The first animals we encountered were snakes. On the back of each venomous snake exhibit there were red plaques stating the type of venom and the anti-venin that corresponded to it. Although the Zoo has lots of all types of anti-venins, snake venom can be made from 23 to 26 unique proteins, and not all snake venom has an anti-venin to treat it. However, the keepers take many precautions against snake bites. For instance, when dealing with snakes that spit their venom, special masks are worn to protect the face.

Mr. Schmidt took out a young Angolan boa (not a venomous snake) for us to see and touch. I have always loved the way snakes feel, all muscle with smooth scales. These particular boas are not being threatened by the normal problems of habitat loss, but are in danger because of war in Angola. In the desperate times of war anything that can be caught is eaten, and snakes are the slowest and easiest animals to catch.

We learned that just as new animal species are evolving in nature, extinction can also be a natural process, not always caused by humans. A hurricane on a tropical island might decimate the population of a frog species for instance, and the species might not be able to recover from the loss. However, to preserve animals in their natural habitat and in “back up” populations in zoos and other conservation facilities, the San Diego Zoo is involved in Species Survival Programs (SSPs) for specific endangered species.

One such animal is the Fijian banded iguana, a bright green iguana with light blue bands running down to the end of its tail. This species of iguana is particularly in danger of extinction because of its limited range (it lives on a few islands in the Fijian Island group). To take steps to prevent this, the government of Fiji has lent the Zoo around 50 of the iguanas to be part of an SSP. Mr. Schmidt told us that the keepers who care for the iguanas are like ambassadors representing the United States, and the level of care given to the banded iguanas will determine Fiji’s impression of the San Diego Zoo.

It was very surprising to learn how much more there is to conservation than just the animals and their habitat. There are both tough political and humanitarian issues involved whenever it comes to helping protect an animal or its environment. A large part of the way to conservation is talking to and dealing with people to try to determine a method for conservation that both benefits the animal or habitat and also the humans in the area. The Zoo works closely with the U.S. government in many conservation issues, particularly with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Towards the end of our visit with Mr. Schmidt and the reptiles, we went outside and saw the massive Galapagos tortoises. These huge tortoises can live to be over 150 years old! It was very strange to think that these specific animals have been alive for a century before any of us interns were even born. The tortoises at the Zoo receive glucosamine supplements for arthritis, which is understandable for animals who are 150 years old and weigh about 400 pounds (180 kilograms). We rubbed the head and neck of one of the friendlier tortoises, a female named Chips (here’s a profile about Chips). The skin of her head and neck was surprisingly soft for looking so dry. Meeting an animal that could have been alive when Theodore Roosevelt was born (an original American conservationist, he established the National Park System), or when Darwin first published his The Origin of Species was a great way drive home the conservation message of this Zoo InternQuest session.

- A.J., Zoo InternQuest, Conservation Team

As we toured the facilities of the Reptile House, we were treated to a barrage of information about reptiles of all types. Much of the information centered on the reproductive processes of critically endangered animals, and some of what we heard was rather bleak. Many times the offspring can only survive in a very controlled and monitored environment. Of course, human activity and serious losses to these animals’ habitats is severely affecting their overall populations. One specific and looming instance of mankind’s interference is the recent trend of global warming.

Global warming has the potential to negatively impact the populations of many reptiles, as they are especially sensitive to changes in temperature. Often these changes in the environment seem minute from our perspective, but they actually play a crucial role in the survival of entire ecosystems. One dramatic example of this is the alligator. Through a variety of studies, scientists have found that the temperature at which alligator eggs are incubated actually determines the gender of the young. While this fact is an awesome example of Mother Nature’s exactness, it also creates new consequences for today’s shifting weather patterns and unstable temperatures. In a situation like this, even a one-degree change in atmospheric temperature has the potential to create a devastating imbalance; as temperatures fluctuate, offspring are likely to be born predominantly female or male, depending on the temperature variation. Any gender imbalance would ultimately lead to the failure of the species, as breeding pairs would become scarce. This is only one example of the possible consequences of global warming, and more are coming to light each day.

Another example lies in chameleons. These animals are native to dense, humid rain forests, nicknamed “cloud forests.” Here, chameleons have everything they need. They replenish themselves from the dew that collects on the leaves of the trees surrounding them. In fact, chameleons in captivity refuse to use conventional water dishes. They require actual running water, or they cannot survive. Unfortunately, deforestation restricts foliage and potentially disturbs the precipitation process. Global warming will only add to these issues; without a natural source of water, chameleons in the wild may perish.

Despite the grim news he had for us, Todd ended his tour on a hopeful note. He asserted that “Education is the key to preservation,” and that is precisely what we are doing as part of this program. The human race is just as essential to this planet as are chameleons and alligators and it is up to us to influence our fate. That is a beautiful thing.

-Megan, Zoo InternQuest, Real World Team

Ms. Robertson showed us that a tour guide here at the Zoo must know about every inner working in the Zoo. She was knowledgeable as a zoo keeper and an animal behaviorist, to name a few. Being taken around the Zoo by a professional tour guide was a different experience than walking around the Zoo alone. As we visited each animal, we learned new things each time. Did you know that Indian rhinos eat one wheelbarrow full of browse, or leafy branches, twice a day? At least the rhino at the San Diego Zoo does.

Our tour guide was a wealth of information. To gain this knowledge she had to attend college first. She received her bachelor’s degree in biology, then attended Moorpark Community College’s Exotic Animal Training and Management program. Moorpark has a small zoo on campus that the students run.

Ms. Robertson also talked to us about the enrichment items in each of the enclosures. Here in the Zoo, the keepers have to recreate the animal’s natural habit and stimulus. To do this, keepers provide what is called enrichment, or activities to heighten mental or physical activity. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has guidelines that the keepers must follow concerning enrichment for some of the animals. Ms. Robertson informed us that the San Diego Zoo often exceeds the USDA guidelines for both exhibit size and enrichment. Enrichment can be many things. When we stopped to greet Orson, the black jaguar, we learned he often receives carcasses that hang from the top of his enclosure (here’s a profile about Orson). This provides the stimulus his brain needs and the physical activity of pouncing upon his “prey.” And it is enriching for Zoo visitors to watch, too!

Two hours was not enough to learn everything about the Zoo, the animals, and being a Zoo tour guide. I did learn that comfortable shoes and the ability to walk backwards are a must.

-Ariel, Zoo InternQuest Careers Team

My hobbies show my naturalistic side as well. I enjoy hiking and camping along with any other extreme outdoor sports. I recently climbed Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, a goal I prepared for over five years. I successfully climbed the tallest mountain in Africa as well as enjoyed the beauty of the natural landscape and animals. I came to view and appreciate the animals of the Serengeti, Maasai Mara, and Lake Manyara districts. It was with these opportunities that I was able to add to my knowledge of animals and nature. I hope this experience will stay with me as I enter college and pursue a degree in conservation biology.

I am very excited about starting Zoo InternQuest and being able to work with all kinds of animals. I am also interested in learning about the different occupations that I can strive towards when I go off the college next year. This internship will help me in my search for a major as well since I am torn between environmental sciences and wildlife biology and conservation. I look forward to learning about my particular focus as well since I am on the Conservation Team and it is my responsibility to find out how specific jobs relate to the conservation issues. I hope that by dedicating myself to this particular topic I will be able to better understand the jobs that might interest me in the future. I am most looking forward to the interaction I will receive with the animals.

I have always loved going to the Zoo, however I am not currently a member so to my disappointment I have not visited the Zoo in many years. The San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park will be a great aspect of the internship as well because of my travels to Africa and the great collection of African animals in huge exhibits there. Overall I am very excited about this upcoming experience. I hope that together with my current knowledge of the conservation efforts to protect animals and the information I will learn I will come out of this internship a changed person.

I am very dedicated to my schoolwork, but I try to balance it out with a lot of leisure time. I love to read, and hold intellectual conversations with people I am close to. Spending time in nature revitalizes me, and I appreciate the small things. My summers usually consist of trips to the beach and meandering adventures with friends. I do not play any sports, but I still find myself constantly busy. I am very close to my parents and I value my relationship with them. I am also quite fond of the bulldog we recently adopted. Her name is Daisy and she has a very sweet disposition. I love camping in the desert, exploring rivers and just generally being adventurous.

Friendship is a very dear thing to me, and I tend to spend a lot of time with the people I care most about. Music is also extremely essential in my life, and my taste is varied and extensive. I like nearly everything, from reggae to classical, and the rest of my interests are just as broad. Just as I love to sit under a tree and watch the insects, I also enjoy an amusing (and rather mind-numbing) computer game.

I am intent on pursuing a career in conservation. I have always been interested in this, and my passion has never waned. I have not narrowed down my ambitions as of yet, but I do know that I would like to travel and perhaps be a research biologist. Ultimately, I would like to make real change in the world. This enthusiasm has always driven me, and this internship will allow me to further develop my ambition. I am most looking forward to the interactive and hands-on experiences I will encounter in this program, and I am also excited about maintaining an online journal about said experiences. The only thing I feel apprehensive about is my ever-increasing load of responsibilities, and I am nervous about balancing schoolwork, volunteering and this internship while sustaining an enjoyable social life. Wish me luck!

When I heard about Zoo InternQuest a few years ago, I made up my mind to become part of the program. Being an intern will likely offer a glimpse into the exciting future that I have planned for myself. To see what life might someday be like is an exciting prospect indeed. But that is just the icing on the cake. What makes this program truly exciting is the opportunity to get to learn more about animals! That is the true delight about being an Intern.
As a junior in high school, I am currently preparing to apply to colleges. The two universities that I am considering are Cornell and UC Davis. This summer I had the opportunity to check out UC Davis when I was a part of the California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science or COSMOS. There I was a member of the Bio-Medical course where we explored different aspects of human and animal medicine. That was a great experience and heightened my desire to someday become a veterinarian. 
At this point in life, I have several hobbies. I enjoy reading everything, from classics to the latest bestseller. Books allow me to explore a whole new world beyond my own imagination. My very favorite books are The Lord of the Rings series by JRR Tolkein. If given the choice, I would never leave the world of Middle Earth. But when the real world calls me back, I play varsity basketball as a guard. I was on the varsity team last year and anticipate playing again this season. I am also interested in learning the art of fencing. At my school, I am a member of the dramatic team “CAST” (Christian Association of Student Thespians). We perform different skits for my school and surrounding churches.
 

I want to help animals and the environment, so I chose to be on the conservation team in Zoo InternQuest. I had been in the Conservation Corps program for three sessions at the Wild Animal Park before InternQuest. The experiences that I had with them got me completely hooked on conservation and the environment. I am especially interested in the rainforest and its preservation.  The idea that there are still so many unexplored places and animals that have never been seen before fascinates me. I want to be able to study them and find out what is there, so that the rainforests can be protected from destruction. The preservation of our earth’s habitats is so very important for us now and in the future. I want to learn more about both the environment and the plethora of animals that live in it. I know that I would like to have a career in conservation, but am not completely sure what I want to be when I grow up.

When I learned about the Zoo InternQuest I knew that this program was something I would enjoy and benefit from. I decided to do this program here at the Zoo, instead of returning to the Conservation Corps program.  I am really looking forward to learning more about jobs in conservation and biology. I am eager to talk to people who are experts in their field and hopefully this will help me to decide what I want to do and be when I get older.  The fields of conservation science are very intriguing to me and I am excited about every minute that I will spend here at the San Diego Zoo and at the Wild Animal Park. I can’t wait to go to the Conservation and Research for Endangered Species (CRES) center to see the facilities and talk with the knowledgeable people there. I am looking forward to everything I will experience here, except the drive back home from the Wild Animal Park in rush hour traffic.