When I was a kid I always knew that I wanted to work with animals. I used to tell everyone I’d be a marine biologist. I didn’t really know what that meant at the time, but I knew they got to work closely with whales and dolphins. I had every pet my parents would allow and asked to go to every aquarium and zoo that I could find, just to get close to animals. As I got older I started to question what I could realistically do with this desire. Anyone that got to work with them in the field or in captivity were like celebrities. I don’t think I ever thought of it as a job — it was more like a dream. The only animal related career that I was really exposed to was a veterinarian. And when I decided against that, it was difficult to visualize what I could do. I was very fortunate to meet the curator of a small zoo that took me under his wing and brought me into the wonderful world of zoo keeping. But I have been very aware that not everyone gets this type of opportunity.
I am so excited for this generation of animal lovers in Houston. The Houston Zoo offers so much to get kids involved and connected to the animal world. It would have been a dream come true to be a part of the zoo camps and internships they offer here!
Recently, I’ve had the pleasure and privilege to assist with a new, unique, interactive conservation education program called Toad Trackers. It was developed by my very talented coworker, Rachel Rommel, and allows kids to connect with the world of research and animal science.
Rachel with students
The Toad Tracker students are introduced to the same equipment field biologists use in their research and are exposed to some of the methods used in the scientific study of animal populations. I got to assist with the evening class where the students get to actively search for a common toad species on Zoo grounds: the Gulf Coast Toad. When it came to listening for the toads, the kids were very serious and quiet. I was so impressed with their level of concentration, and how well they were able to control their excitement and really focus on the task at hand. When a toad was found, they remembered exactly what they were taught in the classroom about approaching and handling it. The students were then carefully guided through weighing and measuring each individual, determining its’ gender, and recording its’ GPS coordinates, citing exactly where it was found. The kids then got to observe as Paul Crump (the Houston Zoo’s Amphibian Conservation Programs Manager) pit tag each toad, which is similar to the microchip in your cat or dog. They were very intrigued by this process.
Students measuring toad
Over time, the locating and tagging of these toads will provide valuable information on their growth rates, reproductive events, and movement patterns on zoo grounds. As important as this data is, more importantly, this program is inspiring local kids and leaving them hungry for more. I really felt the gratitude of the kids involved in this program; their intrigue was tangible! Rachel is creating a whole army of amphibian advocates and future biologists through Toad Trackers.
To learn more about this program check out the Houston zoo Toad Tracker website and join the Toad Trackers group on Facebook.
They have big googly eyes. They are warty. They kind of resemble Jabba the Hut and they reside under ground for a good part of the year. I know that for most of you (with the exception of 6 year old little boys), they really give you the Icks. Yes, I am speaking of toads, ladies and gentlemen.
