It's My Time to (c)leave(land)

Name: Holly Rundle

Class Year: 2020

Hometown: Medina, OH

Internship: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Location: Cleveland, OH

Hey it's me

Hello again! After spending my entire summer at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, my internship has sadly come to an end. My last month here has been full of meeting new people, testing my creativity and lots and lots of observations for my independent study.

             I was lucky enough to have been given the opportunity to meet and talk to all of the big guys here at the zoo. Including the executive zoo director, deputy zoo director, curators, veterinarians, registrar, training & enrichment specialist, zookeepers… you name them, I talked to them. During our meetings I got the chance to learn all about their jobs, their backgrounds, and get lots and lots of advice from them. Overall, it was a very eye-opening experience and also great for networking ;) I got to know one of the Curators, Tad, pretty well and he gave us a mini private tour underneath the depths of monkey island (their oldest exhibit to date at the zoo). And boy did that place seem haunted, as it's not being used anymore. However, it was cool to see how exhibit design has changed throughout the years.

My design for the display

             Working with Emily, the Conservation Engagement Specialist here at the Zoo, I have done many projects where I can bring out my creative side. Some projects entailed coming up with ideas on how to celebrate world animal days such as world giraffe day, lion day, turtle day, etc. I helped put together activities, signage and infographics for a variety of them. Another project I had was designing a display board in the public viewing area of the Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine. Here I put together messages about our 6 key conservation programs on what actions people can take to Make a Difference on their own.

A HUGE dragon lantern

The entrance to the Zoo

          The Zoo just recently opened a new exhibit called Asian Highlands, and to celebrate this new exhibit the zoo has put on a month long event called the Asian Lantern Festival. There are displays throughout the entire zoo and people can come every night from 6:30-10:00 to view them and also the animals. It has been a huge success and I went one night to experience it myself. There are shows featuring dancers, contortionists, acrobats and jugglers, and also a ton of vendors selling food and goods as well.

            Every so often we have one of our conservation field partners come to visit and I had the opportunity to meet a few of the leaders of the Education for Nature- Vietnam.  ENV’s main focus is combatting the illegal wildlife trade and also working closely with government partners to strengthen policy and legislation. I had lunch with these three leaders and I grew to appreciate all that they do, as their work there not only affects Vietnam, but the world as well.

Inside the Mandel Pavilion

            A big chunk of my time was spent doing behavioral observations for my independent study on the new Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Welcome Pavilion at the Zoo. I went out every single day at least once (sometimes twice) and did hour long observations watching how people used the pavilion. This experience really gave me a better idea on how to form a solid study, how to implement it, how to analyze the data found, and then finally how to present it. Doing this alone helped me grow and become independent, while also not being afraid to ask for help and advice from those all around me. After a month of observing the pavilion, I analyzed my thousands of data points and presented my findings to my department and some of the zoo staff as well.

            Overall, I am going to miss this place all too much. My favorite part was being able to bond with those I worked with and feeling like I was a part of the team. Every Friday we would all go out to lunch (usually to Ohio City Burrito) and would bond over stuffing our faces with burritos. This internship wasn't the typical animal keeper position that most people go for, it's more of the conservation, engagement and research side to things, which is the perfect fit for me, and it has strengthened my love for it all as well. I know I will be back for visits, as I appreciate all that they have done for me and for making this experience one where I learned and grew so much and will remember for years to come.