Inspiring future generations has long been a source of pride for the Buffalo Zoo, and thanks to an educational partnership, students are getting first-hand experience to kickstart their conservation careers.

The Zoo, Wildlife, and Conservation Careers program in partnership with Erie 1 BOCES allows honors-level high school senior students to get daily access to the Buffalo Zoo for an immersive, hands-on learning experience. Students get the chance to explore the many career possibilities in animal care, wildlife conservation and zoo operations by spending three hours of their school day on Buffalo Zoo grounds.

The program’s instructor, Hannah Weigand, has a strong passion for education and animals, and is no stranger to the Buffalo Zoo having previously worked in the Education Department for multiple years. She said her goal as an educator is to give her students, who come from 10 different schools around Western New York, an understanding of various animal career possibilities.

“There are so many options out there,” Weigand said. “So this course in (students’) 12th grade year gives them an opportunity to explore all of those and narrow their focus to give them a really good start once they go on to college.”

Students receive valuable experience and connections that can help kickstart their careers thanks to a variety of guest speakers and the chance to shadow Buffalo Zoo keepers.

Additionally, the course covers high school credits and allows students to get a jumpstart on credits at select colleges, too. The program provides three transferable credits to Canisius University and SUNY Cobleskill.

“I had a student graduate last summer and immediately start interning and shadowing (in the Buffalo Zoo’s veterinary hospital,” Weigand said. “So the connections they’re able to make and the relationships they’re able to form with the animals at the Zoo, it’s just incredible.”

Students learn not only by getting out on the Buffalo Zoo’s campus, but in the classroom setting as well through assignments, discussion with peers and projects. One of the highlight projects requires students to design their own zoo exhibits, and then create and present to scale models of them.

The Buffalo Zoo could not be prouder to host these passionate students, and Weigand believes our campus is the perfect location for the program.

“I think the Zoo’s people and its size are its strength,” she said. “We can get across the Zoo to any exhibit in a few minutes to any exhibit we want to get to, and then just the willingness and the openness of the staff to accept these students. It’s a huge advantage for this program.”

You can learn more about the Zoo Wildlife and Conservation Careers program here.