The National Tigers for Tigers Coalition has recently partnered with the Refuge Association to provide special internship opportunities for Tigers for Tigers members on various refuges throughout the country.
Robin Lloyd, a Zoology and Animal Biology major at Auburn University, is interning this summer at Clarks River Refuge in western Kentucky. Robin is a rising Junior and has been involved with Tigers for Tigers this past year alongside sophomore Jessie Schieler. I sat down for a quick Q&A with Robin about his internship and time at Clarks River.
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| Robin Lloyd helping to manage a beaver dam. |
C: What have you done so far/what are your duties as an intern?
R: As an intern as Clarks River it is hard to say what my duties are in a routine nature. Something new and unexpected happens everyday. The internship is 75% maintenance work and 25% wildlife biology, education and policy work. A few examples of things I have done on the refuge is beaver dam control to preserve bottomland hardwood habitat, migratory bird banding with mist nets, environmental education from small children to college adult level, raptor rehabilitation from an injured kestral we are taking care of at the refuge, animal rescues in the community (turkeys, raccoons, groundhogs, etc.), community outreach with the people of Benton, KY and of course Landscaping of the refuge. Each day is something new that keeps the internship exciting.
C: Have you been to a refuge before your internship?
R: The only other refuge I can think of that I have been to is Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. Although when I went to Okefenokee at the time for a fishing trip I did not know the major difference between a refuge and a park. A short version of a difference is that a refuge is for conservation and a park is for preservation.
 Landscape shot on a beautiful day in Clarks River. (C) Robin Lloyd |
C: What were you expecting out of your internship?
R: I was expecting a good work environment to develop crucial work ethic skills that I could later use in life. Working at Clarks River has given me just that and much more. I have learned valuable skills that will help me to become a better biologist and have acquired some great connections.
C: What's one thing you've learned so far?
R: A few things I have learned working at Clarks River is bird banding, working with other people, educating other people about conservation, public policy, and some of the complex problems working in the government.
C: What's it like interning on a refuge?
R: Interning at Clarks River is great. The land is absolutely beautiful and the people I work with I feel like I have known them for years! Clarks River has given me nice lodging and work vehicles to use for work around the refuge. My boss Michael Johnson is a great guy and is very approachable, knowledgable and fair with everyone who works at the refuge. He is a straight shooter and does not beat around the bush. I am taking an online genetics class at night and everyone at the refuge has been real understanding and have been helping me out in anyway possible.
C: Would you recommend the internship to other students?
R: I would recommend the internship to other students. It is a great experience and you will learn a lot working here, but I will warn it is a lot of work and someone who does not have a good work ethic could not work here.
C: What's been your favorite moment/day so far?
R: My favorite day was the first day of migratory bird banding. In one of our mist nets we caught a huge and beautiful pileated woodpecker. I got to help out with the survey, and I released the bird.
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| Robin Lloyd pictured with a biology class visiting Clarks River. |
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In addition to interning at Clarks River, Robin just finished up his first trip to Washington D.C. advocating for better wildlife trafficking policy. Go Robin! Stay tuned to hear more about other T4T members who are interning this summer.
Go Tigers!
Carrah Lingo
Communications Associate
NT4TC
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