Leah interned for Jacksonville Zoo as a research and wellness intern during Spring/Summer 2022.
Describe a day in your life as an intern.
I'd get to the office around 9am and grab an ipad and some binoculars. I was usually assigned to nine observations a day (three in the morning, three at midday, and three in the afternoon). Most of my time was filled by doing those observations, which were all on different animals. They included walking around the zoo to the various exhibits where the animals were, watching their behavior, and documenting it on an ethogram. When I had free time, I would do computer work such as creating ethograms for new projects or doing research on animal behaviors of the species I was responsible for. I also liked to spend time walking around the zoo and visiting the animals I was particularly fond of.
What industry/job specific skills did you learn?
I learned how to research better, how to create an ethogram, how to start a project, how to use ZooMonitor and BORIS, how to use procreate to make habitat maps, how to conduct observations, and more.
What is one thing you learned from this internship experience that could be applied to other settings?
I learned how to better communicate with supervisors and team members. The only way to get things done is to make sure they are talked about, so good communication is a necessity.
What was your favorite part of your internship experience?
Getting to spend so much time with animals from all over the world.
How did this internship experience affect your future goals?
I didn't have any career plans before this internship, but now I could see myself doing animal behavior research in the future or working at a zoo long-term.
How did this internship experience contribute to your growth?
I learned to be more confident in myself when it comes to data collection and scientific methods, and that I am capable of making a difference, even in a small way.