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.

Laura Keener, Senior Clinical Laboratory Manager, literally gave interns an overview of Clinical Pathology, I have the handout to prove it. Although the diagnosis of disease through laboratory work, which involves analysis of urine and fecal samples, doesn’t sound like an appealing job to most, Ms. Keener’s enthusiasm is infectious, no pun intended. Her excitement as she described the trials and tribulations of practicing wildlife medicine made me see Veterinary Clinical Pathology as a new frontier. In human medicine, pathologists only have to study one species, Homo sapiens; however, clinical pathologists practicing veterinary medicine always have to ask themselves “is this normal for this species?” So who can blame Ms. Keener for freaking out when she saw that a pig that was brought to the Zoo had blood cells that appeared anemic. Tests on the rest of the pigs in the new party revealed that this blood cell formation was normal for this species. Who knew?

Once inside the Pathology Lab, we took a first-hand look at the equipment that makes diagnosis possible. One such machine is the point of care analyzer (POC), which allows for the analysis of the blood of 180 species. Of course, manufacturing companies don’t mass-produce equipment like this for veterinary medicine, so Ms. Keener spent over a year searching for this particular machine.

Using a teaching telescope, we were able to see a sample of nematode eggs found in an excretory sample. But I think the highlight of our tour of the Pathology Lab was being able to see a sample of a tapeworm segment from a rhino, which Ms. Keener is holding in her blue-gloved hand. Even though it is my goal to become a veterinarian, I can’t quite stomach the thought of tapeworms. But I found this sample fascinating; it was just a single segment but it was huge! This single segment was as long as my thumb, so you can imagine how long the whole creature must be! Thankfully, after some testing, the worm was found to be non-pathogenic.

Even though they spend the majority of their time surveying for diseases and analyzing samples from deceased animals, the clinical pathologists at the Zoo have a sense of humor. This is obvious upon entering the Pathology Lab where you are greeted by two residents: “Pee” and “Poo” (plush toys that a former analyst gifted to the department). Another sample of this humor that we found particularly amusing was a “Dead End” road sign strategically placed in the room where pathologists perform necropsies.

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.

An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but everyone still needs a check-up from time to time! The same goes for the animals here at the Zoo, and the Molecular Diagnostics Lab at the Wild Animal Park helps keep the animals in top shape.

Dr. Mark Schrenzel, a Research Veterinary Pathologist, told us all about the lab and how it helps animals both here and around the world. What I found really interesting is that this lab was the first diagnostic lab at a zoo! Today there are many more, but the one at the Park still helps zoos around the world. While I thought that was interesting, getting to help with an actual experiment was even more exciting!

The experiment (pictured) we helped with uses a process called PCR (polymerase chain reaction). What this does is duplicate a section of DNA until there are more than a billion copies of it. That number may seem huge, but it helps the scientists study that region of the DNA. Some people are probably wondering why this is so important. By analyzing the DNA sequence of unknown disease in an animal, the scientists can compare this “DNA footprint” to those of other pathogens.

Even with the possibility of having billions of copies of DNA to work with, everyone in the lab is careful with these samples because not only can some diseases be transmissible to humans, but the substance that makes PCR possible (Taq polymerase) costs around $1000 for one small vial! And you thought your medical bills were expensive!

With supplies being this expensive, it’s easy to see how important it is to support the medical departments of the Zoo, but that’s not all that people can do! Some of the most dangerous diseases are the ones spread by wild animals. So next time that squirrel at the park looks hungry, remember that it is better off finding its own food. Also, if you see a dead animal, don’t just ignore it, call animal control to pick it up or use gloves and a bag to do it yourself, but NEVER pick a dead animal up with your bare hands. While all of that might seem a bit much right now, it really isn’t and it might just be the apple a day that everyone needs.

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.

After an exhausting trip to reach the top of the hill where the Pathology Lab is located, we met Laura Keener, Clinical Pathology Lab Manager at the San Diego Zoo. Ms. Keener showed us around the facility and talked about aspects of her work and what exactly is done at the Pathology Lab. Clinical Pathology is the study of disease and/or health of an animal as determined by analysis of blood, feces, urine, body fluids, secretions, and/or the environment (i.e. water, food, bedding, soil, etc.). Turns out there are several life forms that we cannot see that can cause disease.

Ms. Keener not only talked about these unseen organisms, but also showed us pictures that were sometimes quite frightening. While she was describing intricate details about these tiny creatures (picture above), I began to wonder how the work of a pathologist helps the conservation of species. Then, as if on command, Ms. Keener stated how her work helps conserve species, specifically related the San Diego Zoo’s Hawaiian Forest Bird Conservation Program. Pathologists carefully monitor all birds in the breeding facilities on Maui and the big island of Hawaii and also the birds that are released into the wild to ensure that they do not carry any diseases into their new habitat. This is of great benefit to the birds themselves, to other wild species, and to the environment as a whole.

Since vets do not always know why an animal is sick or has died, they consult a pathologist to get a different perspective about how they might treat a particular ailment or hypotheses about the cause of death. It’s the same with species conservation. Before animals are released into a new habitat, vets and pathologists work together to ensure that the animals are healthy and will thrive in their new environment. Speaking with Ms. Keener has helped me to realize that species conservation takes more than one person; it truly takes the combined effort of many to save 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.

It was a long hike up the hill leading to the vet hospital at the San Diego Zoo, but when we finally made it to the top, it was well worth it. Laura Keener, Senior Clinical Pathology Laboratory Manager, led us on a brief tour of the facility. We visited the quarantine screening section where a huge sloth bear was pacing back and forth. Every animal that enters the zoo is sent to the hospital for a minimum of 30 days in quarantine. During this quarantine period, the clinical pathologists examine the animals thoroughly and monitor for diseases and parasites by analyzing samples of blood, body fluids, feces, and/or urine. Once the animals are deemed healthy, they can be placed into a zoo enclosure.

While monitoring animals in quaratine, Ms. Keener and her team must also keep an eye on the animals already in the zoo. There are numerous ways for outside diseases and parasites to impact zoo animals. Deceased wildlife such as birds or squirrels must be collected and tested immediately for diseases. Unfortunately, many people will bring animals into the zoo in hopes of leaving them there for the zoo to take responsibility for. Of course, the zoo is happy to care for abandoned animals, however, it presents a very dangerous situation when animals enter the zoo without first being tested for diseases. That’s where YOU come in!

If you’ve been wondering what you can do to help clinical pathologists at the zoo (and I know you have been), here’s your answer: Don’t bring outside animals (including pets, strays, and wildlife) into the zoo. It’s as simple as that! As Ms. Keener continuously stressed, it’s all about being educated. Educate yourself, your family, and your friends about the dangers of introducing outside animals into the zoo. If you really want to become educated on how you can help keep the animals in the zoo safe from diseases and parasites, look into volunteering opportunities that will directly benefit the clinical laboratory. Of course, when all else fails, donations to the non-profit San Diego Zoo are always beneficial.

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.

There are numerous veterinarians working for the Zoological Society of San Diego. This week, on our visit to the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, we got to meet one of these extraordinary vets. Dr. Mark Schrenzel (pictured) is a Research Veterinary Pathologist who has spent years working to diagnose the diseases that occasionally affect the animal residents of the Zoo and Park. Today, we were privileged enough to learn a bit about what a Research Veterinary Pathologist does.
Interestingly, Dr. Schrenzel spent a total of 15 years studying to become the doctor that he is today: four years for his Bachelor’s degree, another four years for his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, three years for a specialty degree in pathology, and yet another four years for his PhD. Dr. Schrenzel made it clear that a career in Veterinary Pathology requires lots of time and dedication to acquire.

Dr. Schrenzel’s dedication to his work became clear when he explained how he, as a research veterinary pathologist, tested DNA samples from various deceased animals to try and learn what diseases had caused their deaths. He explained to us about the Polymerase Chain Reaction or PCR method that pathologists use to exponentially duplicate a particular gene that they wish to study. The explanation was both incredibly involved and incredibly fascinating; and Dr. Schrenzel explained it in very easy-to-understand terms.

With fresh knowledge of PCR under our belts, we headed downstairs to Dr. Schrenzel’s laboratory where we were able to assist in loading samples into an agarose gel for electrophoresis, another procedure commonly used by in molecular diagnostics. We used incredibly expensive pipettes to move mere microliters of PCR product into the minuscule wells in the gel. The exactness of the procedure made us all painfully aware of how unsteady the human hand can be. We all left Dr. Schrenzel’s lab with a profound respect for veterinary pathologists everywhere. Using pipettes is hard!

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.

We had a very exciting visit to the CRES facility at the Wild Animal Park. CRES stands for Conservation and Research for Endangered Species, and is the research arm of the San Diego Zoo. We headed to the Conservation Education Lab, where a dizzying array of the letters “A, T, C and G” awaited us on the whiteboard. As I glanced around the room, large models of mitochondrion and pictures of a variety of animals met my eyes. Dr. Mark Shrenzel, DVM and PhD, a research veterinary pathologist and the head of the Molecular Diagnostics Lab at CRES, soon greeted us. By his soft-spoken manner and air of intellect, I knew I was in for the learning experience of a lifetime.

As the television screens over the whiteboard displayed various images, Dr. Shrenzel, wasting almost no time, began a presentation on the purpose of people like himself at CRES and the Zoo, as well as a few of the many techniques that they employ. Having been in college for a grueling 15 years, Dr. Shrenzel definitely knew what he was talking about! He introduced us to the technique of PCR, or Polymerase Chain Reaction, which I found to be extremely fascinating. It involves breaking open the DNA molecule, attaching small pieces of DNA called primers, which outline a region of the DNA to be copied, and introducing an enzyme that does the actual copying! At the end of several cycles, more than a billion copies of the DNA region have been created. The results are analyzed in such a way that pathogens can be identified, and aid in the process of determining treatment, finding a way to screen for certain ailments, or even curing disease! We even helped with one of the experiments, using pipettes to transfer the copies of DNA to an electrophoresis chamber for analysis. I felt like a pathologist!

The San Diego Zoo was the first zoo to have a diagnostic lab. In the last nine years, this lab has discovered more than 150 pathogens! If an animal is ill, samples from the animal are sent to the lab. It is the pathologists’ job to determine the type of ailment, the cause, a method of screening and hopefully, a cure. All of their work is noninvasive and not experimental, so their job is sometimes more difficult. They even work on zoonotic diseases, or diseases that can pass from animals to humans and vice versa. These diseases, such as avian flu, salmonella and E. coli are becoming more common due to increased human-animal contact and habitat encroachment, so these research pathologists have to work very hard. They dedicate their lives to the conservation of endangered species, applying molecular biology and general biology concepts in creative and new ways to save species.

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.

“Wow!” That was the expression in my mind when we began our first hands-on InternQuest experience. The program had promised unique and exciting experiences and it certainly did not disappoint. We started by meeting Rachelle Marcon, an Educator Guide at the San Diego Zoo. Ms. Marcon has to be one of the most exciting people I have ever had the privilege of meeting. Her exuberant and friendly attitude immediately connected with all of us. In no time we finished with the introductions and Ms. Marcon led us into the Zoo for what was to be a fascinating and fun behind-the-scenes tour.

We got a brief overview of Ms. Marcon’s job at the Zoo. She informed us that she is an Educator Guide, a position designed to lead tours through the Zoo as well as give hands-on experiences with a variety of animal ambassadors. To give us an idea of the background needed to be an Educator Guide, she explained that most of the Zoo’s educators have varying levels of teaching experience. She herself had formerly been a kindergarten teacher and fell into a job at the Zoo after volunteering at one of the summer camp programs. We learned that many San Diego Zoo educators have Bachelor’s and even Master’s degrees in biology, animal husbandry, and animal behavior or other similar . Most also have had past experience working with animals.

I quickly jotted down what Ms. Marcon had said only to realize that we were at the giraffe exhibit. We were lead back behind the exhibit where a bucket of fresh branches was waiting for us. Then it finally hit me. We were going to get to feed the giraffes!

We lined up along the fence, as a young giraffe named Travis came over to our group. The name seemed to suit him perfectly, although I’m still not entirely sure why. He had to be the friendliest giraffe I have ever seen in my life. He was more than happy to stuff his face with the acacia leaves that we were offering. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this towering creature. Travis immediately let us all know that he was thankful for the food by wrapping his long blue tongue around our acacia branches, completely stripping them of leaves. When he ate the leaves from my branch he his tongue briefly licked my hand. It felt much different than you might expect. The saliva on his tongue was incredibly sticky, almost like glue. I don’t think I’ve ever shivered from having an animal lick my hand but I suppose there is a first time for everything. Ms. Marcon was the person who got the most attention from Travis, however. He must have recognized her from previous tours. All of us laughed when Travis playfully nudged her shoulder.

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.

For our first hands-on experience, Zoo Educator Guide, Rachelle Marcon, led us up and down winding paths at the San Diego Zoo. We saw animals of all shapes and sizes including binturongs, kookaburras, and giant anteaters! She also brought us into the housing area of the koalas. Continuing our journey through the zoo, we visited the giraffe enclosure and fed the giraffes right out of our hands! Travis, one of the younger male giraffes, had a hearty appetite, stuffing his face with acacia leaves. While I was feeding him, his long tongue touched my hand and got sticky saliva all over my fingers. What a strange feeling!

My favorite part of the day was feeding the Bactrian camels. I never really realized that camels are such social animals. As soon as they saw us coming with the food, they rushed over to the gate to greet us. I placed my hand out in front of the large male camel, Mongo, and watched nervously as he leaned in to inspect the pellet I was offering. I thought for sure he would take off a finger or two. Of course, I was just fine and he was delighted to get a tasty treat out of it. Because it’s nearly winter, he had grown a thick, shaggy winter coat that made him seem even bigger. The Bactrian camels are native to China and Mongolia where their winter coats keep them protected from freezing temperatures. What I found really intriguing was that during the summer, when the camels at the Zoo shed their coats, the fur is used as enrichment for other animals that like to roll around in it.

It was an exciting day for us all; an experience we will not soon forget. Feeding giraffes and camels is something not everybody gets to do and learning about so many different animals and why they are becoming endangered can be an eye-opening experience. I think that if everyone could share in these experiences, then a lot more people would have an appreciation towards animals and their habitats.

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.

The beginning of something usually gives you an idea of what’s to come. Since our very first InternQuest experience was an exclusive tour of the Zoo, I am confident that I am going to have a great time. Our guide was Educator Guide Rachelle Marcon, and boy does she know her stuff!

Ms. Marcon introduced us to interesting places all over the Zoo, and even took us behind the scenes at the koala, camel, and giraffe enclosures. What really stuck with me was how the movies we watch as kids can affect the future of plants and animals. Giraffes (pictured) are a great example of this. All of us can think of at least one movie where we saw a giraffe. Because of this, guests like to put money in giraffe-shaped donation boxes or pay to feed these amazing ungulates. Giraffes generate a lot of money for conservation, but as a species, they may not need all of it. Giraffes are therefore what’s known as an “umbrella species.” Extra money generated in support for giraffes can be used for the protection of plants and animals that may not be so well known, but live in the same area as giraffes.

Another animal that is gaining recognition because of movies is the fossa. These small, predatory mammals from Madagascar may not rake in as many donations as giraffes or elephants, but may do so in the future if people continue to recognize them. Unfortunately, it is more difficult for plants to get needed recognition.

The Zoo’s plant collection is extremely valuable, considered by many to be more valuable than the Zoo’s animal residents. However, very few plants are well recognized because, let’s face it, people like cute fuzzy animals better. But one tree in the Hawaiian plant garden deserves some recognition, considering its importance in Hawaiian music and culture. Some people may recognize koa wood from a certain movie about surfing penguins, but it’s not just good for an awesome surfboard. Koa wood is what ukuleles are traditionally made of because of its resonant quality. Unfortunately for those who love nothing more than an authentic ukulele, this tree and many other Hawaiian plants and animals are threatened by invasive species, disease, development, and pollution.

So next time you visit the Zoo, check out some of these cool plants and animals along with your favorites. Also, feel free to watch your favorite movies. You never know how they can help plants and animals around the world.

Madolyn, Real World Team