Muskingum Senior Puts Wildlife Education Into Practice at Bear Center

The center is home to three black bears that cannot be released into the wild because they were identified as nuisance bears as cubs. Nuisance bears become overly comfortable around humans and often rely on human food sources, such as unsecured garbage. These bears are often euthanized unless they can be placed in a sanctuary or zoo. At the North American Bear Center, the bears serve as educational ambassadors, helping guests learn how to coexist with black bears and understand the importance of properly securing food and waste.

During her internship, she accumulated more than 550 hours of hands-on experience in bear husbandry, including diet preparation, enrichment development, and habitat maintenance. As part of her internship project, she designed a new enrichment device that required the bears to spin a wooden panel to access their food. Enrichment plays a critical role in the care of captive animals by encouraging natural behaviors, stimulating problem-solving skills, and supporting overall well-being. Through this project, she discovered a strong passion for creating engaging enrichment opportunities for animals in human care.

With guidance from Dr. Jim Dooley, who helped her secure the internship through Handshake, the experience became a valuable extension of her classroom education. The internship allowed her to apply concepts from her coursework in a real-world setting while strengthening skills in science communication, animal behavior, and wildlife education. Bringing those experiences back to campus enriched her academic learning and provided greater clarity about her future career goals. She is grateful for the opportunity and the lasting impact it has had on her educational and professional development.