Student spotlight: Aimee Kloeppel

In my internship, I was responsible for the care of the African birds and hoofstock. I went out every morning to feed the animals, alongside a keeper, and then cleaned water bowls, empty food pans, and scooped poop or old hay from the night prior. My days flipped between giraffes and birds/hoofstock so I had equal time taking care of those animals. 

Going forward, this helped me focus in on an idea to do after I graduate from The Ohio State University. It’s bettered me as an animal lover to appreciate all types of creatures, even the scary ones. 

So far, my career plans are undecisive. My imagination has always dreamed me being a keeper or zoo veterinarian, but now I’m seeking a new spark in animal training. I’m definitely going to keep chasing internships at all types of zoos and maybe shadow veterinarian staff to further narrow a profession. 

The zoo opened me to the unique routines keepers have. It’s given me a new passion for being a keeper and animal trainer. Working alongside the keepers at Fort Wayne has shown me the coolest things about animals I never imagined I’d work with. 

My favorite thing to do is give enrichment to the bubblier animals and feed a buff-crested bustard named Jarvis. I loved watching Penny, the ostrich, chow down on anything put in front of her face except for mealworms. Ostriches dig in dirt to eat bugs in the wild, but Penny was so fearful of mealworms inside a bucket with her grain. Aside from Penny, I loved the watching the growth of two clutches of white stork chicks. When I started the internship, one clutch had been laid. When the internship ended, I had just witnessed the last clutch’s egg hatch into a cute, fluffy stork. Everything was behind the scenes, so the public had no idea! Lastly, Jarvis is the cutest little guy. He always pecked ankles when you brought him his food or whenever you stepped inside the exhibit to feed the African greys, too. His high-pitched squeak was always my favorite call to hear at 7 a.m. 

I think it was important to put myself out there. The zoo field is competitive in the way of zoos not really just looking for degrees anymore, rather the experiences you carry and the work ethnic you have. I think internships show a large deal to any potential hiring zoo and I’m just glad I took this opportunity willingly. Having an internship is not a college degree requirement for me. 

When classes start, I think I will take a new appreciation for science. Lucky for me, I’m taking biology and chemistry this semester so I’m ready to learn more about the planet I live on. I will also remember the dedication it takes to care for animals, and I’d channel that into the work in school.