Debra Schmidt, Ph.D.
Nutritionist

Debra Schmidt received her B.S. in animal sciences from the University of Missouri in 1988. She received her M.S. in 1990 from Louisiana State University, focusing on the artificial reproduction techniques for the captive nine-banded armadillo. Schmidt received her Ph.D. in animal nutrition from University of Missouri-Columbia in 2002. Her dissertation focused on enhancing fiber in captive primate diets and determining their ability to digest high fiber diets. She conducted her research with orangutans and black lemurs at the St. Louis Zoo. As a research nutritionist in the Rice Program in Nutrition at Lincoln Park Zoo, her research focuses on establishing “normal nutrient values” in free-ranging animals, which will be used as a basis for evaluating zoo animals’ nutritional health. She is also working to identify “normal” cholesterol concentrations for gorillas as part of the Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes. Another research area is the evaluation of artificial UVB light sources that are used with reptiles to promote the animal’s synthesis of vitamin D. Schmidt serves as a nutrition adviser to the orangutan Species Survival Plan (SSP), western lowland gorilla SSP, African wild dog SSP and penguin Taxon Advisory Group.

Publications

Schmidt, D.A., Ellersieck, M.R., Cranfield, M.R. and Karesh, W.B.  2006.  Cholesterol values in free-ranging gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus).  Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 37(3): 292-300.  

Schmidt, D.A., Mulkerin, D., Boehm, D.R., Lu, Z., Ellersieck, M.R., Campbell, M., Chen, T.C. and Holick, M.F.  2006.  Preliminary report on vitamin D synthesizing capacity of artificial light sources over time using in vitro ampules.  Proceedings of the 6th Biennial Symposium of the Comparative Nutrition Society, Keystone, Colorado.  

Schmidt, D.A., Travis, D.A. and Williams, J.  2006.  Guidelines for creating a food safety HACCP program in zoos or aquaria.  Zoo Biology, 25(2): 125-135.  

Laflamme, D.P., Kuhlman, G., Lawler, D.R., Kealy, R.D. and Schmidt, D.A.  2005.  Obesity management in dogs.  Journal of Veterinary Clinical Nutrition, 1: 59-65.  

Schmidt, D.A.  2005.  Orangutan Nutrition.  Orangutan SSP Husbandry Manual.  

Schmidt, D.A., Kerley, M.S., Dempsey, J.L., Porton, I.J., Porter, J.H., Griffin, M.E., Ellersieck, M.R. and Sadler, W.C.  2005.  Fiber digestibility by the orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus abelii): in vitro and in vivo.  Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 36(4): 571-580.  

Schmidt, D.A., Kerley, M.S., Porter, J.H. and Dempsey, J.L.  2005.  Structural and nonstructural carbohydrate, fat, and protein composition of commercially available, whole produce.  Zoo Biology, 24(4): 359-373.  

Schmidt, D.A., Kerley, M.S., Porton, I.J., Porter, J.H., Dempsey, J.L., Griffin, M.E., Ellersieck, M.R. and Sadler, W.C.  2005.  Fiber digestibility by black lemurs (Eulemur macaco macaco).  Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 36(4): 204-211.  

Lehmkuhler, J.W., Felton, E.E.D., Schmidt, D.A., Bader, K.J., Garrett, H.E. and Kerley, M.S.  2003.  Tree protection methods during the silvopastoral-system establishment in Midwestern USA: cattle performance and tree damage.  Agroforestry Systems, 59(1): 35-42.  

Schmidt, D.A.  2003.  The Vitamin D Workshop: Proceedings.  Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois.  

Schmidt, D.A., Dempsey, J.L., Kerley, M.S. and Porton, I.J.  2000.  Fiber in ape diets: a review.  Proceedings of “The Apes: Challenges for the 21st Century.” Chicago, Illinois, 177-179.