I heard about this position last summer through a zookeeper when my family attended a behind-the-scenes tour of the giant tortoises. I kept in contact with the zookeeper, sent in my application, and was given the internship without interviewing! Networking is really important!! Without networking, I might not have had this opportunity!
Tonight I attended a talk at the zoo given by Dr. Jeff Briggler, herpetologist at the Missouri Department of Conservation, about hellbenders. The St. Louis Zoo has a very large and very successful hellbender breading and reintroduction program. The talk was very interesting and it was also fun to get to meet the zookeeper I had been in contact with again. Along with him, I got to talk to the zookeeper I met last week, who is in charge of the hellbender program. I had some questions about hellbenders, but then I found out that since I am out of school so early (and therefore interning earlier than most people), I get to help out with the hellbenders for 2-3 weeks!!! I am one of four Herpetarium house interns and the hellbender program has around 13 separate interns. Evidently not all of the hellbender interns are there yet, and neither are the house interns, so they are letting me help out with the hellbenders until things pick up! I am so excited to start on Thursday! It was really fun being able to talk to the zookeepers again, I feel that I am going to get along with them really well (and they are already giving me unique opportunities!). I think that this is going to be a great summer and a great experience!
Ozark hellbender
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only things that ever has." -Margaret Mead
