Meet the Caretakers

Meet some of the animal caretakers, conservation biologists, and zoo personnel featured in RARE.

Gen Anderson

General Curator, St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park

Gen Anderson is a curator at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm, the only place in the world that houses all 24 species of crocodilians. She has been recognized by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 2011 at the Population Management Center Awards with the distinction of Top Pedigree Detective for her work with the critically endangered blue-throated macaw population.

Jim Darlington

Curator of Reptiles, St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park

Jim Darlington, Curator of Reptiles, is one of the St. Augustine Alligator Farm’s longest-tenured employees. He started at the zoo in August 1992, and since that time he’s witnessed some of the most exciting and expansive developments in the zoo’s long history.

Tracey Dearlove

Department of Conservation Ranger, New Zealand

Tracey Dearlove works on the South Island of New Zealand, and adventures her way around the forest to track rowi kiwi. Dearlove and her teammates keep careful record of partnerships and bloodlines of the species, tracking the number of eggs lifted from certain couples to ensure their genes aren’t over-represented in the population.

Dr. Barbara Durrant

Director of Reproductive Sciences at San Diego Zoo Global

Dr. Barbara Durrant serves San Diego Zoo Global as the Henshaw Endowed Director of Reproductive Sciences. Her division studies reproductive biology, endocrinology, and behavior, and develops innovative methods to encourage species reproduction. Dr. Durrant is an adjunct faculty member in the Biology Department at San Diego State University and the Natural Science Department at Palomar College. She has written or contributed to more than 120 published articles, books, and presentations. She is a member of the Board of Governors and the Foundation Board of Trustees for the International Embryo Transfer Society, for which she also serves as Treasurer.

Dr. Andrew Fowler

Director, Takamanda-Mone Landscape Wildlife Conservation Society

Dr. Andrew Fowler has completed more than 15 years of field-based research and conservation work in West and Central Africa. Andrew joined the Wildlife Conservation Society in September 2013 as Director of the Takamanda-Mone Landscape Project, based in Limbe, Cameroon. He is a member of the IUCN Primate Specialist Group.

Gerald Kuchling, Ph.D.

Rafetus Team Leader Turtle Survival Alliance

Gerald Kuchling has established conservation programs, breeding initiatives, and conducted research on a variety of chelonians including, the Western Australian Swamp turtle, the Madagascan big-headed turtle, the Geometric tortoise, Burmese roofed turtle, and the Southern River terrapin, among others. Since 2007, Gerald has led a captive breeding project for the Yangtze giant softshell turtle based on the world’s only known female which Gerald discovered in Changsha Zoo and the only surviving old male in China in Suzhou Zoo. Gerald was the 2009 winner of the Behler Turtle Conservation Award.

Alisha Sherriff

Department of Conservation’s Kakapo Recovery Team Ranger, New Zealand

Alisha Sherriff is caretaker to Sirocco, one of the 154 kākāpō left on the planet. Sirocco is the spokesbird for the rarest flightless bird in the world, has his own Twitter account (@spokesbird), and travels around New Zealand to meet his fans from around the world.  Alisha has cared for him for over five years, and monitors his health and safety.  One of her major responsibilities involves cleaning anything that comes in contact with him, to prevent any chance of infection.

Sandra Sneckenberger

Endangered Species Recovery Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Sandra Sneckenberger is a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  Her work focuses on minimizing threats to endangered species and preventing their extinction.  She works on recovery methods to help birds and small mammals, including the Florida grasshopper sparrow, the Key Largo woodrat, nocturnal beach mice, and other species in the southeastern United States.

Jan Stejskal

Director of Communications and International Projects at Zoo Dvůr Králové

Jan is a journalist with more than 10 years of experience, with a focus on the environment.  His current role is Director of Communications and International Projects at Zoo Dvůr Králové, which holds the largest herd of giraffes and is one of the best rhino breeders outside of Africa as well. It’s the only animal park where the northern white rhino has ever bred in captivity and it owns all 3 last northern white rhinos in the world.

Kevin Torregrosa

Former Curator of Reptiles, St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park

Born and raised in Florida, Kevin Torregrosa has spent the last decade working with every recognized species of crocodilian. He is an active member of the Crocodilian Advisory Group and serves as an instructor for Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s Crocodilian Biology and Captive Management Course. He currently works as a Collections Manager of Herpetology at the Bronx Zoo.