Heartland View

Media Credit: Maggie Zabokrtsky

Media Credit: Maggie Zabokrtsky

Media Credit: Maggie Zabokrtsky

Media Credit: Maggie Zabokrtsky

Media Credit: Maggie Zabokrtsky

Media Credit: Maggie Zabokrtsky

Everywhere you turn, a child "oohs" and "ahhs" over the exotic animal, which is much unlike your everyday house pet.

For a child turned to an exotic animal lover, the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, offers internships to college students who have never gotten over the oohing and ahhing of the world's untamed animals.

Unlike when they were children who were barred by iron fences and glass walls, zoo interns are offered an up-close and personal feel to the everyday life of a zookeeper.

Past intern and Northwest Missouri State University student, Brandi Talbot, took the opportunity of being an intern zookeeper after researching for internships on the Internet for her Wildlife Ecology and Conservation major.

"I knew I wanted to be close to home and the location was perfect," Talbot said.

Even though she was not assigned to her first choice, Talbot jumped at the chance to work with the "hoof stock" because it was a step closer to working at the zoo.

"Every day in the morning we would clean the giraffe complex. Then we would make food buckets for the rest of the animals, "Talbot said. "We would then feed and water the animals in our area including the gazelles, zebra, wallabies and cheetahs."

Only having to work five-hour days, Talbot then found herself volunteering in other areas in order to pass the time.

"I just needed another job in the afternoons and they told me there was an opening in the bird crew. The main thing we did basically was the Garden of Senses where we alternated turns watching the birds and talking to the public," Talbot said. "We also alternated turns in doing bird presentations to the public."

Besides the daily work, there were moments that brightened the internship experience.

"There were four or five babies born when I was there including a gazelle and a couple antelope babies," Talbot explained. "The vet came in and tested the newborns and that was pretty interesting."

The life cycle at the zoo also included death as Talbot was able to witness the veterinarians euthanize the zoo animals.

"I also got to see the vet euthanize a gaur, which are wild cows since it had a disease. An Oryx too, as she was old and getting sick," Talbot said.

Talbot was also able to care for other areas beside the hoof stock since she had the opportunity to feed the penguin fish.

"I wasn't allowed to feed them at first since I was only an intern and then after watching for a while I was able to," Talbot explained. "It was neat at first and then became normal. We would also have to worry about the ostrich's as they wanted the penguin's fish so somebody had to stand guard with a broom."

Zoo animals may look soft and cuddly but they also have a wild side that interns have to remember when working with them.

"We had to chase down a wild turkey through a wooded area in the zoo and there was ten of us who spent an hour trying to catch it. We had nets and still never caught it," Talbot said.

Another experience was feeding the zebra, when a vulture would try to attack the food bucket. If the vulture came close enough, it would go for the shoelaces of the keeper.

"It was an interesting experience and I learned a lot as this is what I want to do. I am going back this summer and hopefully get a permanent job there," Talbot stated.

The Henry Doorly Zoo offers internships throughout the year, as the summer is the peak time for applicants.

Nebraska Omaha student, Kristi McGrath, is looking toward her upcoming summer internship in the aquarium area, which includes the penguins.

"I picked to intern with Henry Doorly because I believe that it is one of the best zoos around," said McGrath.

McGrath says if the internship goes smoothly, than she hopes to stay on with the Henry Doorly Zoo or work for a conservation organization.

Nobody imagines how one trip to the zoo could possibly change his or her life, but for one person, the dream of working with exotic animals became a reality.

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