Animal Care Intern, Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, Water’s Edge Region
May-August 2022
- Gained knowledge in marine mammal husbandry
- Implemented enrichment programs for polar bear and sea otters
- Learned basic pinniped training procedures and completed training sessions with California sea lions
Animal Care Intern, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, North America Department
May-August 2022
- Gained animal husbandry and management skills for large carnivore and hoofstock species
- Created goal-based enrichment calendar for wolverines
Animal Care Intern, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Australia & The Islands Department
January-April 2022
- Assisted in preparing animal diets, cleaning and maintaining animal exhibits, developing enrichment activities, and learning basic training skills in a mostly marsupial and avian collection
- Designed and built new enrichment items for white-handed gibbons and siamangs
Research Assistant, The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Parasite and Pathogen Ecology Lab
August 2021-present
During the 2021-2022 year, I studied the prevalence and diversity of tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes spp. ticks sampled from wild and domestic animals across Canada. I completed all lab-related work for these studies (soon to be published) independently, which involved becoming familiar with conventional and RT-PCR, DNA extraction, gel electrophoresis, BLAST (NIH tool). This year I will work on tick identification and studying tick-borne pathogens in local wild carnivores such as otters and bobcats.
Wildlife Center Intern, Humane Animal Rescue Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (Pittsburgh, PA)
May 2020-August 2020
I was blessed to have an internship opportunity still available during summer of 2020, considering the circumstances surrounding the pandemic. The description of the upcoming internship (from their site) is as follows: “As an intern you have a unique opportunity to experience firsthand what wildlife rehabilitation is all about. As a fully licensed Wildlife Rehabilitation Center that treats over 4,200 patients annually, you receive many opportunities to learn skills including basic husbandry techniques, species identification, basic anatomy, proper handling techniques, administering medications, hand feeding and more. In addition to the releasable wildlife, there are also 25 Education Ambassadors on the campus. Interns assist staff with bi-weekly resident weight checks and husbandry. We have a well-rounded program where interns have the opportunity to observe and assist with examinations, treatments, medication distribution etc. It is heavily focused on animal husbandry, supportive care (such as gavage feeding) and general preparation for re-release.”
I had no previous experience working with wildlife but was exposed to a wide breadth of wildlife care and left the internship with both vast new knowledge and a deepened appreciation for wildlife.
In this photo I am holding Martha, a great horned owl and permanent education ambassador at the center.