SSRP Abstract

Penguin Keeper Internship

Student: Jennifer Douglas ’21
Research Mentor: Shala Hankison (OWU Department of Zoology)

This past summer I had the opportunity to be an intern with Magellanic penguins at the Jacksonville Zoo in Florida. This internship gave me hands on, interactive learning experience that allowed me to expand my knowledge in the zoological field. I had daily interactions with the twenty-six penguins ranging from newborns to seventeen years old. Magellanic penguin’s average lifespan is about twenty five to thirty years and prefer warm weather climate typically found in South America along the coastal regions of Argentina, Chile, the Falkland Islands, and Brazil. My normal daily routine consisted of feeding the penguins three times a day, tracking the exact amount each individual eats, sorting crates of fish to make sure the penguins were eating only high quality fish, preparing daily vitamins and medications, providing enrichment, daily behavioral training, and cleaning exhibits and enclosures to ensure a healthy environment. Also during this experience I had the opportunity to work with other sections of the bird department of the zoo. I had the chance to work with four baby flamingos that needed daily swim time, exercise, and training in order to make sure each of them maintained a happy and healthy lifestyle. Other species I had the opportunity to work with were Roseate Spoonbills, Mandarin Ducks, Boat-billed Herons, Wrinkled and Wreathed Hornbills, Lorikeets, Macaws, Oystercatchers, Inca Terns, and Black Bellied Whistling Ducks, and Aardvarks. The Penguin Keeper Internship at the Jacksonville Zoo allowed me to perform all of the daily routines that a zookeeper would do. This experience allowed me to experience what my field looks like after graduation and taught me many skills on how to handle birds, provide medications, perform daily trainings, and much more.