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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!
The interns met with Kim Weibel, Senior Keeper at the Neonatal Assisted Care Unit, or NACU for short. The NACU is a division of the Veterinary Services Department, specializing in the care of baby animals at the San Diego Zoo. Ms. Weibel is one of five staff members in the department, who care for the baby animals that cannot be raised by their natural mothers.
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Ms. Weibel started out by giving us a brief overview of her career, particularly stressing the importance of nutrition within the Zoo. Every aspect of feeding time is carefully calculated, from the formula recipe to the size of the bottle. The types of bottles needed, as well as the size of the nipples, vary based on species.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119641" align="aligncenter" width="433"]
Choosing the right nipple is crucial! At the Zoo, some of the nipples are imported from other parts of the world, while others are custom made. Even the size of the hole is essential to the amount of formula the babies consume: too small and the baby can become frustrated, too big and too much formula can be released at once.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119642" align="aligncenter" width="420"]
Once in the nursery, Ms. Weibel directed our attention towards the filing cabinets used to store files on all the past patients of the NACU. She explained that by compiling feeding and activity records on each baby animal, the San Diego Zoo can share its data with other zoos throughout the world that may be unfamiliar with caring for a specific species.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119643" align="aligncenter" width="408"]
The incubators inside of the NACU are designed for various stages of baby animal development. They maintain the temperatures and humidity needed to stabilize premature or weakened animal babies. Hanging inside the incubator on the right is a marsupial pouch- a custom felt pouch sewn by hand for the Zoo that simulates a marsupial mother’s pouch. Wet sponges are set along the sides of the incubator, creating humidity levels similar to those of a biological pouch.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119644" align="aligncenter" width="402"]
The Nutritionists at the San Diego Zoo help create the baby animal formulas based on the species, calories needed, as well as the mother’s natural milk. Taking a peek into the fridge, I spotted the meals already prepared for the various animal patients![/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119645" align="aligncenter" width="406"]
Ms. Weibel explained that the nutritionists at the Zoo have determined that goat’s milk is an ideal replacement for the milk of many hoofstock and other mammals, based on its nutrients and calories. Today, the interns would take a shot at mixing up a mock formula for a baby lesser kudu by combing whole goat’s milk with a powdered goat’s milk.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119646" align="aligncenter" width="412"]
The interns got quickly to work, measuring the goat’s milk based on the body weight and gastric capacity of a baby kudu. When mixing formula for baby animals, some important things to consider include the percentage of total body weight needed to be consumed per day and the total number of calories needed per feeding.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119647" align="aligncenter" width="417"]
While measuring the powdered goat’s milk, it was tricky to get a precise measurement! The scale was very sensitive, so it was difficult to measure out the exact 52 grams for the recipe. For hoofstock, such as kudu, total formula measurements are based on around 15% of the animal’s weight.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119648" align="aligncenter" width="415"]
After mixing the goat’s milk with the powdered goat’s milk, it was time to strain! Straining is essential- any lumps in the formula and it may be difficult for the animal to drink. Lumps can also back up the hole in the nipple. If the animal keeps sucking on the bottle, the formula could suddenly be released all at once and potentially cause the baby animal to choke![/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119649" align="aligncenter" width="404"]
After we had a smooth, well combined formula, it was time for the final step: bottling. While younger babies were often fed 5-12 times a day, Ms. Weibel explained that the kudu she was currently caring for was weaning, so overnight feedings were no longer needed and bottle feedings had been lowered to only 3 times a day.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119650" align="aligncenter" width="405"]
Ms. Weibel wanted to show us the baby kudu and demonstrate how it was fed, so we took a quick hop onto the Skyfari. Like many other species at the Zoo, hoofstock used to be cared for at the nursery, but are now fed and cared for on exhibit. Small heated pens that restrict adult animal access are often set up to allow baby animals quiet time.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119651" align="aligncenter" width="424"]
This lesser kudu is known simply as BK55. When we approached, he was skittish and wary of the strange visitors. Once Ms. Weibel used the clicker, the tempted kudu hesitantly made his way up the hill to be fed. Though he circled her several times, still uncertain about the new audience, he finally gave in to the allure of the formula and Ms. Weibel began to feed him.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119652" align="aligncenter" width="432"]
BK55 gave us one last glance before racing off to be with his fellow kudus. Living with his own species has helped encourage social skills as well as an introduction to solid food. At the NACU, the mission is to care for and assist baby animals, as opposed to hand rearing them, to encourage social experience and a healthy relationship with their natural behaviors.[/caption]
Casey, Photo Team
Week One, Fall Session 2016
Ms. Weibel started out by giving us a brief overview of her career, particularly stressing the importance of nutrition within the Zoo. Every aspect of feeding time is carefully calculated, from the formula recipe to the size of the bottle. The types of bottles needed, as well as the size of the nipples, vary based on species.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119641" align="aligncenter" width="433"] Choosing the right nipple is crucial! At the Zoo, some of the nipples are imported from other parts of the world, while others are custom made. Even the size of the hole is essential to the amount of formula the babies consume: too small and the baby can become frustrated, too big and too much formula can be released at once.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119642" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Once in the nursery, Ms. Weibel directed our attention towards the filing cabinets used to store files on all the past patients of the NACU. She explained that by compiling feeding and activity records on each baby animal, the San Diego Zoo can share its data with other zoos throughout the world that may be unfamiliar with caring for a specific species.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119643" align="aligncenter" width="408"] The incubators inside of the NACU are designed for various stages of baby animal development. They maintain the temperatures and humidity needed to stabilize premature or weakened animal babies. Hanging inside the incubator on the right is a marsupial pouch- a custom felt pouch sewn by hand for the Zoo that simulates a marsupial mother’s pouch. Wet sponges are set along the sides of the incubator, creating humidity levels similar to those of a biological pouch.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119644" align="aligncenter" width="402"] The Nutritionists at the San Diego Zoo help create the baby animal formulas based on the species, calories needed, as well as the mother’s natural milk. Taking a peek into the fridge, I spotted the meals already prepared for the various animal patients![/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119645" align="aligncenter" width="406"] Ms. Weibel explained that the nutritionists at the Zoo have determined that goat’s milk is an ideal replacement for the milk of many hoofstock and other mammals, based on its nutrients and calories. Today, the interns would take a shot at mixing up a mock formula for a baby lesser kudu by combing whole goat’s milk with a powdered goat’s milk.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119646" align="aligncenter" width="412"] The interns got quickly to work, measuring the goat’s milk based on the body weight and gastric capacity of a baby kudu. When mixing formula for baby animals, some important things to consider include the percentage of total body weight needed to be consumed per day and the total number of calories needed per feeding.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119647" align="aligncenter" width="417"] While measuring the powdered goat’s milk, it was tricky to get a precise measurement! The scale was very sensitive, so it was difficult to measure out the exact 52 grams for the recipe. For hoofstock, such as kudu, total formula measurements are based on around 15% of the animal’s weight.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119648" align="aligncenter" width="415"] After mixing the goat’s milk with the powdered goat’s milk, it was time to strain! Straining is essential- any lumps in the formula and it may be difficult for the animal to drink. Lumps can also back up the hole in the nipple. If the animal keeps sucking on the bottle, the formula could suddenly be released all at once and potentially cause the baby animal to choke![/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119649" align="aligncenter" width="404"] After we had a smooth, well combined formula, it was time for the final step: bottling. While younger babies were often fed 5-12 times a day, Ms. Weibel explained that the kudu she was currently caring for was weaning, so overnight feedings were no longer needed and bottle feedings had been lowered to only 3 times a day.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119650" align="aligncenter" width="405"] Ms. Weibel wanted to show us the baby kudu and demonstrate how it was fed, so we took a quick hop onto the Skyfari. Like many other species at the Zoo, hoofstock used to be cared for at the nursery, but are now fed and cared for on exhibit. Small heated pens that restrict adult animal access are often set up to allow baby animals quiet time.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119651" align="aligncenter" width="424"] This lesser kudu is known simply as BK55. When we approached, he was skittish and wary of the strange visitors. Once Ms. Weibel used the clicker, the tempted kudu hesitantly made his way up the hill to be fed. Though he circled her several times, still uncertain about the new audience, he finally gave in to the allure of the formula and Ms. Weibel began to feed him.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_119652" align="aligncenter" width="432"] BK55 gave us one last glance before racing off to be with his fellow kudus. Living with his own species has helped encourage social skills as well as an introduction to solid food. At the NACU, the mission is to care for and assist baby animals, as opposed to hand rearing them, to encourage social experience and a healthy relationship with their natural behaviors.[/caption]
Casey, Photo Team
Week One, Fall Session 2016
