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!
Rachael Walton is a Senior Keeper for the San Diego Zoo Herpetology and Ichthyology Department which focuses on the care and conservation of reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Ms. Walton’s primary working area is the Reptile House where she is responsible for feeding collection animals and making sure their habitats are clean and safe. Not all of the animals in the Reptile House are on display. There are many off exhibit areas inside the Reptile House for animals who are more solitary and prefer a quieter setting . Ms. Walton and her colleagues also support reproduction and conservation efforts for species specific to her department. One example is the headstarting program, which helps to introduce animals into the wild after being raised for a short period of time in a managed care setting. Being a bit older, gives the animal a greater chance of survival when they are introduced in the wild.
Ms. Walton works with a variety of reptiles including mata mata turtles, Burmese star tortoises, and Fijian iguanas. However, her favorite animal is the caiman lizard since they are extremely intelligent and in her opinion, exciting to train. Would you believe they can even recognize their names and trainers? Interestingly, caiman lizards are also related to the tegu lizard and other species of monitors. They have similar body shapes, but the caiman lizard’s tail is longer. It’s important to note that though the tegu may be a pet in some parts of the world, caiman lizards have a bad bite. These fascinating creatures have round teeth made to crush shellfish, their primary food source, so a bite from them is painful to say the least. During our behind-the-scenes tour in the Reptile House, we learned that caiman lizards are aggressive feeders, and can fight when they feed together. In order to resolve this, keepers have trained the caiman lizards to “station” at feeding times. When stationed, the lizards will go to their established spots and eat there, allowing them to all stay in the exhibit, avoiding any conflict. It’s easy to see why Ms. Walton loves her job, as it turns out the caimans do have a soft side and she has developed a great relationship with them.
Being part of the Department of Herpetology and Ichthyology, Ms. Walton not only cares for reptiles, amphibians, and fish, but also works to conserve them as well. Ms. Walton has collaborated on many conservation projects. One of Ms. Walton’s favorite projects allowed her to travel to Madagascar to help rescue (roughly) 1,000 radiated tortoises from the wildlife trafficking trade, which is the extraction of plants and animals from their native habitat. It’s a major problem leading to the decline of a variety of species. Unfortunately, this animal also lives in a biodiversity hotspot, meaning it’s an area with diverse plant and animal species that has lost at least 70% of its habitat. Another one of her biggest accomplishments has been her involvement in the protection of the southwestern pond turtle. She collaborated with San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in efforts to preserve the species that suffers from habitat loss right here in San Diego. Her passion to help reptile and amphibians extends beyond her job here at the Zoo. Ms. Walton reminded us that the best way to help these species of concern, is by educating ourselves and being an advocate for ending extinction.
Some of the amazing species Ms. Walton works with are Home’s hinge-back tortoises, Ethiopian mountain vipers, several rattlesnake species, snake-necked turtles, and mountain yellow-legged frogs. But her favorite animals are baby tortoises and caiman lizards. If she could go anywhere for a conservation project, Ms. Walton would travel to Fiji to study iguanas in their natural habitat. Ms. Walton’s job has some major risks, because she works with dangerous animals on a daily basis. Due to working with these hazardous animals, the Zoo stores anti-venom for several species that could be used in the unfortunate case a keeper gets bit. The anti-venom can also be sent to local hospitals to help civilians. It’s important to be alert, well rested, and prepared when coming to work to ensure the safety of the keeper and the animals. Anyone seeking her position should recognize these aspects and know that they are a part of working with animals. Ms. Walton is passionate about her job at the San Diego Zoo, and she loves coming to work every day to study and help a wide variety of species.
A place reptile keepers call “the lab”, is actually a medical center to treat minor reptile injuries or illnesses.
From a young age, Ms. Walton knew she wanted to work with animals and always had a soft spot for reptiles. Initially, she aspired to be a veterinarian. At the age of 17, Ms. Walton had the opportunity to be a summer intern for the San Diego Zoo. When she met the Herpetology Curator, her career path took slight curve, and she started taking the steps toward working in that department. She knew to acquire her dream job she had to network and further her education. She found the best way to network was to pursue as many opportunities as possible relevant to her field. When choosing her major, she decided to study biology because it would allow her a variety of career options, but she never took her eyes off the prize of landing a job at the San Diego Zoo. After earning a general biology degree from San Diego State University (SDSU) and participating in two more internships at the Natural Science Museum and the Natural History Museum, Ms. Walton landed her dream job at the San Diego Zoo. When she is not taking care of animals at the Zoo or at home, Ms. Walton partakes in the SDSU Alumni Mentorship program and works with young girls in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) through the Focused and Naturally Confident Youth organization.
Ms. Walton and her team work to spread awareness about species threatened by extinction, and help visitors learn more about San Diego Zoo’s herpetology collection. Her passion for conservation and reptiles inspired her to work in a career revolving around animal care and education. A variety of internships and volunteer opportunities have given Ms. Walton the chance to gain experience in her field, and better prepare herself to work with fascinating species. Ms. Walton works hard to help students gain an understanding of science, biology, and conservation research inspiring the next generation of wildlife heroes. Visit Ms. Walton’s favorite reptile friends at the San Diego Zoo Reptile House!
Week One
Fall Session 2019
