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Zoo InternQuest is a seven-week career exploration program for San Diego County high school juniors and seniors. Students have the unique opportunity to meet professionals working for the San Diego Zoo, Safari Park, and Institute for Conservation Research, learn about their jobs, and then blog about their experience online. Follow their adventures here on the Zoo’s website!
For our last week of InternQuest, we were given the pleasure of exploring behind the scenes of the San Diego Zoo’s herpetology department. From tiny frogs to giant tortoises, each species we met had its own intriguing story and endearing nature.
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Meet Peter Gilson, one of the Zoo’s herpetology keepers and our excellent guide for the day. Herpetology is the study of reptiles and amphibians. Although these two groups fall under the same category in zoology, they are actually different in more ways than they are similar. After almost nine years working for the Zoo, Mr. Gilson was able to give us incredible insight into the day-to-day experiences of both himself and the animals under his care.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116338" align="aligncenter" width="338"]
While you may not see the labels on the back of this tank and immediately envision the animal that lies within, the reptile keepers must be well versed with the Latin names of all the animals in their care. This is because while other keepers may be responsible for five to ten easily distinguishable species, Mr. Gilson might be responsible for 300 to 400 individuals everyday. Additionally, these species can have multiple common names, which can get confusing with over 400 individuals in your care. By using the scientific names of species, the herpetology keepers can clear up any confusion.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116339" align="aligncenter" width="450"]
Like all other departments at the Zoo, the herpetology department is responsible for ensuring the well being of any offspring produced under their care. However, raising tadpoles can be pretty tricky. All new additions are hatched and raised in the top layer of this tadpole chamber, and progressively, the youngsters move down to the larger tanks as they grow. The entire unit runs on one water filtration system so that the delicate babies are not vulnerable to any shock caused by a sudden change in water quality.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116340" align="aligncenter" width="450"]
In the wild, amphibians sporting bright attire are easily identified as poisonous. For instance, these vibrant golden poison frogs harbor a lethal toxin, and predators know to stay away due to the bright color. Unlike other poisonous species, many amphibians actually get their poison from their diet of other toxic species. For this reason, when given a diet of harmless insects, like the frogs pictured above, many otherwise lethal amphibians are practically harmless.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116341" align="aligncenter" width="338"]
When asked what sounds a frog makes, many people will respond with something along the lines of “ribbit.” However, what most people don’t know is that each of the over 5000 known species of frogs has its own unique call. If this little guy had the exact same vocalization as every other frog, it would be practically impossible to communicate with other members of its species. Luckily, this species actually has a very distinct barking call that easily identifies itself as a White’s tree frog.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116342" align="aligncenter" width="338"]
To a passing predator, this leaf tailed gecko is practically undetectable as it seamlessly camouflages into the bark of almost any tree. But if that wasn’t enough to stay safe, this lizard has a backup plan. When faced with danger, these animals will open their mouths up wide, exposing a blue throat that falsely informs predators of a possible toxic nature. Unfortunately, none of these adaptations can protect these clever fellows against the habitat loss that plagues their homeland of Madagascar.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116343" align="aligncenter" width="338"]
The Chinese alligator is one of only two alligator species that roam this earth. Unfortunately, with only around 100 individuals left in the wild, they are also one of the most critically endangered crocodilian species. This is largely due to large scale habitat loss and the extensive pollution of the Yangtze River caused by unregulated waste disposal across the country.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116344" align="aligncenter" width="338"]
For the grand finale of our day with Mr. Gilson, we headed over to the bedrooms of my personal favorite animal: the Galapagos tortoises. These gentle giants used to rule the Galapagos Islands, but they unfortunately suffered a great decline. Sailors began picking up countless animals along their voyages as a form of food, and the tortoises could not breed fast enough to keep up. Since then, protection laws have been put into place, and additionally, there has been great success in managed care breeding programs with over 100 babies hatched at the San Diego Zoo. However, these animals are still considered to be endangered, and we have a long way to go before there is a viable wild population.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116345" align="aligncenter" width="338"]
Now with a big species like a Galapagos tortoises, you can expect to go through a lot of food caring for a large group of these gentle giants. In managed care, Galapagos tortoises can easily chow down on around 60 heads of greens a day, which can include kale, lettuce, chard, and cabbage. However, this species has the unique ability to thrive in the absence of food and water for months on end. This was part of what appealed the sailors to the animals, seeing as they could keep a group on their ships for long voyages and have fresh meat whenever they pleased.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116346" align="aligncenter" width="450"]
Although it is extremely hard to nail down one day of my InternQuest journey as my favorite, this experience is definitely up there. Although these animals are not necessarily as warm and cuddly as others in the Zoo’s collection, they are just as valuable as any other species. So don’t forget to give them the recognition and protection that they deserve![/caption]
Gillian, Photo Team
Week Six, Winter Session 2016
Meet Peter Gilson, one of the Zoo’s herpetology keepers and our excellent guide for the day. Herpetology is the study of reptiles and amphibians. Although these two groups fall under the same category in zoology, they are actually different in more ways than they are similar. After almost nine years working for the Zoo, Mr. Gilson was able to give us incredible insight into the day-to-day experiences of both himself and the animals under his care.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116338" align="aligncenter" width="338"] While you may not see the labels on the back of this tank and immediately envision the animal that lies within, the reptile keepers must be well versed with the Latin names of all the animals in their care. This is because while other keepers may be responsible for five to ten easily distinguishable species, Mr. Gilson might be responsible for 300 to 400 individuals everyday. Additionally, these species can have multiple common names, which can get confusing with over 400 individuals in your care. By using the scientific names of species, the herpetology keepers can clear up any confusion.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116339" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Like all other departments at the Zoo, the herpetology department is responsible for ensuring the well being of any offspring produced under their care. However, raising tadpoles can be pretty tricky. All new additions are hatched and raised in the top layer of this tadpole chamber, and progressively, the youngsters move down to the larger tanks as they grow. The entire unit runs on one water filtration system so that the delicate babies are not vulnerable to any shock caused by a sudden change in water quality.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116340" align="aligncenter" width="450"] In the wild, amphibians sporting bright attire are easily identified as poisonous. For instance, these vibrant golden poison frogs harbor a lethal toxin, and predators know to stay away due to the bright color. Unlike other poisonous species, many amphibians actually get their poison from their diet of other toxic species. For this reason, when given a diet of harmless insects, like the frogs pictured above, many otherwise lethal amphibians are practically harmless.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116341" align="aligncenter" width="338"] When asked what sounds a frog makes, many people will respond with something along the lines of “ribbit.” However, what most people don’t know is that each of the over 5000 known species of frogs has its own unique call. If this little guy had the exact same vocalization as every other frog, it would be practically impossible to communicate with other members of its species. Luckily, this species actually has a very distinct barking call that easily identifies itself as a White’s tree frog.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116342" align="aligncenter" width="338"] To a passing predator, this leaf tailed gecko is practically undetectable as it seamlessly camouflages into the bark of almost any tree. But if that wasn’t enough to stay safe, this lizard has a backup plan. When faced with danger, these animals will open their mouths up wide, exposing a blue throat that falsely informs predators of a possible toxic nature. Unfortunately, none of these adaptations can protect these clever fellows against the habitat loss that plagues their homeland of Madagascar.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116343" align="aligncenter" width="338"] The Chinese alligator is one of only two alligator species that roam this earth. Unfortunately, with only around 100 individuals left in the wild, they are also one of the most critically endangered crocodilian species. This is largely due to large scale habitat loss and the extensive pollution of the Yangtze River caused by unregulated waste disposal across the country.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116344" align="aligncenter" width="338"] For the grand finale of our day with Mr. Gilson, we headed over to the bedrooms of my personal favorite animal: the Galapagos tortoises. These gentle giants used to rule the Galapagos Islands, but they unfortunately suffered a great decline. Sailors began picking up countless animals along their voyages as a form of food, and the tortoises could not breed fast enough to keep up. Since then, protection laws have been put into place, and additionally, there has been great success in managed care breeding programs with over 100 babies hatched at the San Diego Zoo. However, these animals are still considered to be endangered, and we have a long way to go before there is a viable wild population.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116345" align="aligncenter" width="338"] Now with a big species like a Galapagos tortoises, you can expect to go through a lot of food caring for a large group of these gentle giants. In managed care, Galapagos tortoises can easily chow down on around 60 heads of greens a day, which can include kale, lettuce, chard, and cabbage. However, this species has the unique ability to thrive in the absence of food and water for months on end. This was part of what appealed the sailors to the animals, seeing as they could keep a group on their ships for long voyages and have fresh meat whenever they pleased.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_116346" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Although it is extremely hard to nail down one day of my InternQuest journey as my favorite, this experience is definitely up there. Although these animals are not necessarily as warm and cuddly as others in the Zoo’s collection, they are just as valuable as any other species. So don’t forget to give them the recognition and protection that they deserve![/caption]
Gillian, Photo Team
Week Six, Winter Session 2016
