🌟Unveiling IMP - Taipei Zoo🌟｜Beyond Feeding Time: Uncovering the Diverse Roles of Zoo Interns

• NTU
• NTU IMP
• International Mentorship Program

Through the NTU International Mentorship Program (IMP), Steven Hendric, a Life Science sophomore from Indonesia, and Lon Yui See, a Forestry & Resource Conservation freshman from Hong Kong, embarked on an adventure at Taipei Zoo. Guided by Dr. Eric Tsao, CEO of the Conservation and Research Center and Spokesperson, the two students delved into the intricacies of endangered animal conservation and contributed their efforts to ecological preservation. Motivated by a pure passion for animals, Steven and Lon Yui sought internship opportunities at Taipei Zoo. Despite their limited prior experience, under Dr. Tsao's guidance, they underwent rotational training and gradually acquainted themselves with various tasks at the Conservation and Research Center. Step by step, they mastered the art of caring for injured wildlife. They not only aided in daily tasks, such as maintaining the habitats of protected reptiles and amphibians and administering routine medications, but also conducted laboratory work, extracting animal DNA and performing PCR tests for infectious diseases. Additionally, Steven and Lon Yui participated in monitoring wildlife rehabilitation. Utilizing tracker data, they ventured into forests and observed the rehabilitated animals' adaptation to their natural habitat. Throughout their three-month internship, Steven and Lon Yui joined Dr. Tsao and the Conservation Research Center team, gaining insights into the zoo's behind-the-scenes operations. Through hands-on involvement in the care of endangered animals, disease screening, and release monitoring, they explored potential career paths. Witnessing the challenges wildlife faces and the complexities of animal conservation, they further solidified their determination to safeguard precious ecological networks in the future.