The Why of My Degree Path: Wildlife & Restoration Ecology

Ever since I can remember I have been infatuated by critters, animals, bugs, lizards and pretty much anything I could observe in my mason-jar terrarium. I admit most of my early observations were while dismembering and killing helpless insects. I soon realized it was much more fun just talking with others about my observations and teaching them what I knew, what eventually lead to my realization of my degree path in wildlife biology.

“What is that? What does it eat? Will it bite?” Were just a few common inquiries from students this child professor. The more strange a critter I found, the more fear people had of it, gave me the most attention from both young and old and I would have a captive audience! Most of the answers I gave I knew from my own observations. Often times, however, I did not know, often times I had to hypothesize and make up the best answer I could for my students. Curiosity would get the best of me however, and I would have to search out answers at the local library. Fully illustrated books regarding lizards, snakes ants and spiders were my exclusive library diet. It came to the point where I was bored with the selection of the local, small town, library had to offer. I moved on to taking pets to sustain fascination. The green iguana was my earliest substantial pet I can remember, I had responsibilities, to find out what it ate and how much it ate. The daily task of cutting up greens and serving it to this scaly green herbivorous responsibility of mine become a little more than I had asked for at times.

Years went by and my childhood fantasy had seemingly come to an end as I realized money needed to be made and I really had no idea that there was a whole world of wildlife biology that people had as careers and what the made a living by. I started my college journey and floated around for a while until I got a part time lab assistant job at the Red Mountain campus of Mesa Community College. I was entertained by the fact they had a pretty good live collection of Arizona reptiles and as I continued to work I came in contact with the biology instructors who had backgrounds in wildlife conservation and research. Once it was made evident there was a degree at Arizona State University what was highly supported by Arizona Game and Fish it was really a choice I had already made as a kid biologist to jump right into the degree path of my dreams!