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.

Koalas are a demanding and persnickety bunch. The koalas at the Zoo are involved in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) to help sustain koala populations, as they face major habitat loss and danger from introduced species in Australia. Before breeding, the Zoo’s male koalas are are given an assortment of mates to choose from because it is unlikely he will choose the first or second mate. If that’s not picky enough, the koala’s diet consists of eucalyptus leaves and only eucalyptus leaves, which, let me tell you, are an expensive delicacy. Although these fuzzy marsupials occasionally walk on the ground, they spend most of their lives in trees. As if they could not be pickier, they are fonder of certain branches, those shaped like V’s, to support their gray, fuzzy rump as they lounge.

In the behind-the-scenes area of the koala exhibit at the Zoo, Educator Stephanie Burns told us about koalas, koala husbandry, and koala conservation. Afterwards, she took us to feed Bactrian camels, and Ms. Burns answered our questions, right and left, ranging from the history of the Zoo to funding at the Zoo’s conservation center to why the male Visayan warty pig grew a mohawk. We admired both her depth and variety of knowledge.

The Real World Connection: As we look onward to future careers, it concerns us to see some people sacrifice passion for their occupation, with the belief that passion and profession cannot go hand in hand. However, Ms. Burns was able to find a job that included both her love for animals and for spreading conservation connections, ethics, and actions. Although most of her career has concentrated on animal handling, from domestic to exotic, Ms. Burns found her perfect niche, her dream job, in education because it encompasses so much of what she believes in. Some positions are worth striving for because they do not require the sacrifice of certain joys for work. Ms. Burns’ satisfaction as an educator inspires us to persevere in our search for a position that captures our sincere passions. In short, perhaps the dream job is out there for all of us!

Natalie and Ronit, The Real World Team

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