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Name:
Mark Telzrow |
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Title:
Aquarist |
Park:
SeaWorld San Antonio |
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Hometown:
Westlake,
Ohio |
Time with SeaWorld:
14 years |
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Background:
I received my Bachelor's degree in zoology from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. I've been interested in animals for as long as I can remember and consider myself more of a naturalist than biologist. Outside of work I'm an avid birder and travel extensively to pursue this hobby as well as my other interests in herpetology, entomology and botany. At home I keep venomous and non-venomous snakes, lizards and turtles, among other reptiles. Before coming to SeaWorld, I worked in a veterinary clinic and helped care for a variety of animals - an experience which has helped me immensely in my present position.
Recent adventures: In 2001 I traveled to Belize to help with a coral survey project for the Wildlife Conservation Society. I spent about two weeks on a small island 25 miles off the coast scuba diving to survey reefs. I've always liked fish, including sharks, but I get immense satisfaction working with and protecting corals and other invertebrates - animals that so many people seem to miss. I also serve on the Steering Committee for the Aquatic Invertebrate Taxon Advisory Group (or TAG), which makes funding recommendations for aquarium research projects. The TAGs are made up of professionals from around the world and the meetings are held at a different aquarium each year.
Favorite part of the job: Getting paid to do something that's really fun. Being elbow-deep in an aquarium working with animals is a dream job for many people. A lot of hobbyists spend money to do this at home. I also love it when guests are really interested in what they're seeing, versus just saying "Eewww, that's gross" or "That's disgusting." There are guests who stop and really look at the animals and say "That's really cool" or "Wow, I had no idea this animal existed." The one message I would love for people to take away from their visit to SeaWorld or their local aquariums is that without all of the small things, the big things like sharks and dolphins and killer whales wouldn't be around.
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