Jenn showing off the white rhinos.

We hired our winter interns shortly before leaving for China! As most of you who are loyal blog followers know, winter is a BUSY intern season with lots of work and with our increased research load we need super qualified and super dedicated individuals. All four of our Winter interns fit that bill and we’re super excited to start introducing them to you!

So . . . here’s a little about Jenn Walls:
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Hey blog followers! This is Jenn Walls one if the winter interns. I have recently graduated from the University of Central Florida with my bachelor’s degree. I have loved animals big and small, fluffy and scaley since I was a kid. I am interested in conservation biology, threatened and endangered species, and am excited to contribute to research with giant pandas.

Me after a check up on and endangered Mississippi Sandhill Crane chick.

Over the past few years I have had the opportunity to study and work with many different types of wildlife, exotic and native. My experiences include working for the Missouri Department of Conservation using radio telemetry to record Northern long eared and Indiana bats’ roost and foraging behaviors and track their populations, interning for Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge performing invasive species management and wildlife surveys, and volunteering/interning at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, White Oak Conservation Center, Central Florida Zoo, and Hands On Wildlife/Jungle Adventures doing husbandry for many species (including antelopes, various carnivores, avian species, and even rhinos!).

I found my love of conservation work through the care and study of animals. I have been able to work with different species such as white rhinos, cheetahs, grevy zebras and more. Working with so many different animals has shown me the diverse personalities of each animal. They are each unique and I can’t wait to see the different personalities of the giant pandas!

Looking very serious while taking measurements of a Big Brown bat.

In addition to anything to do with wildlife and nature I love to dance. You can find me doing anything from Zumba to yoga to ballet. I will let you know if I find any knew dance styles/classes to take while in China! That’s me in a nut shell; the next time you hear from me I will have made my way to Ya’an.

Jenn practicing yoga at the beach.

-Jenn

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We’re super excited to start this next season, which will be VERY busy for us.  And we have a surprise . . . Daniel and I have been test piloting our Instagram account (some of you have probably already noticed) so that our four new interns can post instantly while doing research! So keep an eye on our social media sites in the winter.

-Meg