Zoo Internquest is a seven-week career exploration program for San Diego County high school juniors and seniors. Students have the unique opportunity to meet professionals working for the San Diego Zoo, Safari Park, and Institute for Conservation Research, learn about their jobs, and then blog about their experience online. Follow their adventures here on the Zoo’s website!
There are many different components that must function in unison to successfully achieve wildlife conservation. You have your behavior specialists, geneticists, public educators, political leaders, informed audience, and so much more. The absence of any of these groups can have a drastic impact on the effectiveness of our conservation efforts. For our first adventure of the session, we had the pleasure of meeting with one of the many people who has dedicated their life to saving incredible animals, both large and small, that make our planet so wonderful. As the Resident Veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo, Dr. Ryan Sadler is constantly involved in some sort of valuable clinical research. Whether it’s testing urine, performing surgeries, examining x-rays, or studying the remains of animals that have passed away, every aspect of Dr. Sadler’s job harbors the potential to not only benefit the animals that he personally treats, but also all those out of his reach that his discoveries impact.
With ample experience in the field, including firsthand research on mountain gorillas in Africa to veterinary work with Asian elephants in Thailand, Dr. Sadler is certainly no stranger to helping endangered species around the world. Although he admits that conservation research and medicine is quite difficult and can be discouraging at times, Dr. Sadler described the field as a career that allows you to get more out of your work as a person. Like so many other passionate wildlife professionals, it is being able to see the positive impact that his work has on the natural world first hand that is most rewarding to Dr. Sadler.
As previously mentioned, Dr. Sadler had the opportunity to work at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Thailand over the course of two summers. It was there that he was able to work closely with Asian elephants. It was here that he discovered his passion for this one-of-a-kind species. He recounted to us a fond memory of his work with a tricky patient in Thailand. One of his daily tasks was to administer prescription eye drops to an elephant that had caught an eye infection. However, the funny fellow was not too fond of this medical treatment and quickly learned to squeeze his eyes shut every time his saw his vet walking around the corner. Dr. Sadler soon discovered that the only way to get the elephant to open his eyes and accept the drops was if he was spoiled with a sugar cane stalk first. This daily pattern of treats first, treatment second lasted over the course of the summer Dr. Sadler worked on the reserve. Soon enough, it was time for him to return to the United States for another academic year. Little did he know that he would be further amazed by the exquisite intelligence and memory of elephants when he returned to Thailand the following summer to resume his work. Although his old trunked-pal was sporting a healthy eye now, as soon as the elephant saw Dr. Sadler again, he once again squeezed his eyes shut and blindly searched his vet’s pockets for a sugar cane stalk. It was almost as if the entire year had been no more than 24 hours.
Although Dr. Sadler was at first hesitant to reveal to us that his favorite animal is indeed the elephant, it was clear from the passion in his tone when he shared about his conservation work in Thailand that he was definitely partial to the gentle giants. He later went on to explain that he loves conquering the challenges and mysteries that oftentimes accompany treating elephants, seeing as they warrant such a unique medical approach. In addition to the intriguing academic component of these great creatures, Dr. Sadler playfully admitted that he also enjoys the rush that he gets from working with what he described as “the sweetest and most dangerous animals.”
Unfortunately, both African and Asian elephants are both currently considered endangered and if we don’t act fast, we may risk losing them forever. Even though there are quite a few projects and organizations who are working to return elephants back to their glorious reign, conservation work is a lot more than just giving out stalks of sugar cane. One of the most important and difficult things that Dr. Sadler had to come to terms with was that there is no black and white when it comes to the issues that surround wildlife endangerment. Although we often times are eager to oversimplify problems and assign labels like “good” or “evil” to the people involved, the adverse results of anthropogenic interaction with nature are much more complex. He stressed the importance of thoroughly examining the positions of both sides of the conflict in order to develop an effective method of conservation.
For instance, take the age old conflict between elephants and farmers. Although it is very easy to write off the violent and oftentimes lethal behavior of farmers towards the curious, hungry elephants that enjoy munching on their crops as inhumane and careless, realistically there is so much more behind these actions. What looks like a yummy treat to an elephant is the sole income for a majority of the human offenders. Without crops, there is no money and with no money, there is the inability to properly feed and care for families.
It is for these types of complex situations that simply scolding and punishing those who contribute to wildlife endangerment is not in any way a viable solution to saving the natural world. A lot more research, communication, and understanding must be put into the mix in order to create a successful plan to facilitate the cohabitation of humans and nature. But when it all finally comes together, everybody involved will be able to sit back and admire the good work that they’ve done for our precious one and only planet, including Dr. Sadler
Gillian, Conservation Team
Week One, Winter Session 2016
