women in science: former girl scouts helping to recover black-footed ferrets
Interview Questions for a Wildlife Biologist Working with Black-Footed Ferrets
1. What inspired you to pursue a career in wildlife biology, particularly working with black-footed ferrets?
I have always liked to be outside and around animals. I grew up on a dairy farm, and it was my job to take care of the calves. I learned about the early black-footed ferret recovery effort in college, and I was fascinated by the idea of bringing a species back from the brink. I wanted to make a difference like that, too.
2. Can you describe your educational journey and how it prepared you for this field?
I received my B.S. in Animal Behavior at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA. I was able to study baboons, capuchins, and squirrel monkeys in the behavior lab, which really strengthened my observation and notetaking skills. I also took a Natural Resources class, where we studied the early efforts to recover the black-footed ferret in the ‘80s. After I graduated, I worked as a biotechnician for several years, where I got hands-on experience working in the conservation field, including with prairie dogs and black-footed ferrets. Later I got my Master’s at St. Cloud State University in MN, focusing on another prairie carnivore, the swift fox. This was a great way to learn how to run my own research project.
3. What is a memorable experience from your work with black-footed ferrets?
Black-footed ferret releases are very fun. Often, elementary classes and other community members attend, and I love seeing their reactions to the animals. I like telling the kids about ferrets and seeing their reactions when one of the ferrets chitters at them or comes back out of the burrow after being released.
4. What challenges do you face in your work, and how do you overcome them?
Physically, the work can be really challenging. Ferrets are nocturnal, so we must be, too. Surveys take place at night, and then I will sleep during the day. I’ll do this for weeks at a time in the fall. I’ll sleep during the day, wake up and eat breakfast at 5 in the afternoon, and then drink tea all night to stay awake. Then I’ll eat dinner at 9am and go to sleep.
It can be really discouraging sometimes to work on a critically endangered species like the black-footed ferret. You can sometimes feel like the odds are against you and that the species is always a step away from disaster. I feel very lucky that the black-footed ferret community is so supportive. We are all working towards the same goal, and it’s that teamwork that has gotten the black-footed ferret to where they are today.
5. What gives you hope for the future?
There are so many brilliant people working together to recover this species. Some are working on cloning and genetics, some with drones and other emerging technologies or with disease mitigation, and others like me who work to monitor and study ferrets in the wild. We are never going to give up on the ferret.
6. In what ways did your experience as a Girl Scout contribute to your current success?
I was pretty shy when I was a kid. Girl Scouts helped me gain confidence in groups. Girl Scout camp was also my first camping trip and my first experience being away from home and my parents and now traveling and camping is a huge part of my life.
7. Who or what has been your biggest inspiration in the field of conservation?
My friend and colleague Kristy Bly gave me my first prairie dog job when I was a few years out of college. We’ve been working together ever since. She is the hardest-working, most passionate person I know.
8. If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring biologists, what would it be?
Try to be kind and show respect to the people around you. Stand up for yourself and for others who need support. Working as a group is usually more effective than working alone and having good relationships with others in the field will take you far.
9. What can people do to help recover this endangered species?
Tell your friends and family about black-footed ferrets! Not enough people know that we have a wild ferret right here in America.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your journey or work that we haven't covered? Ferret conservation also protects their primary food source, prairie dogs. Prairie dog towns are critical habitats not just for ferrets, but over 100 other species that rely on them for food and shelter. Recovering ferrets means saving prairie dog towns and thus protecting burrowing owls, badgers, swift foxes, tiger salamanders, and many other animals.
1. What inspired you to pursue a career in wildlife biology, particularly working with black-footed ferrets?
I have always liked to be outside and around animals. I grew up on a dairy farm, and it was my job to take care of the calves. I learned about the early black-footed ferret recovery effort in college, and I was fascinated by the idea of bringing a species back from the brink. I wanted to make a difference like that, too.
2. Can you describe your educational journey and how it prepared you for this field?
I received my B.S. in Animal Behavior at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA. I was able to study baboons, capuchins, and squirrel monkeys in the behavior lab, which really strengthened my observation and notetaking skills. I also took a Natural Resources class, where we studied the early efforts to recover the black-footed ferret in the ‘80s. After I graduated, I worked as a biotechnician for several years, where I got hands-on experience working in the conservation field, including with prairie dogs and black-footed ferrets. Later I got my Master’s at St. Cloud State University in MN, focusing on another prairie carnivore, the swift fox. This was a great way to learn how to run my own research project.
3. What is a memorable experience from your work with black-footed ferrets?
Black-footed ferret releases are very fun. Often, elementary classes and other community members attend, and I love seeing their reactions to the animals. I like telling the kids about ferrets and seeing their reactions when one of the ferrets chitters at them or comes back out of the burrow after being released.
4. What challenges do you face in your work, and how do you overcome them?
Physically, the work can be really challenging. Ferrets are nocturnal, so we must be, too. Surveys take place at night, and then I will sleep during the day. I’ll do this for weeks at a time in the fall. I’ll sleep during the day, wake up and eat breakfast at 5 in the afternoon, and then drink tea all night to stay awake. Then I’ll eat dinner at 9am and go to sleep.
It can be really discouraging sometimes to work on a critically endangered species like the black-footed ferret. You can sometimes feel like the odds are against you and that the species is always a step away from disaster. I feel very lucky that the black-footed ferret community is so supportive. We are all working towards the same goal, and it’s that teamwork that has gotten the black-footed ferret to where they are today.
5. What gives you hope for the future?
There are so many brilliant people working together to recover this species. Some are working on cloning and genetics, some with drones and other emerging technologies or with disease mitigation, and others like me who work to monitor and study ferrets in the wild. We are never going to give up on the ferret.
6. In what ways did your experience as a Girl Scout contribute to your current success?
I was pretty shy when I was a kid. Girl Scouts helped me gain confidence in groups. Girl Scout camp was also my first camping trip and my first experience being away from home and my parents and now traveling and camping is a huge part of my life.
7. Who or what has been your biggest inspiration in the field of conservation?
My friend and colleague Kristy Bly gave me my first prairie dog job when I was a few years out of college. We’ve been working together ever since. She is the hardest-working, most passionate person I know.
8. If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring biologists, what would it be?
Try to be kind and show respect to the people around you. Stand up for yourself and for others who need support. Working as a group is usually more effective than working alone and having good relationships with others in the field will take you far.
9. What can people do to help recover this endangered species?
Tell your friends and family about black-footed ferrets! Not enough people know that we have a wild ferret right here in America.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your journey or work that we haven't covered? Ferret conservation also protects their primary food source, prairie dogs. Prairie dog towns are critical habitats not just for ferrets, but over 100 other species that rely on them for food and shelter. Recovering ferrets means saving prairie dog towns and thus protecting burrowing owls, badgers, swift foxes, tiger salamanders, and many other animals.
