2024年8月5日
Lindsay Davis ’25 was a newly declared 生态 major when she read an article about prairie chickens.
与它的名字相反, a prairie chicken actually is not a chicken at all; rather it is a type of grouse that used to enjoy a widespread population across the United States’ central grasslands and prairies. Today, their numbers are drastically reduced due largely to habitat loss.
“I thought they were just so incredible,” the Crofton, Maryland, native said. “I had been looking for jobs in wildlife conservation and I felt the George Miksch Sutton Avian Research Center and its values were so well reflected in their continuous efforts of avian 研究 和保护.”
At the Sutton Center in Bartlesville, 俄克拉何马州, Davis supports the organization’s prairie chicken breeding efforts by assisting with chick banding and medicating, 饮食准备, documentation and paperwork, 谷仓的维护.
“Ninety percent of animal care surrounds maintenance and diet — prepping food, 清洁笔, washing dishes — but the 10 percent of direct, hands-on care is what makes it all worth it,戴维斯说.
Back east in Pennsylvania, Alayna Krempa ’25 is also caring for chickens — true chickens — as well as other barn animals like sheep, goats and miniature donkeys at the Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown.
As a conservation education intern, Krempa’s responsibilities include animal husbandry, education and assisting with interactive experiences. 在动物园开门之前, she and her fellow interns work alongside the zookeepers to take care of the barn animals. After successfully cleaning the stalls and feeding the animals, they are given their location assignments for the day.
“Our rotations include educating guests about the exhibits, overseeing the goat contact yard, assisting with the giraffe and bison feeding experiences, and ensuring that guests follow all rules to keep themselves and the animals safe,克伦帕说.
Krempa, also an 生态 major in Susquehanna’s School of Natural and Social Sciences, grew up about 25 miles north of the Elmwood Park Zoo in Perkasie and has fond memories of visiting the park herself.
“Interacting with live animals, especially those that are not native to the eastern United States, instilled in me a love for the natural world,”她说。. “The Elmwood Park Zoo truly cares for the well-being of its animals. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Elmwood Park Zoo strives to conserve species around the world through breeding programs and by educating the public.”
Both Davis and Krempa have big plans for their post-graduate futures. Davis hopes to enter the Peace Corps and Krempa plans to pursue a career in conservation and restoration work, possibly with the National Park Service or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.