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.

I was surprised to find out that despite common belief peanuts go to the birds. Yes, you read right, peanuts don’t go to the elephants. As a matter of fact, it’s been quite a few years since an elephant at the Zoo has been fed a peanut. Sorry for bursting your bubble.

And how do I know this? This week we met with Dr. Michael Schlegel whose job it is to supervise the nutritional service department. More than making diets, Dr. Schlegel finds out what nutrients an animal needs. This is easier said than done though because you can’t exactly find a National Research Council (NRC) research document on California condors. So what Dr. Schlegel does is find a NRC on an animal that’s diet most resembles that of the animal in question, which in the case of the California condor would a be a feline. Of course a bird and a cat do not have the exact same needs even if they have similar diets, so adjustments are made accordingly.

I have often wondered what happens to the fruits that the plants on Zoo property produce. Dr. Schlegel informed us that a deal with the horticulture department ensures that fruit and leaves harvested on Zoo and Wild Animal Park grounds enhance the stocks of food for the animals. Now you know what happens to the guavas in front of the Kopje exhibit at the Zoo.

The forage warehouse (where the produce is stored) is divided into two sections: meat and vegetables. The veggie fridge itself was huge storing meal worms, sugar cane, and everything in between. The meat freezer had more of your “everyday” items: apple snails, mice, rabbits, and oyster shells.

Regina, Photography Team

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