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

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