Welcome to Zoo New England’s Field Conservation blog! Here, we share some of the amazing work going on “beyond the zoo” at a variety of field sites around New England. Expect tales from the field, interesting nature facts, and the occasional guest post from one of our local – or international! – community partners.
I’m very excited to report that we have now gone through our very first round of Sabin Snow Leopard Grants! This program, through the generous support of the Andrew Sabin Family Foundation, enables ZNE to provide one-year grants to snow … Continued
As longtime readers of this blog already know, Zoo New England is committed to conservation. That means a lot of different things. Our participation in SSP’s (Species Survival Plans) ensures that the endangered animals in our collection can help prevent … Continued
Every spring, the Field Conservation Department welcomes aboard our seasonal staff. These dedicated naturalist help our team accomplish all of the work that our conservation programs demand during our busiest time of year. We want to give you all the … Continued
This week’s post is by our Director of Field Conservation, Peter Zahler. I wrote in May of 2023 about our new Zoo New England partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN) on their Graduate Scholarship Program. This amazing initiative provides … Continued
Do you think that just because we live in the highly urbanized northeast that there isn’t much biodiversity here in Boston? Sure, we’re not the rainforests of Borneo, but the Boston area is still home to some pretty cool wildlife, … Continued
This past month our senior field conservationist Jimmy Welch had the opportunity to travel to Belize to assist with the field conservation research of the Hicatee Turtle with our Zoo New England partner BFREE. Hicatee or Central American River Turtle … Continued
Peter has a long history of working around the world on wildlife conservation. He has designed, implemented, and supervised programs on the conservation of large and small mammals (ranging from Amur tigers and snow leopards to grasshopper mice), birds, and reptiles on four continents. He is also a noted expert on helping to build capacity for conservation among local communities. Peter’s current role is focused on helping Zoo New England achieve its vision of becoming a true global conservation leader.
Bryan Windmiller
Associate Director of Field Conservation
Bryan Windmiller is the Associate Director of Field Conservation at Zoo New England, where he helps oversee the Zoo’s local wildlife conservation programs and its support of international conservation efforts. Bryan earned a PhD in biology and a Master’s degree in Environmental Policy, both from Tufts University and he has worked in various roles as a conservation biologist in Massachusetts since 1987.
Emilie Wilder
Associate Director of Conservation Engagement
Like all of us in the Field Conservation Department, Emilie wears many hats – from leading field trips to mucking through the swamp to making sure all our permits are up to date. Emilie attended Brandeis University and is interested in the human dimensions of wildlife conservation, especially in finding win-win ways to live alongside wildlife.
Matthew Kamm
Conservation Outreach Coordinator
Matt’s duties include nest monitoring, turtle tracking, giving educational programs and field trips, and making sure that as many people as possible learn about Zoo New England’s amazing local and international conservation work. As a PhD ornithologist (Tufts University), Matt is learning to appreciate reptiles and amphibians just as much as birds.
John Berkholtz
Senior Field Conservationist
John is primarily responsible for our Blanding’s turtle and spotted turtle conservation projects, and he also leads our marbled salamander headstarting effort. Since 1992 he has been in the animal care field, working as a Keeper and Senior Keeper at Zoo New England and the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York City. Working in AZA zoos has given John a strong appreciation for the importance of public outreach and zoo’s active role in wildlife conservation.
Cara McElroy
Research Associate
Cara received a BS in Zoology from Auburn University and earned a Masters in Ecology from the University of Georgia and is primarily responsible for crunching datasets and writing scientific reports. Cara also teaches many of our school programs. When she’s not in class or running our data analysis, she’s equally likely to be plunging through the swamps. If you want to talk sports or catch up on the latest pop-culture references, Cara is your best bet.
Julie Lisk
Field Conservationist
Julie is a hugely dedicated and talented field scientist with a nose for turtles! Julie runs our eastern box turtle project, and there’s no one better at finding box turtles in the state (she even regularly beats our turtle-sniffing dog to the punch.) Julie also hatches many of our turtle eggs at her home, and turtles headstarted at Julie’s house grow up to be gourmands, and are treated to the finest wild mushrooms, slugs, and cantaloupe.
James Welch
Field Biologist
Jimmy is our newest team member, but already outpaces all of us in turtle tracking skill and speed. He graduated from the University of New England with a degree in animal behavior and environmental science. He has worked with birds, prairie dogs, sea turtles, freshwater turtles, snakes, and more.
