Co-written by: Chris Edelen, Megan O’Keefe, and Wendy Rice
When it comes to incorporating natural talents into your career, few keepers have mastered the art as well as Lindsay Garrett. Not only is she super creative, but her artistic talents have come into play on more than one occasion in her role as zoo keeper. Whether she is shaping concrete for turtle enclosures or casting animal molds to raise money for conservation, Lindsay constantly finds ways to incorporate her strengths into her work.
When alligator “Lucy” was not shifting well into her holding area, Lindsay took it upon herself to trouble-shoot and come up with a solution. She reached out to keepers at other zoos for help and even built a gator-friendly ramp that would allow Lucy to feel the water in her holding pool, making shifting more comfortable for the visually-impaired crocodilian.
Additionally, Lindsay’s incredible patience and focus help make her a talented trainer. She developed a target-training program to facilitate shifting Lucy (who now shifts on cue successfully on a weekly basis!), and her colleagues call her a master of manatee training.
When it comes to educating the public, Lindsey is always willing. She even helped to develop an underwater keeper chat to help guests feel more connected to the Zoo’s manatees. Not only is Lindsay a wealth of knowledge regarding the animals in her collection, but she also conveys their environmental importance during her interactions with the public. She has also helped raise funds for conservation through her involvement with the Zoo’s American Association of Zoo Keepers chapter.
Lindsay’s positive influence even extends beyond her own department through her active involvement in the enrichment committee. Lindsay’s knowledge and insight help ensure that all the animals at our Zoo have safe and appropriate enrichment.
Co-worker Megan O’Keefe says of Lindsay: “She is ridiculously hard-working. I’ve never met anyone more on top of things than she is!” Chris Edelen said of Lindsay: “She goes above and beyond, and I am a better conservationist for seeing things through her eyes…”
Thank you for your dedication to our field Lindsay!
While working as a volunteer educator in the Manatee House I’ve heard Lindsay give talks to super large audiences. she not only does an outstanding job of communicating about manatees to the public, she stays on and answers questions long after her formal talk. She’s a wonderful source of information to volunteers. She’s great! Allan Beach