Joseph Garner

About

Joe grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, where he spent plenty of time visiting both Brookfield Zoo Chicago and Lincoln Park Zoo. This is where his love of animals and conservation began, with his passion growing over time following several amazing experiences—including participating in a Humboldt penguin encounter and volunteering at a local wildlife rehabilitation center.

As an undergraduate at Central Michigan University, Joe gained experience conducting biological research and interacting with wildlife. He independently researched black-footed ferret breeding and the reintroduction of the species in the Great Plains region, presented on zoonotic disease outbreaks in zoological parks, and compared avian and mammalian biodiversity on Central Michigan’s campus and the surrounding nature preserves.

After graduating in 2023, he began work as a field research intern for the Urban Wildlife Institute at Lincoln Park Zoo, monitoring biodiversity in the Chicagoland area with trail cameras and capturing bat calls with audio recorders. Joe also collaborated with the zoo’s evaluation team to conduct a survey at Montrose Beach that aimed to understand the perceived benefits and barriers to leashing dogs being walked in the area.

After the internship ended, Joe transitioned to his current position of Population Management Center Program Assistant, where he now focuses on distributing breeding and transfer reports between zoos as well as providing general administrative support. In this position, he hopes to contribute to the wellbeing of imperiled species across the globe, increasing populations and fighting the threat of extinction.