Intern and Volunteer Experience
in Husbandry, Wildlife Conservation, Research and Habitat Restoration
Chick Rearing Unit (CRU) Intern
South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds
While with SANCCOB I spent my time in the Chick Rearing Unit. Here I would start the day checking on and weighing each chick, calculating their weight change from the previous day, preparing diets for each chick and then tube feeding each individual up to 4 times each day.
Additionally, I managed the artificial egg incubation by weighing and candling and recording the progress of each egg from intake to hatch.
When not directly caring for the eggs and chicks, I would clean and sanitize the facility daily to ensure the health of the cohort.
When not in the CRU, I would assist feeding chicks in the nursery (chicks over 1.3 kg), assist in the rehab center and carry out feeding and physical therapy on rehabbing birds and assist the veterinarian team. I loved my time with SANCCOB and was impressed with the attention to detail they were able to maintain while most of the work was carried out by volunteers and interns.
Animal Care Volunteer
Pacific Rim Conservation
Prior to being hired as staff, I assisted in rearing translocated Laysan and Black-footed Albatross chicks while completing my undergraduate degree. At this time I assisted with filling diet syringes, recording data and moving chicks to and from the feeding station. With most of my time being spent cleaning and sanitizing all tools used to feed and care for the chicks.
Marine Mammal/ Eider Fellow
Alaska SeaLife Center
As a fellow, I assisted with creating diets for all the animals at the facility, but most frequently preparing for the marine mammal and avian department. In addition with endless cleaning and sanitation work, I assisted with behavioral and operant conditioning training.
Sea Otter Research and Care (SORAC) Intern
Monterey Bay Aquarium
On the SORAC team, I assisted in caring for orphaned pups and rehabilitating Southern Sea Otters. In this capacity, I prepared diets and fed the rehabbing otters up to three times daily, cleaned and sanitized their holding pools and monitored their behavior through remote cameras. Additionally, I prepared bottles, fed and groomed the orphaned pups before they were paired with their surrogate mom.
CoFounder
Kaikoa Conservation
With Kenzie Painter, I founded Kaikoa Conservation with a mission to assist in marine research and conservation efforts and support aspiring conservationists globally through our ambassador program. Here, I led behavioral studies of Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles and pinnipeds in Australia. I also managed the coral and mangrove recruitment research in Hawaii and Indonesia.
Outside of research, I assisted Kenzie as she organized beach and nature clean up projects in Hawaii, California, Utah, Mexico and Australia. I further spearheaded our social media and educational outreach by serving as our in-house-photographer, content creator and school presenter.
Research Assistant
One Ocean Diving
While interning with One Ocean Diving I assisted in Galapagos and Sandbar Shark behavioral research through in-water observations. Above water, I further assisted in variable data collection. When not on the water, I conducted outreach through classroom visits, hosting beach clean ups and creating social media content.
Refuge Volunteer
James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge
While volunteering at the JCNWR I conducted solo activities such as removing invasive botanical species and watering native plantings (prior to the greenhouse construction). Additionally, I assisted with resighting and capturing Bristle-thighed Curlews, excavating sea turtle nests and using radio telemetry to identify returning migratory individuals.
