At first, I was unsure if I fully agreed with Mr. Mason’s motivational quote from Baba Dioum. Through our explorations, however, I began to see the truth in the statement. People really do take more of an interest in issues that involve them. If people have a personal connection with something, they are more likely to promote it because they can relate to it. As an informal science teacher, Mr. Mason is able to take steps to connect others with issues surrounding conservation. After our short session with him, I felt compelled to take action and do what I can to promote conservation in the world.

Rather than being a normal classroom teacher, Mr. Mason’s job is a lot more engaging. I was surprised when for his favorite teaching method, we were taken to the giraffe enclosure. The hands-on method, however, really seemed to prove his point of connecting to wildlife and conservation. His methods worked, since I still remember facts I learned in addition to the sensation of feeding a giraffe. One of the most interesting things I found out is that giraffes have black tongues to prevent them from getting sunburned. This especially stands out to me because of the closeness I encountered with the giraffes’ tongues. One of them even licked me.

Although the giraffes were very fun and engaging, I also enjoyed learning about one of the most famous cuddly mammals, pandas. Due to long lines at the exhibit, I had never been into the panda viewing area. To see the mom and young panda playing together when we visited was certainly a highlight. There is so much more that the Zoo contributes to panda breeding efforts than is seen by most visitors to the Zoo. I was surprised to hear that, with two births, the San Diego Zoo is the only zoo in the United States to have a successful breeding program. I had also been unaware that good government relations plays a large part in the preservation of species. With pandas, for example, the Zoo has a close working relationship with the Wolong Giant Panda Center, which is run by the government in China. This way, both places benefit from new findings and conclusions drawn from their panda programs.

Better cub nutrition is a prime example of a benefit received through international government relations. The San Diego Zoo nutritionist traveled to China to learn about a cub’s nutritional needs. Using a sample of Bai Yun’s milk (the female panda in San Diego), he was then able to develop the first ever panda infant formula. This information was then shared with keepers and veterinarians in China where they have been able to raise panda cubs on this formula, if the mother was unable to care for the infant herself (as is the case with twin births in pandas).

Spreading a conservation message is something that seems like it would always be heavy and serious. However, Mr. Mason himself has created a set of conservation songs and a fun character – Wild Wes – to take the message of conservation to kids. I was impressed with his ability to write and perform songs about conservation to such a young audience! It is easy for me to see how bringing animals to elementary schools and singing to the students would get them excited about and interested in conservation. It all relates to Mr. Mason’s notion that people learn better when they are having fun and feel connected to the topic. I am sure that when I was younger, if an animal had been brought to my class, I would have thought it was the greatest thing. Teaching conservation to children raises their awareness of the world’s problems, creates a deeper understanding, and hopefully a desire to get involved.

Contributed by Shelby - Zoo InternQuest Conservation team

Along with the enrichment, Mr. Davis is responsible for seeing that the animals in his keep get enough of the proper food. Each animal has a specific diet laid out by a nutritionist. A red-ruffed lemur, for example, eats a pre-mixed leaf eater food, red apple, greens, a variety of steamed roots, a variety of raw vegetables, fruit, and a tamarind pod every day. The food preparation areas Mr. Davis showed us seemed more like a well-stocked kitchen than the silos of hay and grain I was expecting. Of course there were containers full of different feed pellets with varying protein and fiber quantities, and buckets of alfalfa along with the very surprising bags of Iams cat food. I say surprising because much of the food there was the very same stuff I could go and buy at the grocery store. Never again will I doubt the quality of my own cat’s store-bought food.

To ensure that the animals are getting enough food and are in good overall health, they are weighed often and sometimes have blood samples taken. To allow a keeper to take blood or even trim their feet, a camel may need a sedative, an elephant - extensive training, which given the size and nature of those animals is understandable. I was shocked and amused to learn that a Baird’s Tapir sometimes doesn’t need more than a good scratch on the belly to relax it enough to allow for a checkup or pedicure.

The Zoo also tries to ensure both the temporary and long-term health of their animals. After all, how effective can any conservation effort be if the animals aren’t alive and kicking? This is accomplished in one way by quarantining and observing new animals that come to the Zoo. These preventative measures were also apparent when we went to the koala exhibit and had to dip our feet in disinfectant before entering the building.

In the koala exhibit we were introduced to the team area lead, Chris Hamlin. From the viewing windows, the Zoo would appear to only have a handful of koalas. From the inside of the building, however, I was able to see that the Zoo has over 30 koalas. They also have around 30 out on education or breeding loans in the United States and Europe. This loan program was started in the 1980s and all money raised is sent directly back to Australia to help conservation efforts there. That along with little things such as giving the koalas indigenous names impressed me with how focused the Zoo is on helping to preserve the natural habitat and culture of Australia.

Breeding programs, such as the koalas, may be the most noticeable part of any zoo’s conservation effort. My experience at the Zoo has shown me the animal keeper’s job is one that requires brute strength and attention to detail. Each job is just as important as the other, whether a keeper is picking up droppings and shoveling hay or recording data on the movements of koalas.

Contributed by Mariah – Zoo InternQuest Conservation Team

I thought I was going to be pretty comfortable around the camels. After all, I figured the worst they could do was spit. However, I learned that was most likely not going to happen because camels only spit when they’re upset or provoked. But when I was first standing next to this quite large animal, I realized that I still felt a little vulnerable, which was a suprise to me, being such an animal fan. I felt better as we fed the camels some food pellets and experienced their slimy lips. Mr. Davis pointed out that one of the camels was in a separate enclosure. He was the new male brought in for breeding purposes.

New animals to the Zoo are quarantined for at least 30 days before being placed in an enclosure. This is to ensure that the health of the animals is up to par and there are no other issues with them. Keeping these animals separate avoids possible medical conditions from spreading throughout an entire enclosure. Imagine how devastating it would be if an animal was introduced into an enclosure without being examined when it could possibly spread a disease among the entire group. This could put the breeding program for that species at risk.

(Note: the camel was not quarantined, he was in a “next door” enclosure to the females as part of the introduction process.)

When I visited the Zoo in the past, I always assumed the few koalas on display were the only ones there. However, as we traveled behind-the-scenes, I quickly noticed that I was mistaken. There were many more koalas perched peacefully on branches in enclosures. Chris Hamlin, marsupial team area lead, informed us that koalas are very picky eucalyptus eaters. I was amazed to hear that the Zoo provides them with four different types of eucalyptus leaves daily in hopes that they will be interested in one of them that day. In addition, the Zoo keeps a refrigerated room full of eucalyptus plants to keep it fresh for the koalas.

There is a program within zoos of the United States in which koalas are loaned for educational and conservation awareness purposes. In the Koala Loan Program, a koala and a keeper travel to a different zoo in the States to give people in that community a connection to koalas. This exhibit attracts people to the partnering zoo and raises their awareness for the need of koala conservation. Profits accumulated from this program are sent directly to Australia for research on koalas in their natural habitat. I think this program is a great success because everyone benefits, especially the koalas.

As our first day out exploring the Zoo with a presenter, I was overwhelmed with all the new information I learned. From the visitors’ perspective, everything seems orderly and simple. Little do you know all the hard work and dedication that goes into keeping the animals mentally and physically healthy.

Contributed by Shelby - Zoo InternQuest Conservation Team