Bennett fulfills childhood dream at Folsom Zoo

%28TARAH+JOHNSON%2F+EYE+OF+THE+TIGER%29+Senior+Thalia+Bennett+interacts+with+a+deer+at+the+Folsom+City+Zoo+Sanctuary.+Bennett+interns+at+the+zoo+every+weekend+and+tends+to+the+animals+by+cleaning+cages%2C+providing+food%2C+and+monitoring+the+facility.+

(TARAH JOHNSON/ EYE OF THE TIGER) Senior Thalia Bennett interacts with a deer at the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary. Bennett interns at the zoo every weekend and tends to the animals by cleaning cages, providing food, and monitoring the facility.

KENZIE DUNCAN

Roseville High School senior Thalia Bennett was presented with the opportunity to intern at the Folsom Zoo Sanctuary. She began working at the zoo this past July, and plans on being a part of the zoo until June of this upcoming year. According to Bennett, she has felt a love for animals since a young age.

“When I was 3 years old, I declared I wanted to be a veterinarian,” Bennett said, “My heart has always been with animals, and so now I’m leaning more towards wildlife biology and zoology,” Bennett said.

The Bennett family adopted a dog from the SPCA. According to Bennett, it was around the time when she was two years old, and since then she has always felt a strong connection with animals.  

“I relate to them so well, and they’re so expressive. They’ve always touched my heart. That was probably awakened to me when we adopted our first dog at the SPCA, from then on I just knew that I wanted to do something with animals for the rest of my life,” Bennett said.

According to Bennett, the zoo internship opportunity was suggested about two years ago during a family trip to the Folsom Zoo when she was 15 years old. Bennett waited till she turned 16, and applied for the internship. According to Bennett, there is an eight page application form, a letter of intent, and an interview if your initial application is accepted in order to receive the internship. There is a monthly quota required at the Folsom Zoo.

“I started in late July of this year. The quota you have to meet on a monthly basis is about 14 hours and to fulfill that I go every weekend at least one day. For me, that’s Sunday because usually I get to work with large carnivores. Saturday is more with pasture animals,” Bennett said.

According to Bennett, there is a lot that happens behind the scenes when running a zoo facility, more than one would have guessed.

“I have to wash a lot of dishes and cook a lot of meals for the animals, it’s kind of like working in the kitchen of a restaurant sometimes,” Bennett said. “It’s definitely physical labor.”

Bennett wants to continue working in a field that involves animals and hopes to follow a career path involving wildlife biology or zoology, and feels that this experience is beneficial in getting there.

“It’s given me a taste of what is to come, and given me skills that I can apply in pursuing wildlife biology,” Bennett said, “It’s been really eye opening and something that I’m extremely grateful for. I went out on a limb, I wanted to get my feet wet and see if this is something I actually wanted to do.”

According to Bennett, the animals located at the Folsom Zoo have varying personalities, and are easy to be around.

“I feel really at ease when I’m with animals. I just feel like I understand them, and that they too also get me. It’s this really simple, affectionate relationship. They’re always fascinating in one way or another,” Bennett said.

Supervisor of Bennett at the Folsom Zoo, Jill Lute, believes that Bennett is very helpful and is very nice to work with.

“She is very friendly, she follows directions well, and she is reliable,” Lute said.

According to Lute, she thinks Bennett has a lot of hope for the future, and that it will bring her great opportunities.

“If this is something she wants to continue on with, I think she does very well and if she continues to volunteer there are always opportunities to move up and learn new things,” Lute said.

Roseville High School junior and friend of Bennett, Anuya Kamath, noticed the passion Bennett had for animals as early as middle school.

“She has a natural gift when it comes to working with animals and her compassion and love for them is a great part of her,” Kamath said.

According to Kamath, she is proud of Bennett for acting on the opportunities she has been presented, and is excited to see what the future has in store for her.

“She is being so proactive about her future by volunteering so consistently at the zoo, and I know that her passion and skills will only grow as she continues to experience everything she can from this opportunity,” Kamath said.

Kamath believes she could see Bennett choosing a career path involving intimate relationships with animals.

“I would love to see her as a veterinarian or in any career where she gets to interact personally with animals,” Kamath said, “I have a lot of confidence in her and I know that she’ll succeed and flourish in whatever career she chooses for herself.”

Along with the support Bennett receives from Kamath, her family is also providing support for her. 

“My family was really supportive, but my mom jokes around everyday by saying, ‘Make sure you don’t get eaten by a tiger today,’” Bennett said.

According to Bennett, she may have to leave the Folsom Zoo as a result of where she ends up for college, but has been thoroughly enjoying her experience thus far.

“Working at the zoo is a year long commitment, so it depends on what school I’ll be attending in terms of whether I’m staying or not,” Bennett said.