Zoo InternQuest is a career exploration program for high school students. For more photos see the Zoo InternQuest Photo Journal. To meet the Interns, read the Intern Profiles.

Dr. Julio Mercado gave us an exclusive tour of the Paul Harter Veterinary Medical Center at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park. All the while he showed us around, he told us about his fascinating job. The facility is the most technologically advanced veterinary hospital in the world! We toured the large animal exam/surgery room that, if necessary, is equipped to support an animal as large as a rhino or elephant. The X-ray machines are mobile and completely digital so that the image contrasts can be adjusted without retaking the X ray.

The veterinarians are very similar to human doctors, which are called physicians, in their daily routine, though Dr. Mercado says that there is really no set routine because each day on the job is very different. The day begins with a meeting with all of the vets to review the patients of the day. Before examining their patients, the vet must check all of the previous records for each animal. Most of the animals are examined out in the field to reduce stress on the animal. But if it is necessary, the animal is brought into the hospital for examination. If there is an extremely challenging case, Harter Hospital has the resources to stream live videoconferences with other veterinary specialists from the San Diego Zoo and University of California, Davis.

Dr. Mercado is a veterinary resident; this means that he is working to complete a specialty degree in zoological medicine. The residency program lasts for three years, with each resident spending one year at the Sacramento Zoo/University of California, Davis, the San Diego Zoo, and the Wild Animal Park. Dr. Mercado is in his third and final year of the program. To receive his specialty degree he must first pass the Boards, two days of intense testing. He has already completed a D.V.M. from Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), Mexicali and a master’s degree from University of California, Davis. According to Dr. Mercado, it is essential to have a firm base in domestic animal medicine in order to make the leap to exotic animal medicine. It also takes a lot of persistence, patience, and determination to get into this very exclusive field. However, it is worth all of the hard work because of the many rewards and in knowing that the animals are well cared for.

-Ariel, Zoo InternQuest, Animal Careers Team

From Then to Now, Gathering and Keeping Track of Info at the Veterinary Hospital
At the Wild Animal Park, the Paul Harter Veterinary Medical Center aims to keep up with rapidly changing technology. Whether it is digital X rays or a mobile ProPaq machine that assesses vitals such as heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen level, Harter Hospital is well equipped to handle anything that comes its way. This hospital utilizes some of the very latest medical technology available. Nowadays, instead of using old X-ray machines where images are examined on a light box, X rays are looked at digitally with the help of a computer. This allows veterinarians to zoom in on particular regions of the body and easily make the image contrast lighter or darker. Also, all of the animals at the Wild Animal Park and the San Diego Zoo have been microchipped. This allows vets to make a positive identification and access each animal’s medical history. Even though the hospital is completely high tech, the staff is still using old-fashioned filing cabinets for their record keeping efforts! This is largely due to a lack of innovative computer programs able to store the enormous amount of information that vets need to keep for their animals. In fact, there is a handwritten file detailing the medical history of each and every animal housed at the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park.

Except for the file cabinets, it was amazing to see how high tech and well planned the whole place is! There are surgery rooms, X-ray rooms, intensive care areas, and recovery rooms. There are large padded rooms for the animals during recovery and surveillance cameras all around so that the keepers and doctors are able to monitor their patients 24/7. This animal hospital is the largest in the world, and the animals here get top-notch care. If I were an animal in trouble, I know where I would want to be!
- Hayley, Zoo InternQuest, Real World Team

Veterinary Care for California Condors
Originally from Mexico, Dr. Mercado has been a great asset to the California Condor Recovery Program occurring in Baja California. His involvement ranges from examining birds before release to caring for animals that may have ingested something dangerous after release. The CRES team and their partners in Mexico are attempting to bring the population of these endangered birds up to a stable, self-sustaining number by monitoring and steadily releasing condors into the wild over the next few years. Because these birds are recovering from near extinction, it is equally important that researchers document behavioral changes and effects of certain release options in order to increase the success of reintroduction efforts.

Sierra San Pedro Martir National Park in Northern Baja California is the place where the condors are being released because of its remote location and minimal human impact. The condors are bred in captivity, so it is difficult to predict success when measuring the rate of survival and conformity that the birds experience upon being introduced to their new habitat. But the biologists are expecting good results!

According to Dr. Mercado, this innovative condor recovery program is also benefiting the Mexican community by providing employment to Mexican researchers, biologists, and students. Through this program, the San Diego Zoo is able to spread the knowledge of conservation not only in Mexico, but on a global scale as well. The recovery program also includes reintroduction sites in central California and at the Grand Canyon in Arizona. The world population of California condors is quickly approaching 300 individuals, which will likely continue to increase with the efforts of this program.

- Sarah, Zoo InternQuest, Conservation Team

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