Eva
is Tracking Field Manager with the International
Crane Foundation (ICF). Driving
a tracking vehicle and using radio
telemetry, Eva
helps track the new flock's cranes on their fall and
spring migrations.
Eva attended Michigan Technological
University located in Houghton, Michigan (in the Upper
Peninsula). She graduated in December 2006 from the Biological
Sciences program. Eva's home town is Chassell, Michigan.
She
grew up on a small farm, and always enjoyed working with
animals. She showed chickens, cattle, pigs, rabbits, and
sheep at the local fair while she was involved in 4-H.
After high
school,
Eva worked at the local pet store for
five years. During that time she got many different
pets. Now she owns a one-legged Umbrella Cockatoo named
Henry, a Senegal Parrot named Neo, and a corn snake
named Satchi. Eva's family also has goats, a few cows,
chickens, a pony, dog and cat. In her free time, Eva
enjoys reading, playing volleyball, kayaking, and other
summer
outdoor activities.
Six months after graduating from college, Eva found the
USFWS Whooping Crane Reintroduction Internship on the
Association of Zoos and Aquariums website. She applied
and was hired. She spent the summer
raising and caring
for whooping crane chicks that were then released at
the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in the Direct
Autumn Release (DAR) Program. Then Eva was asked if
if she would like to continue tracking.
She's glad she said yes!
Eva
said, "I
didn't have any previous training before accepting the ICF
tracking internship after
my USFWS internship was completed, but I learned
fast once migration started that tracking flying birds is
not a simple thing to do! It's good that I was able
to track birds around the Wildlife Refuge in Necedah
before
migration
began. I got a sense of how far away I could be
and still pick up signals, and also the different strengths
and frequencies of the different transmitters. Every
bird in the flock has its own individual
frequency. While we don't have to memorize all of
the frequencies, it makes it a lot quicker when I can look
at the receiver and know who I'm listening to instead
of having to look it up on my information sheet every
time!"
What are Eva's favorite parts of tracking? "Being able to
moniter the chicks that I helped raise this summer, and also
exploring new places and seeing the animals that
are native to
those areas (such as Florida's manatees, pelicans,
and wood storks). My least favorite part of the job is having
to drive
in the Florida traffic (of which there is considerably
more than in Wisconsin)."
Congratulations
to Eva, who was promoted in summer 2008 to Tracking Field
Manager!
Read
Eva's story "The Adventures of DAR46-07." >>
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