After coming back from a summer course abroad in
Peru that focused on primate behavior and conservation, I knew I wanted to
continue learning more about conservation. I was able to find an opening for
two undergraduate conservation biologists through OSCAR. The job description
included camera trap identifications that are based in the Peruvian jungle.
This job required its employee to watch video clips from their motion-sensor
camera traps set all around the Maijuna’s land and to identify the mammals that
were seen. I was exposed to camera trappings and videos from these electronics
from my time spent in Peru which helped me throughout this job. The one summer
course in Peru on primates really prepared me in the beginning of applying and
working on this project. 
I currently work under Michael Gilmore and his
partner, Mark Bowler on multiple researches. From the data collected by these
video identifications, the researchers would then be able to analyze the data.
Some of the research projects that I was able to help out include which mammal
is feeding on a rich fruit called the aguaje or how the population of specific
species differs from the past to now. When I first started working under
Michael Gilmore in the Fall of 2014 I worked alongside, Kathleen Copeland-Fish an
Environmental Science major and a volunteer John Probert who is part of the New
Century College (NCC) Integrative Studies Program.
My responsibilities entitle me to spend ten
hours a week looking at the videos that are ten seconds to one minute long. The
basic identifications include observing the number, type of species, and the
sex of the mammals. Since the past week I was able to watch a short clip of a
short-eared dog with a shrew inside its mouth. I know that even though I may
not be doing exactly what I am doing now in the future, the experience and
knowledge I was able to gain from my mentor Dr. Gilmore and watching these
videos will help me in my future education or job.
