LD: I am the new Director of Conservation, and I’m still learning what my duties are! (Dr. Dabek was hired in February 2005) One task is to expand the conservation programs at Woodland Park Zoo and help continue to integrate conservation into all other aspects of the zoo, such as exhibits, education, etc. I also run the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program, which is an international field conservation program in Papua New Guinea that is based here at the zoo.

WPZ: What type of education and previous work experience is valuable for this job?

LD: For education, a good background in science and math is important. Also, since conservation is an interdisciplinary field, you would want a background in such subjects as social science, anthropology, economics and/or political science. As far as past work experience, I did a lot of field research on animal behavior and biology. I’m a researcher and conservation biologist. It’s also important to be able to coordinate projects. I coordinate between different departments here at the zoo, as well as between the zoo and other zoos, and different conservation organizations.

WPZ: Can you describe a typical day of field research?

LD: There is no typical day! But I’ll describe a random day I had recently. We had just radio-collared two tree kangaroos in the rain forest in Papua New Guinea. The next day, we went out early in the morning with local field assistants and other members of the field team to track the animals. We hiked through the forest, trying to hear the signal. Then, when we finally found the signal, we had to search for the tree kangaroos in the trees. After we found them, we collected all relevant data, including GPS location, the species of the tree they were in, nearby plant life, etc. as well as photographing and documenting the animals and the area. Then we hiked back to the field camp. That evening we sat around a fire in a bush hut, telling stories with the local people, while eating local greens and rice. Finally, I crawled into my tent and fell asleep listening to the sounds of the cicadas.

WPZ: How do zoos play a role in conservation?

LD: Several ways. One way is that the animals here at the zoo serve as ambassadors for wild animals. Visitors and schools come to the zoo and learn about and develop an appreciation for the animals they see here. They want to help protect these animals in the wild. The zoo is a place that inspires people to take action, either internationally or right in their own backyard. Another way zoos play a role in conservation is by allowing researchers to do preliminary research on zoo animals. Researchers can learn about the biology of animals, information that is often very hard to get in the field. This gives them a baseline of knowledge that they can expand on when they go out into the field. Also, researchers can test equipment on zoo animals before putting the same equipment on animals in the wild. For example, we tested the radio-collars on the tree kangaroos here at the zoo before we put them on animals in Papua New Guinea.

WPZ: What advice do you have for kids who want to make a difference?

LD: I always say that it may seem like a small thing that each individual can do, but it adds up. Students should think about how they live in the world: what type of lunch bag do they bring to school, do they recycle what they can, what kind of plants do they plant in their garden, all the way up to what and how they study in school. They should listen to what their passion is and then study hard.