Introduction:

Julie Golla worked for 6 months as the carnivore intern capturing and radio-tracking bobcats and mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains. She also assisted with other projects such as pit-falls, small mammal trapping, stream surveys, road kill surveys, and motion sensor camera trapping on the 405 freeway.

Why did you want to become an intern?

There were many reasons I was interested in becoming an intern in the Santa Monica Mountains. The opportunity to work with such charismatic species as bobcats and mountain lions is pretty rare in this career field, and the unique urban setting offered many new challenges and learning opportunities in conducting field work. There are also many different projects going on, which means lots of new experiences and learning opportunities!

Which field(s) interest you?

Wildlife research in almost any form interests me, especially predator/prey interactions. I’m also interested in learning more about management in conserving wildlife.

How much time did you commit to your internship?

I was here for 6 months and worked at least 40 hours a week.

Tell us about your college career.

I graduated in May 2008 with a B.S. in Zoology from Oklahoma State University. I originally went to school looking to pursue veterinary medicine, but after spending some time working with wildlife in the field on different projects, my love for wildlife research came through and I’ve been working towards that ever since. I would love to continue my education and develop my own research project for graduate school.

What have you gained from your experience as an intern?

More than I ever could have expected! Every day in the field was filled with its own challenges and adventures. The research techniques I have practiced here will be important in my future endeavors as a wildlife biologist. I knew I was going to be doing a lot of telemetry and trapping with the bobcats, but the many other projects going on in the department were an added bonus in diversifying my field experience.  The people I have met along the way have also been tremendously helpful and I know I will continue to benefit from their friendships and advice. 

Do you feel your goals for this internship have been met?

Absolutely! My goals were basically to learn as much as I possibly could from the people and projects at SAMO, and I gained more than I could have ever expected. I was lucky enough to experience multiple bobcat and mountain lion captures, help tag bobcat kittens, and dabble in the many other projects going on in the park. I can’t imagine any other intern enjoying their experience here more than I have. It has been an unforgettable and invaluable adventure that I am forever grateful for. I of course would recommend volunteering here to anyone and everyone, no matter what field or department you are interested in working in. You will not regret it!!