I started my summer in Jamaica, where I was helping Inbar Maayan (Haig Lab) with her PhD research on Anolis lizards. We stayed in Kingston and drove all over the island in search of the best lizard haunts; once we found them, we caught as many as we could and documented which species we found in a given location. I wasn’t able to stay for the genetic sampling, though, because I had to make it home to Montana. There, I worked as an intern for the Whitefish Lake Institute. A small NGO, WLI monitors the water chemistry in dozens of lakes in northwest Montana. It also works with local governments and private stakeholders on initiatives related to improving and maintaining water quality and mitigating human impacts on aquatic ecosystems. When I wasn’t out on a boat or wading in streams to take samples, I got to shadow Fish, Wildlife and Parks in fish conservation work and genetic purity and biodiversity assessment, River Design Group scientists as they surveyed streams ahead of planned restoration, and city employees at the local boat decontamination unit. It was an educational and fun summer, and I’m glad I was able to experience such a wide range of conservation work.
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