Like Amber, Connor Runyon has been at Gengda since January! They’ve been doing a great job and I look forward to publishing their blogs with more frequency now that I’m on the ground here in China!

“My name is Connor Runyan, and I have just begun my journey to become a conservationist. I graduated from Colorado State University in the Spring of 2017 with a double major in Zoology and Conservation Biology. I have wanted to work with animals from the time I first set foot in the Denver Zoo and learned about all of the amazing animals in their care. Since then I’ve discovered my love for animals of all varieties and their importance and right to exist in the world with us. My role as a volunteer at the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program in Fort Collins, CO and the W.O.L.F. Sanctuary in Laporte, CO has also played a huge role in my passion for conservation, and has especially brought out my desire to become a public educator for wildlife.

Bella (a wolf-dog at W.O.L.F.) and myself enjoying each other’s company.

Working with an educational Great Horned Owl at the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program.

My time at CSU gave me the opportunity to study a diverse range of wildlife, everything from invertebrates to large mammals. I also studied at CSU’s Mountain Campus for a month and got to live in the beautiful Pingree Valley while learning about forests, rangelands, wildlife, and ecology. One of my jobs while at CSU was in an Anti-Microbial Resistance lab, in which I helped research levels of bacteria in environmental waters of Northern Colorado. In my volunteer roles, I have been fortunate enough to work directly with wolves, wolf-dog hybrids, and wild raptors. I am still a volunteer at the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program and frequently handle the Educational Ambassador birds and help educate the public about their roles in our ecosystems. I currently work for an environmental company in Dacono, CO that allows me to work with wildlife and their environments, mostly black-tailed prairie dogs.

Exploring the ropes course at CSU’s Mountain Campus.

At the top of Mount Sneffels, one of Colorado’s 14ers.

This internship is my first foray into the world outside of the United States, and I could not be more excited! I am looking forward to learning everything I can about China as a country, the people, the culture, and most of all the Giant Pandas. I love to learn about animals, especially when it involves working closely with them. I plan to keep making steps towards a career in public education, conservation, and animal husbandry, and this internship will be a vital part of that journey. I can’t wait to get started on this exciting adventure!

-Connor”