A special thank you to seven Zoo interns!
May 15, 2024
Nestled in our scenic city lies a treasure awaiting your visit – Chattanooga Zoo. Here, amid the hustle of urban life, you'll find a sanctuary where nature lives, animals dwell, conservation rules, and a robust team of zoo keepers and education staff impart knowledge to guests. Many dedicated people give their energy every day to keep operations running smoothly, so we’d like to take a moment to recognize our most recent class of interns at the Chattanooga Zoo!
Each spring, summer, and fall, Chattanooga Zoo welcomes a cohort of interns. These interns gain knowledge and understanding from their experience as they take an active role in caring for our diverse animal population. Working in various departments, from Africa to Asia to marketing, students embrace their duties with enthusiasm and a desire to learn.
Join us as we explore the captivating world of our current interns as they immerse themselves in the daily operation of the Zoo. From the graceful giraffes and adorable red pandas nibbling on leaves to the chimpanzees exhibiting their playful antics, each reZOOdent has a story and a personality that attracts students. At Chattanooga Zoo, we care for, train, rehabilitate, and provide medical care for a diverse array of animals, including those under Species Survival Plans, an important initiative led by the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums). Our interns play important roles, working alongside our zookeepers, veterinary staff, administrative staff, and other caregivers.
Madison Roberts can tell you some quirky stories about our North American residents. In particular, she loved learning about the curious case of shedding antlers and our two male deer, Zepplin and Tim. While deer normally shed their antlers, Zeppelin never drops his while Tim never grows his antlers at all. This is due to their own genetic history and individual traits. She could educate you on other North American reZOOdents ranging from cougars to birds of prey. Additionally, she is knows our Ambassador animals well including Kibeti and Kiumbe, the female African Servals, to Nugget, the Mississippi Mud Turtle. Madison’s favorite part of the internship stems from delving into the histories, backgrounds, and behaviors of every animal in her care.
Jaycee Sisson worked with our Gombe Forest chimpanzees and Desert animals. Here she discovered her passion for working directly with the chimpanzees, particularly as a member of the troop care team. She explains, “It is incredibly interesting watching such an intelligent species exist on a daily basis, learning their personalities, and being included in creating care to help them thrive.” One of her favorite memories is the moment when Scott, a male chimpanzee, recognized her upon her return after an absence and greeted her with excitement.
Rachel Dewart became an expert on the petting zoo and South American exhibits. She can tell you about the personalities of the jaguar brothers, Jean and Phil, or the many tamarins. Additionally, Rachel can introduce you to the many distinct goats that are awaiting your visit to the petting zoo. At the barnyard, she can tell you about our few pickpocket paper eaters who, for their own health, shouldn’t be stealing maps.
Joseph Watson can also give you information on the South American animals as well as amphibian and reptile Zoo residents. Joseph’s favorite part of the internship is the kinkajous and anything to do with them. He particularly loves Kokomo, our 35-year-old male, as he is very interactive. According to Joseph, the kinkajous happily allowed him to feed them, and he was able to target train Kokomo - a technique that encourages animals to deliberately touch an object which can be helpful in transporting an animal and administering medical care. Kokomo is also really fun to work with - he’ll stretch out his paws to grab your hand, snatch the craisin or sweet potato you’re offering, and scamper away to enjoy his snack. His climbing and mobility skills are also impressive for an older kinkajou!
McKenna Smith learned all about the Giraffes and the Himalayan Passage animals. She is familiar with the details of our three Red Pandas, Avi, Saffron, and Willa, as well as our Snow Leopards, Tashi and Callie, and our Gibbons, Mason and Julius. However, the internship highlight for her lies in working closely with the three male giraffes – George, Porter, and Hardee Star. Feeding, caring for, and training these gentle animals has been a rewarding aspect of her experience.
If you inquire with Shelbie Pickens about our rehabilitation and veterinary services, she can provide ample information and explanations. She has contributed to our team by assisting in the intake, care, and eventual placement of native wildlife brought to our rehabilitation center on a daily basis. Many of these animals, such as songbirds, birds of prey, rabbits, and squirrels, are later transferred to long-term care facilities. Her favorite part of this internship has, of course, been all the different animals she has gotten to see! Shelbie explains, “Our zoo is so diverse and unique, and I am honored to work alongside the amazing vet staff at the Chattanooga Zoo.” She credits her mentors with leading by example and letting her participate in animal care. “They [mentors] may actually be my favorite part after all!”
Caroline Dale worked in administration by supporting the marketing team. Her responsibilities included developing social media posts, photography, videography, graphic design, writing blogs and handling other day-to-day tasks. Despite her varied duties, Caroline's favorite aspect of her internship lies in witnessing special behind-the-scenes moments. These unique opportunities allowed her to observe numerous animals closely, including jaguars, snow leopards, mangabeys, blue duikers, and various birds. Caroline loves sharing these experiences with other people through the Zoo’s online presence and outreach efforts. She explained, “Helping the public connect with our animals … is a huge part of marketing because it makes people want to come visit our zoo”.
Every individual accepted into the intern program holds an important role and place within our organization. For new interns, this marks the beginning of a journey filled with invaluable and extraordinary experiences. If you’d like to be considered for a future internship, please visit our website to apply and learn more.
As we turn our gaze towards the future, we bid a fond farewell to our departing interns. They leave with newfound knowledge and cherished memories. They have learned from and cared for our reZOOdents, while sharing many valuable moments with the rest of our team. They have given us joy, laughter, and friendship.
Thank you interns!