senior Research Technician, J.P. Montagne, collect some data. Mr. Montagne has a Bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Behavioral Evolution. His job at the Wild Animal Park is to research the biodiversity of the Park’s coastal sage scrub populations. To collect his data, Mr. Montagne sets several pit-fall traps in the areas he is studying. These traps are capable of harmlessly capturing numerous small animal species, including the lizards and snakes that Mr. Montagne is trying to collect data for. Once these lizards are captured, Mr. Montagne takes note of each lizard’s species, age, gender and whether or not it has previously been captured. All of this helps in documenting the amount of biodiversity found in the open spaces adjacent to the Wild Animal Park, which is very important in understanding the health of the environment.

We got the chance to experience Mr. Montagne’s job, as we were divided into three groups and each group was instructed to check two traps on each of the four pit-fall arrays. Our first set of traps was empty, but our luck quickly changed. On the second, third, and fourth pit-fall arrays our traps held anywhere from two to four of some of the fastest and smallest lizards I had ever seen. All of the lizards turned out to be juvenile Orange-throated whiptails. We were all baffled by how fast these minuscule critters could run. By the end of the day, we all had the chance to examine, record, and release several lizards of varying species. The experience gave me a healthy picture of just how important and how fun Mr. Montagne’s study of biodiversity is. I’m sure we all acquired a great appreciation for the importance even a tiny lizard can have in an ecosystem.

Stephen, Careers Team